Comfort Is the Enemy of Growth: Challenge Yourself and Your Beliefs

We all love comfort. It’s human nature to seek ease, familiarity, and safety. But as cozy as it feels, comfort is the enemy of growth. When it comes to being a responsible firearm owner and citizen defender, the pursuit of comfort can even be dangerous.

If you avoid everything that makes you uncomfortable, you miss out on the opportunity to build knowledge and strength. In this world, ignorance isn’t bliss, it’s a liability. And yet, it’s the reason so many people cling to unsafe tactics, outdated methods, and gimmicks that offer a false sense of security.

Let’s be real. There are a lot of people out there still using holsters and carry methods that are objectively unsafe, all because they’re comfortable or familiar. They’ll even defend these choices passionately, using phrases like, “It works for me,” or “I’ve never had an accident happen.” But the truth is, they’re only safe until they’re not.

The Comfort Trap: Unsafe Holsters and Gimmicks

At ConcealedCarry.com, we talk about holsters a lot. Why? Because it matters. Your choice of holster is as critical as the firearm you carry. We have strict requirements for any holster we use or endorse, and they’re not just arbitrary rules. They’re based on years of experience, trial and error, and listening to the top subject matter experts in the industry.

Take soft-sided bellyband holsters or those gimmicky holster shirts, for example. They may feel comfortable, but they’re unsafe. Why? Because they don’t adequately protect the trigger. You can easily manipulate the trigger right through the material, which is a recipe for disaster. But when we point this out, the first response is usually defensive: “Well, it works for me, and it’s really comfortable.”
It hasn’t happened yet. That’s the argument. It hasn’t happened yet. But one day, under the right (or wrong) circumstances, that comfort could cost you everything.

Or consider some popular but problematic holsters made from soft materials or leather that hasn’t been properly reinforced. They collapse when the firearm is drawn, making it impossible to safely reholster with one hand. This forces you to use two hands or even remove the holster altogether, both of which are unneeded and potentially dangerous practices. A lot of Negligent Discharges happen during what is generally known as “Administrative Handling.” This is when you remove your gun from the holster, holstering, adjusting your belt and holster, loading or unloading, and basically anything besides shooting. Don’t add steps to the process.

What’s the defense? “Why should I be concerned about reholstering? After all in a defensive encounter, there is no rush to reholster correct?” Well, certainly there generally is not. However, in training(which we all need more of), you should be drawing and holstering repeatedly so a smooth and reliable process is needed to avoid unnecessary administrative handling and also because a defensive situation is unpredictable.

You may need to reholster quickly to go hands-on, assist a loved one, or simply because the threat is neutralized and you don’t need to appear as an aggressor with your firearm out as other first responders arrive. Your equipment shouldn’t make that harder—or more dangerous.

Challenging Deep-Rooted Beliefs

I get it. We get attached to what we know. It’s easy to cling to familiar methods and comfortable gear, even if it’s not the safest choice. It’s human nature to resist change and defend what feels good, even if deep down we know better.

But that’s why comfort is dangerous. It breeds complacency. It keeps you stuck in your ways, even when better options are available. And in the world of concealed carry and self-defense, complacency is a luxury we can’t afford.

If you truly want to grow as a defender, you have to challenge yourself. You have to be willing to look at your habits, your gear, and your training and ask, “Is this the best I can do?” And if the answer is no, you have to be willing to make a change and get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

William Ernest Henley’s words in Invictus echo the mindset we need as citizen defenders:

Your comfort zone won’t protect you, but your willingness to grow beyond it will. Each of us is in control of our choices, our preparation, and our willingness to face uncomfortable truths. Embrace the discomfort. Be the master of your fate.

Embracing Uncomfortability for Growth

I’m not immune to this. I know I have to face a lot more challenges to feel truly confident in my ability to defend my family. I need to go to the gym more. I need to lose more weight. I need to improve my hand-to-hand combat skills. Those things are needed along with continued advancement and sharpening of my firearm skills.

And to do all of that, I have to embrace being uncomfortable. I have to push through the pain of discipline, the frustration of failing, and the struggle of growth. It’s not easy. It’s not comfortable. But it’s necessary.

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress. It’s about refusing to settle for “good enough” when your life and the lives of your loved ones are on the line.

Challenge Yourself to Be Better

If you’ve been relying on outdated methods or unsafe gear just because it’s comfortable, it’s time to challenge yourself. If you’re clinging to a holster that doesn’t meet safety standards because it feels good, it’s time to rethink your priorities.

Comfort is fleeting, but the consequences of complacency can last a lifetime. Growth doesn’t happen in the comfort zone. It happens when you push past it.

So, are you willing to be uncomfortable? Are you willing to challenge your deep-rooted beliefs, habits, and gear choices?

Are you willing to do what it takes to be the best protector you can be?

If you’re ready to grow, to challenge yourself, and to become the best citizen defender you can be—then it’s time to get uncomfortable. Because that’s where real growth begins.

If you’d like to come train with us at the Guardian Conference and be a part of a truly amazing event go sign up and I’ll see you in Oklahoma this September.

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I shared a portion of one of my favorite poems in this post and I feel like I should probably share the full thing in hope that it may resonate with and inspire some of you as much as it does me.

Invictus

By William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.