Unleashing Your Remarkable Potential
Issue 7.3 - January 18th, 2009 ISSN: 15516571

In Kevin's Own Words

Get Uncomfortable!
Five Reasons to Make Discomfort Your Friend

Ahh, the comfort zone.

As humans, this is a place we love. We look for, strive for and have created products and even entire industries to help find and maintain high levels of comfort (hello Lazy-Boy!). You'll find this desire for the comfort zone in all areas of life - physically, mentally, emotionally and more; face it, we are hard wired to seek comfort.

Given that, you might be surprised by the title of this piece. (Could I really want you to get uncomfortable?)

Why would any self-respecting personal and professional development author write something that seems so counter to what we all want?

Because like many things in life there is a difference between want we want and what we need. We all, at differing levels of fervor, want the comfort zone (it is, after all, comfortable). Yet what we need to reach our goals is likely in direct conflict with the desire for the comfort zone.

So why do I suggest you make discomfort your friend? Let me count the ways.

Five Reasons Why

Discomfort allows growth. Whether you are talking physically (it's hard to become more fit while comfortably sitting in your favorite chair, and especially when you first begin exercising, you will feel real discomfort!), mentally (thinking about new things, concepts and ideas requires energy), emotionally (doing something different can be hard), you cannot grow until you push the envelope of your comfort zone. If you want more of anything in your life - from healthy relationships to a healthy body weight to a healthy bank account (and everything in between) - you must grow in knowledge, skills, habits and more. You must grow, and all true growth occurs outside the comfort zone.

Discomfort builds confidence. Ever noticed that the more you do something successfully the more confident you become? How do you get better at something - by doing it exactly like you did it before? Probably not. Confidence comes in part from competence, which comes from practicing and trying new things in order to improve. See the connection? It is hard to build confidence sitting comfortably in the easy chair.

Discomfort promotes creativity. Creativity is borne of necessity. People create new things, ideas, concepts and products when they have a problem - or in some way are outside their comfort zone. Often creativity is tapped to help regain comfort, which is great. The point is that when you feel or notice some discomfort or lack of satisfaction with your situation, you will likely be driven to innovate and be creative to find a remedy. If you want to be more creative, look for your discomfort.

Discomfort overcomes resistance to change. When we are comfortable, we are less likely to want to change - almost by definition. When we have a lack of satisfaction or have become uncomfortable with the way things are we are far more open to change. Change, of course, to create a new situation that is better and ultimately creates a higher level of comfort.

Discomfort facilitates goal achievement. This is the culmination of the other four points. If you want more learning, growth, promotion, profits, etc., you must consciously get outside of your comfort zone. Ask yourself this question: "Do you want your goals enough to put up with a bit of discomfort, or even fear?" Especially when you realize that the very discomfort will help drive you to your goals. If so, great. You know what to do.

If not, go ahead and sit back in your comfy place. Just don't be surprised when you don't create a better future for yourself.

You've traded it for all that comfort.

Potential Pointer: Do you want to improve; do you want to grow; do you want to advance for yourself, your team and your organization? If so you must stretch past your comfort zone and become comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Comments

Kevin's Recommends

SWAT – Seize the Accomplishment
By Timothy L. Johnson

Ever wanted to learn more about how a SWAT Team works, or at least more than you get from watching your favorite television drama? In this book by my friend Timothy Johnson, you will learn about how SWAT teams operate. But, it isn't a book about police procedures and techniques.

This book is a quick read in the business novel/parable genre. It's a warm and fuzzy type of book about the decidedly non warm and fuzzy topics of systems thinking and process improvement.

While this book has just been released in the last week, I had the pleasure to read the draft before it went to the publisher because I was asked to write one of the cover blurbs. I was honored to do so; this is a fine book.

I read it again this week on an airline flight from Memphis to Houston (which tells you it won't take too long to read), and enjoyed it - perhaps more - the second time.

Timothy takes unlikely experts and scenarios - SWAT teams and police officers - to help the hero of the story (and you as a reader) become more successful in thinking about things at work as systems. He also provides real tools to improve processes using those insights.

The book is a story; however, compared to most like it, it also contains tools and approaches in the back. Those tools are explained during the story, but provide significant value once you leave the story and want to apply the techniques.

I like this book enough to give you an extra incentive to order a copy.

Learn more at Amazon - Comments

Home | About Kevin | Archive | My Subscription | Contact Us

If you find this information valuable, please pass it on to a friend. You can forward them the email or go to http://www.kevineikenberry.com/uypw/tell.asp to use our Tell A Friend tool.

If you received a forwarded copy of this newsletter and would like to subscribe for yourself, go to: http://www.kevineikenberry.com/uypw/subscribe.asp.

For information on reprinting any of this information included in this issue of Unleashing Your Remarkable Potential, go to: http://kevineikenberry.com/uypw/reprints.asp

© 2010 The Kevin Eikenberry Group – All Rights Reserved

The Kevin Eikenberry Group
http://www.kevineikenberry.com
7035 Bluffridge Way
Indianapolis, IN 46278