The Cost of Complacency

If you want to find personal success, you have to believe it's possible.

Because when you stop believing in yourself, only for a second.

Everything plateaus, and you'll lose the hunger you once had.

Complacency will take over, days will turn into weeks. And weeks will turn into months.

Without momentum, projects become more difficult.

With comfort, you'll forget your ferocious why in the first place.

You'll settle for less than your dreams.

I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.

• You will default with excuses.

• Your sense of confidence will disappear

• People will respect you less (i.e. friends and family)

At 24 years old, I wrote every day for 18 months straight.

I wrote about 50 weekly newsletters. I recorded 27 podcast episodes. Thousands of tweets, a f*ck ton of calls with creators. But it all changed when I quit my day job of almost 3 years. I started on a new path, in alignment with my desire to become a better storyteller.

And what happened?

1 week of complacency turned into months.

I stopped growing, I destroyed my writing streak. I let the opinions of others get the best of me. (I'm only human)

Now, the result of this grave mistake?

I felt less involved with my dreams.

Old habits reappeared in an attempt to self-soothe.

No matter what I wrote I refused to publish it.

My feelings of "personal success" were held on by a thread.

I thought I'd take a break because I "deserved one" only to find out it was the worst thing I could've done for my growth & writing. It felt like I became a shell of the person I once was.

Which is why I want to share this with you.

Keep doing what you love, but only if you're obsessed.

If I could back in time, I would smack myself over the head.

Because "done" is better than perfect. I didn't realize it at the time but, if you can't stop thinking about your passion. It's a sign you've found your thing. Day and night, I even woke up in the middle of the night with a craving to write. I killed the snowball effect I had. Alienated all of the friends and peers I made from writing. It felt horrible.

And in the present moment?

I'm writing every single day again.

Because of this decision:

• My mind is clear again

• Old friends are back, cheering me on.

• At the end of the day, I know I'm giving it my all.

The way you talk to yourself matters. The price of regret is not worth the pleasure.

Next time you have to choose between your dreams or comfort:

Push forward, and surrender to the work in front of you.

Because if you do, your dreams will thank you.

The universe will guide you to potential realities that you never could've found on your own.