Do you wonder what you should do in life? What your unique contribution is to make? One possibility for discovering these mysteries is to simply look inside and ask, Where am I discontent with the way things are?

It’s OK To Be Discontent

Growing up I was often told to be content. Not given, by nature, towards contentment, this was always a significant challenge for me.  For most of my life, I thought it meant that no matter what, I should try to ignore, suppress or wish away any feelings of discontentment, the sense that things could be and should be better.  It’s not good to be discontent, right?  The virtuous person always seeks contentment, so I thought.

I’ve come to realize that while it’s true that if our basic needs are met, we should be content with that (which is probably what my elders really meant anyway).  No need to continue to desire and long for more than we truly need.  Agreed.

But what about the kind of discontentment that goes beyond our basic needs? The kind of discontent that pushes us in directions we might not otherwise seek when satisfied?  Or the discontentment that will not allow us to stay where we are in life, or to simply coast or just get by?

Discontentment Breeds Innovation and Growth

Consider this:  If you were truly content for the rest of your life, what would ever motivate you to change anything about your life or the world around you?  And without positive change, the possibility of growth is minimal.

Might it even be that the things you think will make you content (wealth, comfort, less work, etc), are the very things that cause you to become dull and ineffective?

Discontentment may indicate something that you need to lean into. Discontentment is an invitation to grow, and to become more than you’ve been, or to do something that is uniquely yours to do.

I know many of the steps that I have taken in life that have led to the most growth and impact have come out of a certain discontentment.  No longer satisfied with the status quo, or the way things are, we take steps into new territory to move beyond the discontentment.

Maybe you’re discontent with your marriage, your financial situation, your health, an injustice you see in your community, or the struggle of a group of people, as examples.  Let the discontent you feel guide you towards making the necessary adjustments to bring the change and growth needed.

Discontentment As Your Guide

I often hear people say that they don’t know what they should do in life, or what’s next, or what they are called to.  I suggest that one possibility for discovering these mysteries is to simply look inside and ask, “Where am I discontent with the way things are?  Is there a healthy step that I can take to, not avoid the discontentment, but embrace it as a clue to something really important?”

When you think about it, where are you discontented in your life?  What is this pointing you towards?  What needs to change?

So may we each embrace the discontentment within us in a way that brings maximum growth and impact.

Discontentment is the first necessity of progress. Thomas Edison