Seeking Stability

Why are we so fixated on the familiar? Why do some of us fight so hard to maintain the status quo even when we simultaneously complain about it?

I think part of the issue is that we confuse stability with safety. When life is rapidly changing and circumstances are evolving quickly, we feel unsettled and anxious. Because instability can feel so threatening, it is easy to assume – even if subconsciously – that the opposite must be true: that stability equals safety and predictability brings protection.

This can be a dangerous assumption. Because of our hard-wired desire for stability, we can mistakenly choose to stay in a boat slowly sinking in the harbor, rather than board a ship setting out for the ocean. Yes, the vessel on the open seas will hit turbulent waves and encounter storms, but it will also move you along and give you a chance to get to where you need to be.

The boat in the harbor might be comfortable – at least for the moment – but you slowly descend into stagnant waters. Volatility may be scary, but stability can be far more risky.

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Mindset Matters

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