Here lies a concept that I recently stumbled upon. It wasn’t something that I was actively searching for and my discovery of it was rather unintentional. Nevertheless, the mark it has left on the texture of my thoughts since its inception has been nothing short of liberating. It is for this reason that I feel obliged to share. Strap in for a short story on uncovering the potential of risk-taking for personal growth, forward motion and purpose in life.

Understanding Discomfort

What exactly is discomfort? It is rather vague, often masqueraded by self-perceptions of the criteria that constitute comfort. It is for this reason that it is perhaps better to first land on a definition for comfort. Inevitably, this can prove equally as complex as its paradoxical counterpart. We know that comfort looks different for everybody. This really depends on the type of person you are. For example, the introvert may find comfort in a slow Sunday morning alone, whilst the extrovert may well look for a Sunday morning run club as a place for inner peace. I encourage you now to envisage the places where you personally feel most comfortable. The subjectivity of the definition requires that element of personalisation to make the potential discomfort piece a recognisable place. A springboard for growth.

Think broad before homing in on your own culprits of comfort. Consider all areas of life, from family time to fitness, social life to solidarity, holidaying to homely familiarities. Where is it that you feel at ease, at peace and just comfortable? With this fixed in the forefront of your mind, we can proceed to unravel the benefits of stepping outside the boundaries of our proverbial comfort zones as we begin to answer the obvious questions. Why is that risk worth taking? What happens if it fails? Why should I bother embracing discomfort? All will revealed very shortly.

The Benefits of Embracing Discomfort

Once again, the benefits of embracing discomfort are highly subjective. There is no certainty over exactly what one will gain but what is guaranteed on the other side of fear is learning. Learning is the stimuli for development and growth, making the pursuit of uncomfortable situations a huge net positive. Taking a leap fosters self-improvement. This makes it sound overly simplistic and I’m not naïve enough to suggest that it is indeed that easy. And yet, in spite of this, it really can be a straightforward process with enough practice.

As is the case with anything (the gym, for example), the more reps you put in the more effortless a thing becomes. Putting in the sets and reps and actively seeking discomfort builds a mental resilience conducive to making the whole process easier over time. You learn that the worst-case scenario is not that bad after all. This can make the pursuit of discomfort quite exciting and liberating.

Some of the hidden metrics of success, stemming from embracing discomfort, concerns the opportunities it presents. You will see things you never thought imaginable, both tangible and ephemeral. You will experience feelings unbeknown to your old self as your outlook on life transforms. You become innovative and see enormous opportunities where others see unsustainable risks. This newfound creativity breeds confidence and demonstrates yet another incredible benefit to throwing ourselves into the unknown.

Real-Life Example

This isn’t some made-up concept. The evidence is abundant for superstars who have embraced unfamiliarity, sought inconceivable challenges and come out the other side with a newly discovered and empowered sense of self. I draw on a recent example of the unbreakable Ross Edgley (ultra-athlete and author) who has just recorded the longest unbroken swim, at a whopping distance of 510 kilometres or 317 miles. This feat of physical and mental discomfort is seemingly unimaginable and hard to comprehend or understand. However, for Edgley, it was merely the next pursuit to be ticked off the list. The dedication and commitment of the man stem from countless superhuman endeavours, forging resilience and an innovative mindset all derived from, you guessed it, discomfort! Swimming for 62 hours without stopping is clearly extreme, but Edgley’s ability to add to his crazy pursuits over time is what made it a conceivable possibility for him. On the 1st June 2018 after his ‘Great British Swim’, Edgley was recorded saying: “Setting out, I knew the Great British Swim would be the hardest thing I’ve ever attempted.” I’m sure the 2018 incarnation of the man who just completed the longest, nonstop swim would not have deemed his most recent endeavour a possibility. I’d suggest that he owes a great part of this success to seeking and ultimately embracing discomfort.

Practical Tips for Embracing Discomfort

Understanding how to actively apply the principle is of great importance. The steps to stepping outside the comfort zone can seem initially daunting but become easier with time and replication. Here are my top 5 practical recommendations:

1. Set Small Goals: we’ve all heard about the benefits of goal setting for motivation, accountability and adherence. The principle is the same here, except on the micro level. Think of the smallest action that can move the needle and get the ball rolling to make the challenge manageable as we build confidence towards the larger shifts in progress.

2. Adopt a Growth Mindset – consider this in three even smaller steps. Do, Fail and Learn. This is the quickest way to ensure development and progress. Getting uncomfortable is guaranteed to result in failure. In one way or another, you will be pushed back but the lessons can prove transformative.

3. Simply Ask – there is a stigma attached to asking for things. I encourage you to break it. Reach out to people (start with family and friends), seeking guidance, feedback, (un)constructive criticism and help! You don’t ask, you don’t get, and this can be a great introduction to getting uncomfortable!

4. Network is Everything – the people you surround yourself with and the environment you place yourself in is incredibly important. It is too easy to stick with what and who we know. Try to explore new places and actively meet new people as you go, for your network really is your net worth.

5. Reflect – look back on the goals you set and become accustomed with regularly assessing progress to identify where growth has taken place and what needs more work!

The Round-Up

Embracing discomfort is a process. You won’t suddenly become comfortable overnight, as you need to accumulate confidence as you slowly cast votes for the person you intend to become. It involves breaking down barriers one by one. I encourage you to just start. Get into the mindset of getting uncomfortable and tap into your intuition. Ask yourself some questions to begin with:

What do I want from this journey?

What do I need to get there?

Who do I need to become?

As you answer these questions it will become clearer as to the direction you need to steer your own proverbial ship. Leaving the dock is the first port of call and you will learn to grow masts and sails as you tick off the micro wins.

Take Action

This is my moment of inspiration as I attempt to challenge you all to push beyond your boundaries. Once you’ve read this article once (and maybe twice), I urge you to ask someone for something today! The sooner the better. Rip that plaster right (band-aid for the American readers) off and get going.

Ask that person out on a date.

Ask for 50% off of your coffee.

Ask for guidance from a loved one (or a stranger).

That is my challenge to you. I promise that it is never as bad as it seems. This realisation awaits on the other side of your action. Once completed, please drop me a message or an email. Share your story with me or with anyone. Let’s embrace discomfort together!