There’s an old quote, “pay me now or pay me later.” As human being they’re certain things as individuals we like to do and certain things we don’t like to do. We avoid the things we don’t like to do. However, I’m here to tell you that the old phrase, “pay me now or pay me later” will come to bite you if you don’t take action now.
We all essentially want to be comfortable. Comfortable could be sitting in a La-Z-Boy recliner, watching TV, eating Fritos. Uncomfortable might be going to the gym, working out, doing a cardio class, or getting on the spin bike. It may be uncomfortable, but it’s building your body. It may be uncomfortable in taking time out to read a book, listen to a podcast, getting in our learning, which makes your mind strong. It may be comfortable sitting at La-Z-Boy eating those Fritos and watching TV. But trust me, it will be uncomfortable later because you didn’t invest the time to take care of your mind and body.
You may be comfortable now having a whole lot of fun while spending money unwisely, taking vacations you can’t afford, buying nice stuff, attempting to live like the Jones and not investing for your future, not creating strategies to create income down the road when you retire. You may be comfortable now having fun, but you will be uncomfortable later when it’s time for retirement.
In business, the biggest uncomfortableness may be with leaders who avoid having difficult conversations when they need to be had. If you have someone on your team that is out of alignment and you avoid that conversation, that will fester into something bigger because they think they’re getting away with something. That may eventually grow into a situation down the road where you will be uncomfortable with what you created when that time comes. And I repeat, what you created. If there’s a conversation that needs to be had with somebody on your team and you avoid it and you let it fester and you let it grow, you created that problem and it will come back and bite you.
So, what does a person need to do? You need to get comfortable being uncomfortable. You need to be comfortable having uncomfortable conversations because remember it’s only a conversation. Always ask, do I have your permission to speak freely? When they say yes, speak freely. Let them know where they stand. Let them know what adjustments need to be made. Let them know they’re out of alignment. You’re the leader of the organization. This is your brand. This is your culture. This is your reputation. You need to have the conversation. Take the time to be uncomfortable now, to have the uncomfortable conversations, and then you will be able to be comfortable later.
However, if you make a choice as an individual to be comfortable now, sit on a La-Z-Boy and eat those Fritos and watch TV, not invest wisely for your future while being a free spender. Go out, have fun, and avoid difficult conversations when they need to be had. Trust me, you may be comfortable now avoiding it, but you will be uncomfortable later. My advice, get used to being uncomfortable, most importantly get comfortable with it. You will grow, your team will grow, and you’ll enjoy life now, and most importantly, you’ll also enjoy life later.
COACH MICHAEL DILL is an Award-Winning Certified Business Coach, global speaker, and published author. He is a proud Action Coach Franchise partner as well as the President of Power & Ice Wealth Creation a strategic leadership company that works with business owners, leaders, teams, and entrepreneurs to both develop a systematized and structured organization while accelerating their mindset, efficiencies, and effectiveness to grow both personally and professionally to achieve extraordinary results. He brings more than 40 years of business and entrepreneurial experience in his leadership, team training, and mentoring practice. Businesscoachmichaeldill.com