Growing up kinda sucks, man. I’m already well immersed in my first year of flatting which has really given me a proverbial kick up the proverbial ass. And dude, has it left a bit of a bruise as well. It’s a huge adjustment to a life where getting a meal was a simpler process, gas and electricity was all inclusive, and I didn’t have to struggle to make every single piece of furniture I own from a bloody Kmart flatpack. In the grand scheme of things, it’s not that big a deal, I know. We all do. But at the moment, all of these little changes are really beginning to have a go at me. But ultimately, it’s great. I’m growing up. So that’s where we’re at today: making adjustments and being a little uncomfortable. Pull up a seat and sit down with me my child, let’s talk about life.
Now, this is going to sound really obvious but don’t stop reading just yet; the biggest adjustments in our life comes from moving away from what is most comfortable. It’s called your comfort zone and it’s your worst freakin’ enemy. It’s like wearing Crocs: eventually you’ve gotta take them off if you’re ever wanting to be taken seriously. If I’m going to be a bit more to the point here, you’re not going to grow when you’re comfortable. So, before this sounds like a crappy and prolonged motivational speech, let me tell you about where this recently applied to me.
Hamilton isn’t necessarily the destination of choice for many Cantabrians like me. This phenomenon is often seen as deriving from the belief that people from Cantebrury are close minded to everything else apart from the south. Almost like a superiority complex founded in being better at rugby than everyone else. While true, many of us do venture off to the North for a higher education but very rarely do we pass the capital city. This may describe the confused looks when I told my parents, wider family, teachers, friends, and kind old ladies at work my decision to venture off towards the Mighty Waikato. “Where?” “Are you sure?” “Is Hamilton even a real place?” I may have made that last question up, but the point still remains the same. I knew nobody here and had never even visited the city itself. Let alone the campus. What was an uneducated and almost blind decision to those around me was one that made perfect sense to me. I needed to get away from what was comfortable. Despite me shaking, before I moved, like an old man when he hears you say Aotearoa instead of New Zealand, it is slowly becoming one of the best decisions I have ever made.
Now, it’s a guarantee that you have had a similar experience of growth as a result of adjustments. Many of you reading this will likely have had braver plunges into growth than myself. If we think about those moments, they often precede great success. It’s not a coincidence. In fact, it’s far from.
My question is, why not live outside of the old comfort zone a little more often? While uncomfortable and awkward (a lot like your first kiss), it will end up changing the trajectory of your life (a lot like your first kiss). See, we as humans enjoy being cosy and content in all aspects of life: we buy cars so we don’t have to walk and buy Maccas so we don’t have to cook. Comfort is what is sometimes needed. Sometimes. I’m not saying you need to be that weird kid who runs everywhere they go or the next Gordon Ramsey, but I am saying you need to start pushing your boat out away from the dock a little bit more. Man, this is becoming a sermon again. Let’s go to another story.
My Dad was told he was one of Sumner Cricket club’s most reliable players. Sir Richard Hadlee is regarded as one of the best cricket bowlers the world has ever seen. My Dad was named best fielder for the Sumner Cricket Club. Sir Richard Hadlee had an illustrious career which saw him become the first cricketer to ever reach 400 test wickets. He retired from professional cricket as a legend. Unfortunately, for my Dad, Richard Hadlee did not retire from cricket altogether and was beside himself when he saw old Richie rock up to Sumner Cricket Grounds in his gear for the opposing team. Unsurprisingly, Hadlee was bowling and made a team full of grown men come close to tears when he got the first two batsmen out within the first three overs. No one wanted to go out and bat next. My Dad, normally the last on the order, padded up and went out. Although this was his dream scenario, he was still downright terrified. To this day he describes to me what happened next with complete clarity, almost as if he’s right there. Legs trembling with fear and sweat visually dripping down from his helmet, he saw Sir Richard Hadlee, New Zealand’s greatest bowler, running down towards him. The ball approached him and he swung as what he describes as “nothing”. He hit him for 6.
Now what would make this wholesome anecdote a whole lot more wholesome was if I told you he scored a century or got called up to the national squad or something. But, he actually got out the next ball. That’s not the point of the story though. My Dad demonstrating to Hadlee who daddy truly is showed me that all that is needed is just a swing. A swing no matter how uncomfortable and scared it makes you as it will eventually turn into a 6.
I’m sure you’ve got the message but I’ll repeat it once more for clarity: live outside your comfort zone. That’s not to say that you can’t return there for a rest but making those adjustments will truly alter your life. Trust me. Be like my Dad and just give it a swing.
