So… you’re chasing those dreams of yours, right? I hope so. Whether you are or aren’t, check this out anyways. It could be of use to you.
Let’s be completely honest here from the start. Nobody likes getting hurt or feeling uncomfortable. Why would you?
Our brains are literally wired to avoid it altogether. It’s a survival mechanism that we pop out of the womb with.
Now, let’s not get it twisted, there will be times when that survival mechanism is 100% correct and avoiding it would be costly.
DO NOT THINK OTHERWISE.
If you’re truly in a bad situation, get the hell out of there. Trust your gut.
That’s not what we’re here to talk about though.
We’re here to talk about how pain/discomfort can be a good thing.
Sounds crazy, I know. Hear me out.
Think of a goal you have. Any goal works.
My mind always goes to the gym, just the easiest to talk about. Most real progress in the gym isn’t comfortable, and your muscles are going to hurt.
That is growth. It’s supposed to hurt.
Muscles are built under stress and tension—first they break down (discomfort), then they rebuild stronger (growth).
Maybe you approach six random women and get rejected five times, but, on the sixth time you get her number.
There’s a good chance you got better from the first five times you approached, right?
That’s basically the formula.
Get uncomfortable → get better because of it.
Failure, discomfort, and all of those bad feelings are not the punishment for working towards your goals.
They are the acknowledgement that you are in fact striving for better. They’re telling you “hey, you’re in the middle of going from point a to point b”.
Setbacks aren’t roadblocks either, they’re just checkpoints. Think of it like a new boss to defeat in a video game.
Perhaps you have to go do some side quests, get a bit better at whatever it is you’re into, then you can defeat the boss and level up.
If there’s one thing I want you to know from this post, it’s this:
You’re never stuck. You’re just on your own path, at your own pace, on your own journey.
Choose the challenging options daily.
Don’t skip that workout. Have that hard conversation. Pick up the slack at work. Spend some more time practicing your sport. Whatever it is, challenge yourself.
If something is going to force you out of your comfort zone, then there’s a good chance you’re where you need to be.
Why?
Because the proof is in the pudding. Look into the stories behind a lot of successful people and you’ll see for yourself.
Forever learning. Always building.
-Ethan.