Comfort Loves to Collect Interest

I’ve noticed something over the years: comfort loves to collect interest. And it can be at a usury rate!

When I’ve delayed a tough conversation or avoided a decision that I sensed needed to be made, it rarely improves on its own, at least not as well as it would have if I had dealt with it earlier. The comfort was real in the moment, but the problem often grew and even became calcified as a “norm”.

I’ve seen this in people decisions. Sometimes you sense a relationship isn’t as strong as it should be. But there’s history, loyalty, and some good things mixed in, so you hold on and hope it will turn around. Other times it’s a new hire who’s not quite right, but you convince yourself they’ll grow into the role. Or it’s simply delaying a hard piece of feedback because the timing never feels right. The interest on those delays quietly compounds. Tension builds, standards slip, and it becomes even harder to reset.

It’s shown up with clients too. One client of ours was a great fit for many years. But they grew and expanded well beyond our wheelhouse. Instead of facing that reality quickly, we carried the relationship longer than we should have. By the end, it was draining far more than it gave. We eventually made a change, but the transition would have been smoother if we had acted sooner.

Pricing is another clear example. For a long time, we put off raising prices because we didn’t want to upset clients. Meanwhile, our costs kept climbing and our service kept expanding. That gap only grew wider the longer we waited. When we finally acted, it was harder for clients to absorb and sometimes hard to justify based on their most recent experience with us, which ties back to Insight #2 of 25: Charge enough to do a great job. Eventually we solved it with a systemic approach, building annual increases into our agreements so that everyone knew what to expect. That was a much healthier way forward, but it took years of paying “comfort interest” to get there.

I have heard Gary Pica say many times, “You get what you tolerate.” As usual, he’s right. When we avoid discomfort, we tolerate problems that quietly become normal. Over time, the opportunity cost compounds. What once felt like a small compromise becomes the way things are done. Comfort doesn’t just collect interest; it normalizes the very issues that hold us back.

I’m not saying comfort is always wrong. Sometimes waiting is wise. Just know it almost always carries interest charges, and you should be aware of the rate.

What’s this 25/25 stuff about?: 25 YEARS, 25 INSIGHTS – Reflections on Growth, Leadership and Resilience | Smart Dolphins IT Solutions Inc.