Life is about growing and improving and getting better.
The above quote is about growing, improving, and getting better; however, some people are content with being average, or let’s say complacent.
In some cases, complacency can be dangerous. For example, driving on the highway in a big city or small town and not paying attention to the roadway, daydreaming about your destination.
Another example is running on the roadway and thinking about your plans, which may include school assignments, work assignments, what you will have for lunch, and so on.
Depending on your thinking, background, and or outlook on life, complacency means different things to many people. Complacency is the feeling of quiet pleasure or security, often while unaware of some potential danger. In contrast, complacency could mean self-satisfaction or content in one existing situation or condition.
Nevertheless, as I go through my doctoral program, I’m continuously reminding myself to practice my writing, following logic, flow, paragraph organization, and structure with professional publications.
In the past couple of weeks, I’ve had some success in which success could breed complacency; thus, I’m doing everything right, and I’m on the right track. However, I’ve enrolled in different seminars for writing, research, effective communications, leadership, and other programs.
Again, complacency was something I feared throughout my military career. The complacent attitude is when someone is pleased with themselves or feel that they do not need to do anything about a situation, even though the problem may be uncertain or dangerous. Yet, we can’t afford to be complacent with our health.
As a leader, I made sure my team was confident in our ability to accomplish our mission; however, over-confidence means we could lose sight of the dangers around us. We’ve all heard the saying “complacency kills.”
Stop Complacency?
Look around you at this moment in time. Are you comfortable in your current position? Comfort leads to complacency, and complacency kills. I believe complacency kills the human sprint where we stop growing and discovering our true selves.
What is your true potential? I was held back in the third grade, struggled in middle school, and barely made it through high school. I always wanted to join the military; yet, I took the ASVAB (military entrance test) three times.
You would never know that I struggled in school because I’m moving forward in my doctoral program; two more classes, and I’ll be in the third and final residence course in October of 2021, comprehensive examination, and finally the dissertation process.
I realized long ago that the academic world was my nemesis. I’m always comfortable in my usual routine of physical fitness, shooting weapons, and playing sports. I was confident in my abilities at work in the military and law enforcement; however, complacency set in, and I was not moving forward.
Getting out of my comfort zone meant overcoming the fear of academic work. Diving into the readings, writings, academic literature, theories, and the overall capacity to keep learning— pushed me forward to grow, improve, and get better.
So, if you are comfortable where you are, there is nothing wrong with that; yet, ask the following questions. What is my real potential? Have I achieved everything I want out of life? Am I caught up in the daily rat race of life – wake up, eat breakfast, go to work, lunch, back to work, get off of work, and watch my favorite television program?
In essence, I asked myself these four questions while wondering if I should pursue a doctoral degree.
Why? (why read the books, go to the seminars, stay up late writing papers, etc.)
Why not? (why not read the books, the journal articles, go to the seminars – Imagine the person I can become)
Why not me? (I have the potential to achieve something that less than 2% of the world’s population has a doctorate)
Why not now? (life’s short, let’s start now)