No Pain, No Gain: How Discomfort Leads to Growth
Why Discomfort is Your Friend, Not Your Enemy.
Have you ever heard the saying “no pain, no gain”? This phrase is often used to motivate people to exercise, work hard, or endure hardship. But what does it mean? And how does it apply to our professional and personal lives? The concepts of discomfort and growth are intimately connected. I will argue that getting comfortable with discomfort is not only beneficial but essential for achieving success in any area of life.
Discomfort is a sign that you are growing, learning, and stretching yourself beyond your current limits. It is a signal that you are pushing yourself to do something new, different, or better. Discomfort is not something to be avoided, but rather something to be welcomed and appreciated. Why? Because discomfort leads to growth. A study by Woolley and Fishbach found that people who embraced discomfort were more interested and invested in their growth activities than those who avoided it. They saw discomfort as a sign of progress rather than a sign of failure. They also felt more motivated to keep doing their activities and believed they made more improvements toward their goals.
One example of how discomfort leads to growth is the scenario of confronting someone who is not being respectful towards you. This can be a very uncomfortable situation, but it can also be an opportunity to improve your relationship and performance with that person. You can use the SBI model (Situation, Behavior, Impact) to give feedback constructively and assertively, without being aggressive or passive. You can describe the specific situation where you observed the problematic behavior, the observable behavior that you want to address, and the impact that the behavior had on you, the team, or the work. You can also invite the other person to respond and share their perspective, and then work together to find a solution or a compromise. By doing this, you will expose yourself to the discomfort of confrontation, but in a manageable and controlled way. You will also learn from your mistakes and feedback and improve your interpersonal skills.
Another example of how discomfort leads to growth is the story of Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx, the billion-dollar shapewear company. Blakely had no experience in fashion, design, or manufacturing when she started her business. She faced countless rejections, criticisms, and doubts from potential investors, retailers, and customers. She even had to cut the feet off her own pantyhose to create the prototype of her product. However, she did not let any of these challenges stop her from pursuing her vision. She embraced the discomfort and used it as a motivation to work harder, smarter, and more creatively. She eventually turned her idea into a global phenomenon that revolutionized the industry and empowered millions of women.
In conclusion, getting comfortable with discomfort is not easy, but it is rewarding. Discomfort helps us grow, learn, and improve ourselves in ways that we might not expect. Discomfort also helps us overcome our fears, failures, and criticisms, and become more confident and courageous in our actions. So the next time you feel uncomfortable, don’t run away from it. Face it, deal with it, and benefit from it!