Contentment Without Complacency Through Systematic Improvement

We all get caught up in feeling anxious about the obstacles in our way. We all face problems, and we want them fixed right away. When the problems keep piling up, we get overwhelmed and want to fix them all right away.

Jumping from problem to problem without fixing the system doesn’t make anything better in the long-term. It is important to see things from a higher perspective. We need to see that the problem of the day feels stronger today that it will in a month, or a year.

To make improvement last, we should address these problems at the systems level. We have to find ways to fix problems systematically so that they don’t keep recurring. We can’t slap a quick fix on every problem. We can’t just blame others or choose a generic solution.

When you are in the moment and facing problems, this is difficult. The natural tendency of some is to ignore the long-term. We sacrifice the root cause analysis because we don’t have time. We don’t look at the underlying issues. Instead, we jump on the quickest path to relieve the current symptoms of the problem.

But there is a better way. We can start to attack the underlying systems involved. We can do a thorough analysis to see what is causing the uncomfortable systems.

If we do this enough, we start to gain a calm confidence. We start to form systematic solutions to problems, so those problems go away. They don’t come up in a slightly different form in a few months.

This is how you gain contentment without being complacent. You start to build the right structures in your life. You don’t jump at every inconvenience. You don’t expect immediate resolution because you know that change takes time if it is to last.

When someone goes through this adjustment and learns to be content, they change. They start to approach things differently. They apply custom, system changes to their life. It helps them solve problems and stops them from blaming others for the problems that arise.

In Jordan B Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life, he says, “Realization is dawning. Instead of playing the tyrant, therefore, you are paying attention. You are telling the truth, instead of manipulating the world. You are negotiating, instead of playing the martyr or the tyrant. You no longer have to be envious, because you no longer know that someone else truly has it better. You no longer have to be frustrated, because you have learned to aim low, and to be patient. You are discovering who you are, and what you want, and what you are willing to do. You are finding that the solutions to your particular problems have to be tailored to you, personally and precisely. You are less concerned with the actions of other people, because you have plenty to do yourself.”

The shift he is mentioning is very similar to the change to contentment that arises when you apply self-discipline to improvement. With the ability to change, comes control. With that control comes the realization that it is up to you. You become powerful.

To me, this is how the world can improve. If everyone focusses on self-improvement instead of outward judgment, we will become better. We all have plenty that we can do to get better and focusing on system changes helps us to continue to move forward. We will become content without becoming complacent.