There are few things more noticeable about the average modern man than his inability to leave the precious comforts that enslave him, and to break free from the prison of perceived safety that makes him shy away from any real challenges.
We live most of our lives stuck in our own thoughts, ruminating endlessly on the possibilities, risks, and different life paths that open before us. We live vicariously through movies, TV shows, video-games, and through the false scenarios we replay within our heads. All of this provides a comfortable escape to avoid nearly all purposeful action, and it breeds a cowardice that puts on the convincing mask of prudence, so that we can justify our lack of courage and avoid the shame that should fall upon us for our cowardice.
The Habit of Cowardice
This apathy is, contrary to popular belief, not a chemical imbalance or a psychological problem needing a drug prescription, but a created habit. Every time you choose to avoid a risk (a difficult conversation, a bold decision, a creative attempt, a commitment), you’re not merely staying in your comfort zone, but sinking deeper into the cushioned prison cell that you have made your home. You are training your will to prefer avoidance, certainty, and the illusion of retaining full control over your circumstances. Over time, your “avoidance reflex” strengthens, making you feel less and less comfortable with taking the necessary risks that lead to growth with each passing day.
Even worse, with each cowardly choice to shy back from the uncertain, the threshold for what feels like an acceptable risk begins to rise. You become capable only of choosing the safest option, because safety is what you have unconsciously elevated to be the guiding principle of your life.
This can only be fixed by a conscious effort to take more risks, which is in turn only possible once you understand the theological implications of believing yourself capable of avoiding all situations of uncertainty.
The good news is that what became atrophied through habit can also be rebuilt through habit by following a surprisingly simple protocol, but first it’s key to understand why risk-aversion is fundamentally a theological problem.