Beware Of Complacency - It Can Sabotage Your Progress
Let's define what complacency is. It is the feeling of self-satisfaction with your current situation. Like being smug. Resulting in the loss of ambition and drive.
When I've read blogs on various human conditions that can derail our progress, I rarely, if ever, hear anyone mention complacency as being one of the reasons.
Have you ever been complacent? I know I have. And it tales a great deal of inertia to overcome it.
Main Causes
What are the kinds of things that can make us complacent? One example is developing acceptance of our current state before having reached any of our goals. It puts us in a rut where we can get stuck.
Just plodding along doing unproductive stuff is one symptom. It can creep up ever so slowly without even realizing it. When we eventually do, it can create a feeling of despair.
Can you relate to this at all? Have there been moments in your life when you became complacent? It's OK to admit it if that has been the case. Or is the case right now. We are human and this is one of those human failings that can strike the best of us.
Ways To Overcome
How do we avoid getting complacent in the first place? And if so, what can we do to overcome it? And even rise above it and thrive?
At the moment we realize that we have become complacent, there is no time to waste in making an immediate change in our attitude. The situation must be recognized first. Then look back to find out at what point did complacency creep into our lives.
It is time to snap our fingers and stop whatever we are doing that gives us that sense of complacency. That feeling of being too comfortable with the status quo.
Immediately turn our minds to our business plan and review what actions we should have been doing. There is only one way to drive that complacent feeling out of our minds. And that is to pick up where we stopped in our plan of action.
Effort & Resolve
Make no mistake, it will take a great deal of resolve and effort to overcome that inertia. After all, we created this situation without even realizing it.
Net result? Delay in our business plan and progress.
The surest solution is to not get complacent in the first place. Following our business plan is the best way to avoid getting complacent.
When I completed my 100th article on my website, I noticed that the feeling of being complacent started to rear its ugly head. It has taken a great deal of effort to overcome this situation.
Cheers!
Edwin
Recent Comments
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Complacency and procrastination is one my biggest struggles and I still greatly struggle with it. You're definitely right in that it takes a great deal of resolve and effort to overcome that inertia.
In this instance, I focus on the goals I set for myself and I really want to reach 100 posts on my website before the end of the year. I'm about 20 posts away from it so I need to buckle down and just do it.
Sometimes there are things that happen that just might make you want to slow down because it doesn't seem like you're making the progress you are hoping for. I know that with a number of articles I've posted in the last few weeks, a majority of them are not coming back as officially indexed in Google (if content is created in site content). It does kind of irk me a bit because before I got into a major focus of posting almost every day, it took no time for me to receive the message that my content had been officially indexed in Google.
Not sure why the sudden change or maybe Google is quite curious why there's a sudden increase in the number of posts being added to my site. Regardless, I'm still gonna push ahead. My ultimate goal is to surpass the number of posts I have on my first website which is 258. I haven't posted anything on my first website in over a year, but it is getting lots of clicks and traffic and so my ultimate goal is to surpass it with the current website I'm focusing on and to get my very first premium Wealthy Affiliate referral.
Thanks for your response Brian. Procrastination can indeed be added to complacency as going hand in hand.
May I suggest using the URL Inspection feature in Google Search Console to request indexing? There are several advantages in using Search Console. If there are problems with your content, Google will tell you over there and how to correct it.
The main advantage of using Search Console is to request indexing. That process takes no more than a day. Try it and let me know.
If you haven't got your website aligned with Google Analytics and Search Console you need to do that. Jay Neill went over how to do this in his webinar last night. In case you missed it here is the link. It was an extremely helpful session. Establishing Your Website Foundation I wish you much success in reaching your 100 post goal.
Cheers.
Edwin
Thanks Edwin. I actually use Google Search Console after every single post to request indexing, that's why I'm a bit perplexed why I haven't received any emails lately from WA telling me that my content has been indexed by Google. Out of the 15 posts I've added to my website and used Google Search Console to request indexing, only 2 have come back with mobile usability issues according to Google.
I'm in the process of trying to get those corrected. I actually did watch that webinar last night and it was very helpful, but I already use Google Analytics and Search Console for both my websites.
I will just continue adding content as I did recently check some of those urls of my posts in my website and Google has said they are indexed, just wondering if WA might be having issues of letting you know it's indexed.
I definitely have some major work to do as my bounce rate is high and session duration is atrocious. I would like some feedback though on my website and see what you think. My website is wealthyrelief.com which is also listed on my profile, if you don't mind.
Oh now I understand Brian. Come to think of it I rarely receive notices in WA that my site has been indexed. As long as I know it is I don't let that worry me. I thought you meant that your site wasn't indexed too.
Cheers.
Edwin
Oops! Sorry for the confusion there! Yeah, my site is indexed in Google, but I just gotten used to seeing the email from WA that said "Awesome! Your content has been indexed in Google!".
It would always make me happy to see that because it lets me know that my hard work is paying off even though it's not in the monetary way right now.
I've just got to remember though, I'm creating content for people, not just to please Google. So whether or not I see that message, I just need to continue on.
Hi Edward,
I am a happy person.
That is why I am happy with my current situation of today.
However I know that I will not be happy with my current situation of today come tomorrow. So I strive to be in a better situation tomorrow than I am in today, because then I will also be happy tomorrow.
I believe we are saying the same thing, just using other words.
Be good, be happy.
Hanco.
Hi Hanco,
I love the analogy you used to mirror what I was saying. If I understand you correctly you strive for happiness. And your way to achieve that is to do more stuff tomorrow to move you forward rather than staying static. Because if you were static, you would not be happy.
My wish for you is to continue to be happy!
Cheers.
Edwin
I wholeheartedly agree! And a close cousin to complacency is procrastination. These two, when put together, can be the ultimate dream killers. They are the one-two knock out punch to our progress. We should beware and be vigilant as you mentioned because they are always lurking about, seeking to steal our destiny. Best way to avoid them is as you mentioned: stick to the plan and forge ahead. Additionally, I've noticed that prayer a "little traveling music" (pick your choice) helps me along the way!;)
Excelsior,
Peter
Hi Peter,
Thanks for your comments. You said it right. I feel you will not let complacency influence your business activities. I like your idea of adding prayer and travelling music to assist us stay the course. All the best to you.
Edwin
Great post and point on, along with other reasons slowing us down, or at least for me. I have many excuses and have to get back in training and moving again otherwise I have only wasted time with no results.
I will get it together and figure it all out then nothing will get in the way of progress.
Thanks for sharing, stay safe, and have a great weekend.
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Thank you Edwin,
At this stage of my WA journey, I have not progressed very far here & Complacency has not been a problem.
However, I know it could be difficult to not be complacent as we develop & succeed in our business.
I will take this on board for future reference.
Denis