How to Catch a Tiger: The Price of Comfort

How to Catch a Tiger

Step 1: Throw a big fat steak into the grass. The tiger will come.

Step 2: Throw a big fat steak into the grass. The tiger will keep coming.

Step 3: Bring a big fat steak and a small piece of fence. Throw the steak and put the fence piece next to it.

Steps 4-9: Keep bringing steaks and add more to the fence every time.

Step 10: Throw a steak in the middle of your fence and when the tiger walks in, install the gate to close the gap. 

The tiger keeps coming because he knows a nice, big, juicy steak will be waiting for him. He watches the fence grow each day, but he doesn’t mind because it seems harmless and he is still getting his steak. And it is harmless… until it isn’t. On that last day, when the fence is fully built and just waiting for a gate, the tiger can see that it’s a trap, yet he willingly walks inside because he is in the habit of getting that steak. He is used to his comfortable routine and doesn’t want to give up that steak. So instead, he gives up his freedom.

Comforts Eliminate Freedoms

“You can choose courage or you can choose comfort. You cannot have both.”
~ Brené Brown

When we succumb to our comfortable habits and stop pushing for progress in our lives, we give up important freedoms. We may refuse exercise in favor of killing time on Instagram and forfeit the freedoms of mobility, health, and a longer life span. We may stick with an inefficient way of managing our finances instead of exploring unfamiliar methods and miss out on the freedoms of innovation. We may ignore opportunities to chat with strangers to avoid feeling awkward and give up the freedoms of social connection and networking. 

The comfortable choices usually start out feeling pretty luxurious, the issue is they don’t stay that way for long. Comfortable choices are, more often than not, not worth the price you pay for them. One of the most prevalent examples of this in western society is the loneliness epidemic. 

GSFGlobal wrote an article about the isolating effect of technology. They say that “[m]any nations have declared a loneliness epidemic, as it burdens their healthcare systems, lowers productivity, and diminishes overall quality of life. One study reported that 47 percent of Americans feel they don’t have any meaningful personal connections.” 

It goes on to say, “Many experts believe that having constant access to technology, specifically smartphones, can prevent us from making personal connections. For many people, it’s become a habit to reach for a smartphone any time they have a free moment, and this behavior could be making our loneliness worse.”

When was the last time you were in an elevator, or waiting in a line, or walking down the street alone? Did you say hello to any of the people around you or strike up a conversation? Or did you pull out your phone? When was the last time you had a few hours to kill? Did you spend it with your family or that friend you’ve been wanting to catch up with? Or did you pull out your phone?

The comfortable choice in those moments is to avoid any awkwardness or effort by turning to your phone. The price of that comfortable habit is all of those invaluable opportunities for human connection. 

What Does Freedom Look Like?

“Before anything great is really achieved, your comfort zone must be disturbed.”
~ Ray Lewis

Comfort is not freedom. It comes with a hefty price. Freedom has a price too, but it is one that gives back instead of takes. The price of freedom is effort.

When we make the effort to work hard at our job, it’s uncomfortable, but it turns into opportunities. We may get a promotion or a good review or even just the emotional satisfaction that comes with pushing ourselves. When we make the effort to chat with strangers, it’s uncomfortable, but it turns into opportunities. We may make a new friend, or a new business connection, or even just feel that emotional satisfaction that comes with pushing ourselves beyond our comfort zone.

Whether it is intellectual stimulation, human connection, physical exertion, etc… effort leads to growth, health, and a sense of fulfillment. There is freedom in making the effort because those efforts become opportunities.

It is my hope for you that you will make the conscious effort to sacrifice comfort for freedom, instead of freedom for comfort.