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You’re at your desk, half-heartedly scrolling through emails, sipping coffee like it’s a life-support system, and wondering why time moves at a glacial pace.
The work isn’t terrible, the pay isn’t bad, and the team is decent. You’re comfortable in your job and don’t need to put in much effort.
But you can’t shake off that gnawing feeling: Is this it?
Congratulations, you’ve stumbled into the Zone of Average.
It’s comfortable, predictable, and oh-so-sneaky. And if you’ve been here long enough, you’ve likely forgotten what it feels like to be challenged, excited, or even slightly scared about work.
So, why do we end up here? And more importantly, how do we get out?
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The Zone of Average: Where Comfort Turns Into Complacency
Imagine you’re cruising on a treadmill. It’s a gentle pace—not too fast, not too slow. You don’t break a sweat, but you’re also not moving forward.
That’s the Zone of Average: a place where everything is “fine”, but nothing is great.
Shane Parrish nails it: the Zone of Average happens when we passively accept life as it is.
Your job might not excite you, but hey, the bills are paid. Your routine feels stale, but at least it’s predictable. Why shake things up?
Another example of the Zone of Average is staying in a relationship that’s too good to leave but too bad to stay. We hope it will magically get better, but we’re unwilling to put in the work to make it happen.
But this comfort comes at a cost.
Once our minds are set in a direction, they tend to continue in that direction unless acted upon by some outside force.
Leonard Mlodinow
It’s called cognitive inertia1Shane Parrish’s article on cognitive inertia., our brain’s default setting to resist change, a key reason behind career stagnation.
Once you settle into a routine, your mind says, “Why rock the boat?” The problem? What starts as comfort morphs into complacency.
Why You’re Comfortable But Unfulfilled: The Psychology of Staying Stuck
🔒 Predictability Feels Safe: Humans crave certainty. A job that meets expectations without surprising you feels reassuring.
💪 Effort Feels Risky: Going after a promotion, pivoting careers, or even asking for challenging projects demands effort, and let’s face it, effort is exhausting.
😟 Fear of Failure: What if you try to move and fail? What if the grass isn’t greener on the other side?
We don’t realise that working hard without questioning if we’re working on the right things is a sneaky form of laziness. Sure, enjoy the beauty of being in the flow, but don’t get hooked on it.
It takes work to overcome cognitive dissonance, much like trying to ride a bike uphill.
The Zone of Average is dangerous because of this complacency.
The longer you avoid the hard thing you need to do, the harder it becomes.
The Region-Beta Paradox: Why Okay Is Worse Than Awful?
Here’s the kicker: If your job were terrible, you’d likely take action. But because it’s merely okay, you stay stuck.
Enter the Region-Beta Paradox—a phenomenon where people recover faster from worse experiences because those experiences force them to act.
Let’s say your workload is unbearable. You’d quit, right? But when your workload is manageable… just enough to tolerate… you stay, hoping something will shift. And so, years pass in a state of mild dissatisfaction.
Why It’s Dangerous? Mediocrity is the silent killer of ambition.
When things are just bearable, you’re lulled into inaction.
This paradox doesn’t just show up in jobs, it creeps into friendships too. As explained in ‘Why Friendships Fade in Your 30s’, we often settle for superficial connections rather than seeking deeper bonds.
The longer you wait, the harder it becomes to change.
Think about that one friend who hated their job so much they left to start their dream business—and now they’re thriving. Meanwhile, you’re still at your “meh” job, wondering where all the time went.
The Real Reason You’re Afraid to Break Free
Let’s be honest: Change is scary.
When you’ve spent years building a stable career, the idea of stepping into the unknown feels reckless. But here’s the thing: staying stagnant is its own kind of risk.
Common Excuses That Keep Us Stuck:
- “What if I fail?”
- “What if I regret leaving?”
- “What if this is the best it’s going to get?”
These fears are valid, but they’re also traps. They keep you anchored to the Zone of Average, where the only certainty is regret.
Escaping the Zone: The Hard, Honest Work
Here’s the good news: You don’t have to burn everything down to move forward. Start small, but start somewhere.
Audit Your Life
Ask yourself:
- When was the last time I felt truly engaged at work?
- What’s one thing I wish I could change about my job?
- Am I staying because I’m comfortable or because I’m growing?
Redefine Success
Forget what society says about success. For some, it’s a corner office. For others, it’s work-life balance or pursuing a passion project.
Decide what matters most to you… and chase it unapologetically.
Lean Into Discomfort
The Zone of Average thrives on comfort.
Break the cycle by seeking discomfort: volunteer for that intimidating project, network outside your industry, or learn a new skill.
Growth happens at the edge of your comfort zone.
Expanding your comfort zone isn’t about jumping into the deep end. It’s about knowing the edges of your circle of competence and strategically pushing beyond them.
Acknowledge When It’s Time to Move On
Sometimes, no amount of effort can reignite the spark. And that’s okay.
If your values or goals have shifted, it’s time to align your career with the person you’ve become, not the person you were.
As Boyd Varty in his book, Lion Tracker’s Guide to Life, explains track, reflect, and pivot—after each project, role, or week, ask yourself what felt right and what didn’t.
Why Staying Stuck Is Riskier Than Choosing Growth
Life isn’t meant to be lived in the Zone of Average. The job that once fulfilled you might not fit anymore—and that’s a sign of growth, not failure. The longer you stay stuck, the harder it is to leave.
Remember, the scariest thing about change isn’t the risk, it’s the regret of never trying.
After all, it’s better to admit you walked through the wrong door than spend your life in the wrong room.
So, ask yourself: What’s the worst that could happen if I choose growth over comfort? Because staying stuck? That’s the riskiest move of all.
Footnotes:
- 1Shane Parrish’s article on cognitive inertia.
