People had jobs that were repetitive and boring
Universally, humans crave transcendence from the monotony of their everyday lives. However, with this change comes risk and uncertainty. While we may despise mediocrity, we also desire the comfort of continuity. You may want things to get better, but doing nothing will earn you nothing. If you want to become a professional athlete, you could want this more than anything in the world. However, if you do nothing to achieve the standards of a professional athlete then your desires are meaningless. The quote means take the steps you need to change, despite the risks.
