One of the things people constantly seek, consciously or unconsciously, is security. We have a fundamental need to feel safe because it guarantees our survival. Certainty makes us comfortable, while uncertainty shakes our world, putting us in a place of extreme vulnerability. This need for security may guarantee our existence and make us feel comfortable and safe, but does it really guarantee freedom, peace, happiness, success, and everything we might want in life? Stay with me, and let’s explore this together!
We always seek security because we believe it will bring us freedom. We think that lifetime security means lifetime freedom, happiness, or success. We imagine it will guarantee true success and that we’ll be free to pursue our passions and make our dreams a reality. Security seems possible when we live within our comfort zone—a place where we feel safe and at ease.
While living in our comfort zone can bring us security and create the illusion of freedom, happiness, and success, it’s just that—an illusion. Why? Because prioritizing security over our dreams enslaves us, stripping away our freedom. When we place security above our aspirations, we become prisoners of a system that teaches us the only thing that matters is a lifetime of stability. We are told dreams are impossible or not worth the risk. As a result, we seek security in every aspect of life: a secure job, a house, a car, and everything that makes us feel safe. We don’t question it—we simply settle.
“Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.” – John F. Kennedy
But what’s wrong with this? Is it wrong to seek security? What’s the harm in living in our comfort zone? There’s nothing wrong with it. In fact, it’s a natural instinct; it’s part of our very nature as human beings. The problem arises when we settle for a life far less than what we’re capable of living, limiting our extraordinary potential. The issue comes when security stops us from achieving more. We become so dependent on that security that we protect it at all costs—even if it means sacrificing our dreams because our dreams always threaten that security.
That’s why so many people give up on their dreams. The fear of leaving their place of comfort for the unknown scares them into sticking with an ordinary life where they feel safe and comfortable. But if you want to achieve the life you’ve always imagined, if you want your dreams to become reality, you have to be ready to feel uncomfortable. Security might bring you everything you need to survive, but the life you truly deserve is only possible outside your comfort zone.
“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.” – Michelangelo
Most people who have achieved their dreams, or those known for their extreme success, share one thing in common: they were in a place of absolute uncertainty when they chose to pursue their dreams. So, it’s clear that our comfort zone, though it makes us feel safe, actually limits us. It keeps us from taking action because we don’t want to risk losing that security. It’s only in moments of mystery, uncertainty, and discomfort that our true character is shaped. That’s when we become free to grow into the person we were meant to be and do everything we’ve always dreamed of.
May your need for security never limit you from living the life you are capable of living. Don’t settle for a life you don’t love just because it feels secure. You can—and will—live the life of your dreams if you dare to leave your comfort zone!
