Get Comfortable With Discomfort
“Whatever makes you uncomfortable is your biggest opportunity for growth.”- Bryant McGill
Oftentimes throughout life, we run away from the things that ignite fear within us.
The thought of uncertainty and discomfort cripples us from trying new things and taking action on our greatest desires.
Comfort feels like safety, so invariably discomfort feels like danger.
But what if the fear we feel from discomfort is the threshold to change?
We fear change.
Change is unpredictable so again we’re met with discomfort.
Change is inevitable. There are positive and negative changes. How do we get on the right side of change?
By taking chances.
Comfort is the enemy
“The comfort zone is the enemy of courage and confidence.”- Brian Tracy
Comfort gives us an illusion of safety. It tells us,
‘Don’t do that, you’re safe here. ‘
‘Don’t leave me, you’re afraid anyway. ‘
‘You’re content.’
Comfort is like a toxic needy person that you know you can do without but find safety in because you’ve gotten used to them, or like the pint of ice cream that doesn't do you any good on your diet but satisfies you temporarily in the middle of the night.
Comfort leads to stagnancy and inaction, invariably directing us to a negative change in due time.
Comfort stunts growth and passively dissipates our courage.
While we find a sense of safety in comfort, we lessen our ability to take chances and become content with staying the same and in the long run, we’ll feel those consequences with unfulfilled desires and regrets.
Discomfort is the ally
“The more you spend in your discomfort zone, the more your comfort zone expands.”- Robin Sharma
Discomfort is a misunderstood ally to our greatest potential.
It is mysterious and frightening, but discomfort is the catalyst to the change we need more times than not.
The change we need may not always be the change we want but it guarantees we learn a lesson that can be utilized to prevail us forward.
A good example of this is exercising,
yes it hurts in the beginning and can be very uncomfortable, but in the long run, you gain muscle and strength.
Even if in the face of fear and discomfort we are met with failure, we can always get up, reflect, learn, and try again. When we embrace fear and discomfort it will then transmute into the courage that leads to fulfillment.
We must embrace discomfort and approach it with courage and determination to experience the unforeseen power it has.
Take a leap of faith and you’ll see it isn’t all that terrifying after all.
Take Away
“We need to be comfortable with discomfort in order to grow.”- Michael Port
We fear change and discomfort because we are afraid of the unknown. The unknown can be a scary place when we operate by fear but when we embrace what we fear we turn it into faith and courage where we see an opportunity to grow.
Comfort is the enemy to the fulfillment of our desires.
By realizing discomfort is an ally, we transform the negative emotion of fear into the courage that prompts a constructive change in our lives.
Comfort welcomes regression, while discomfort leads to progression.
Action Item
Seek discomfort.
Do something that scares you every day and commit to becoming comfortable with discomfort because it’s the beginning of unveiling your greatest growth potential.
