What is the best excuse you’ve heard for not getting work done? (Serendipity Bible 10th Anniversary Edition, page 1350).
Far and away the best excuse I come up with is that what I have now is good enough. There’s no need to work now when I can just as well put off working and dealing with change. I work as an Application Support Specialist for the City of Saint Petersburg. Something that everyone in my position realizes is that software and hardware updates can require substantial planning, investment, and implemental effort—so why make these changes when what’s in use now is working almost perfectly fine? I know with my personal computer at home, I always put off buying a new computer as long as possible for I know that transferring files, setting up the new computer, trying to find drivers for older printers, cameras, etc. to work with the new system, and all such hardware and software matters mean that there is considerable drag to stay with the old system and not move forward. It is easy to rationalize that the negatives of change outweigh the positives. Besides, there’s a certain sedate rectitude about being conservative and not liberally rocking the boat.
America health care provision has been problematic particularly regarding coverage, funding, and population inclusiveness. But always the argument is: If it’s working well for so many, why change things? The negatives of change far outweigh the positives—for those voters like me lucky enough to have coverage. Thus it took many years for the unmet issues to be addressed. The list of such “inertia matters” is endless. How many people “just can’t wait” to put on a new roof, buy new tires, upgrade their house’s plumbing. The truth of the matter is that infrastructure often goes begging for this very reason. Grappling with such matters always entails work and investment, while everything, for the moment at least, seems to be working acceptably. In regards to personal health, I know I should get more exercise; but that’s something of a bother and requires more effort than sitting on the couch—my comfort zone.
We must come to grips with the fact that life is a never ending exercise in trial and error. Negative forces playing upon all systems from our bodies to the external world impinge upon us whether we like it or not. Tendencies for laziness—physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual—require constant wake up calls and inducements of positive action and commitment of resources. Conservation of excellence requires liberal investments of effort. Infrastructure is everything and is not built nor maintained in a day.
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