What Does Complacency Mean?

Complacency is usually defined as a feeling of pronounced self-satisfaction. In general, if you’ve been accused of complacency or described as complacent, it’s not exactly a compliment. Sometimes, a feeling of complacency can lure a person into a false sense of security - dangers may not be readily apparent. If you’re too complacent in life, you may not push the envelope or stretch your boundaries. Instead, you will glide along, content with the status quo. Getting over complacency can happen when problems crop up and affect your emotional state - in fact, harsh realities may come as a nasty shock to people who are generally of a complacent mindset.

Complacency is a lot like smugness - people who seem complacent may not be interested in changing anything about themselves or their lives, because they are currently satisfied with themselves and their circumstances. If you are considered complacent, friends, family members, or work colleagues may try to break down your complacency by shaking things up and pushing your buttons. A smug attitude, even if it is unintentional, can bring out the worst in other people. A person who exhibits complacent behaviour may be riding for a fall…

Sometimes, people can misinterpret facial expressions and body language - they may see a shy person who is desperately trying to cover their awkwardness with confident behaviours, and still perceive them as complacent. It’s important to think about the messages and non-verbal cues you are giving to other people. Does your image really represent who you are? Do you feel smug on the inside? If someone has called you complacent and you’re offended, think about ways you can alter your outward affect, or image. It’s always possible to monitor yourself and avoid actions or expressions that make you appear complacent. Studying the psychology of body language and facial expressions can help you alter your affect.

If you truly do feel complacent, ask yourself if you are really that happy with life. Chances are, there are some areas where you could still benefit from growth and change…

Complacent means a feeling of acute contentment to the point of causing loss to one's self. When a person attains success in a particular field, he can reach a saturation point in his endeavor. This is the point when he becomes self-satisfied and does not care much about things happening around him. The point worthy of caution in this regard is that such a person may be toppled over by an underdog or competitor. A classic story of complacency or being complacent is the popular story of the hair and the turtle. We all know the moral of the story "slow and steady wins the race." The reason why the turtle slowly and steadily won the race was because the hare was feeling complacent of the fact that the race was his for the taking. In his complacence, the hare took a short nap which eventually made the winner out of the turtle.

The word complacent can also mean "complaisant" or "willing to please." The word "complacent" comes from the French word "complaire" which means "to please."

Complacency is a feeling of tranquility or self-satisfaction. A person who is complacent feels devoid of any tension or problems in life. Complacency is a life lived without any sense of danger, threat or insecurity. Complacent, self-satisfaction, smug, contented are other synonyms of complacency.

Though complacency is a good feeling to be in, it is important to realize that there is a chance you may be caught unawares. Psychologists maintain that one should always train the mind to be alert and instruct one's mind not to be complacent for a long time. Complacency for a long period of time can stunt creativity and can make a person lethargic. The worst thing that can happen is when a person reaches such a point of complacency that he becomes oblivious to things around him.

Complacent means a sense of overconfidence over oneself.