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Look at this sugar packet:
It’s really nothing special. Its street resale value is probably under a penny.
You can probably sneak into the restaurant nearest to you, look the waitress square in the eye, put 20 of these in your pocket, and walk out.
She won’t even care.
But…..
THIS sugar packet is magical.
THIS sugar packet has meaning.
THIS sugar packet can change a life.
You see, I was at a restaurant with a friend, and scribbled something on this packet during a conversation about comfort zones.
I had a pen, but no paper. So this sugar packet became my writing pad.
We were talking about where the interesting stuff in life comes from.
Where growth comes from.
It rarely comes from the “regular shit” we do 98% of the day.
It comes from the edge cases.
It comes from stretching the limits.
It comes from the absolute edges of what’s possible.
Imagine you’re flying in a plane. You’re bored and your eyes start trying to sneak a peek what the guy on the laptop next to you is writing. All of a sudden the plane JOLTS and starts shaking.
The turbulence picks up hard, the seatbelt light chimes on, the stewardesses actually rush to take their seats, and all of a sudden you start believing in God again.
Now let’s pause….and ask ourselves this question:
When they tested if this plane was safe to fly, how harsh did they make the test?
I mean, when you fly 98% of the time it’s smooth sailing.
So wouldn’t they stress-test the plane based on that?
FUCK NO.
I wouldn’t wanna fly on a plane that’s only tested in smooth weather!!
I want Boeing to rag the hell of their planes during testing.
I want them to leave one out in the desert, let it sit through hail storms, strip the paint of, let some rats hang out in the engines, simulate 20 years of wear and tear…..AND THEN put that fucker through the worst possible hurricane-like weather imaginable.
Only through these extreme conditions, does Boeing realize the strengths and weaknesses of their airplane…..and can then make it stronger.
Well I’m not an airplane. And neither are you.
But our strengths, weaknesses, and limits…..are found through that small percentage of time when we are pushed out of our comfort zones.
It also happens to be where the growth is found.
Staying within a comfortable state without testing boundaries, breeds little growth.
Relationships.
Business.
Health.
All of these are pushed to grow through uncomfort.
If you’re not a little uncomfortable today.
You’re probably doing it wrong.
Oh…..and that sugar packet I was talking about? Want to see the front?
Here it is.