Get Used To Being Uncomfortable: The Two Critical Steps

We take risks and we're always putting ourselves out there to try something new. We take risks, because we're comfortable with the status quo and we want to stretch our comfort zones. But there's a dangerous consequence for this: we also tend to take risks, because we don't want things to change. So we avoid anything uncomfortable. All of this means we're never growing and achieving the success we want. But the overall key to success is getting comfortable with discomfort.

Has it ever happened to you, that you were like, "This is happening so fast, I need to slow it down." But in doing so, you only made the experience worse in your mind? As with anything in life, there are always ways to improve. For all the consumer-focused innovation, that's come over the last hundred years, inventors are still struggling with one big problem, that has yet to be adequately addressed: comfort. It's an idea built into our very biology, one that is difficult to break away from. But, in my opinion, it's time to ditch the idea of being comfortable in favor of being uncomfortable. Because only then can you truly grow.

Why Be Uncomfortable?

Uncomfortable is the new black. It's a phrase, that is thrown around a lot, but there's a reason why. The reason is simple: it's what you need to do. If you want to achieve the goals you've set for yourself, you're going to have to be willing to suffer for it. This is true in any aspect of life, not just entrepreneurship.

When was the last time you were genuinely afraid for no reason at all? I bet you can't even remember. It might have been yesterday, for all you know. But if you're honest with yourself, you'll admit, that you're afraid all the time, for many different reasons. Yet there's never been a time, when you didn't go through with it, just like there's never been a time, when you didn't think to "man up" and face your fears.

Fear is a good thing. It keeps you from making foolish mistakes and it prevents you from doing stupid things, but fear is also crippling. It keeps you from ever really going after what you want. You spend so much time worrying about what might go wrong, that you don't even have any time to enjoy the good things in life.

Think about it this way: there are two kinds of people in this world, those that run from their fears and those that pursue their fears. The former group will live out their lives in complete and utter comfort, never really doing anything, that their small minds can't explain. The latter group will find themselves paralyzed by their fears, never truly being able to take the actions they need to take to change their lives.

Which group are you in?

It's no wonder, that so many of us end up where we are. It's no wonder, that people are so reluctant to make the changes they need to make. Change is scary and uncomfortable. Our society has trained us to fear things, that are different from what we are.

That's why we have music, art, television, and books. It's why we have food, shelter, and clothing. These are basic human needs, not novelties. But we treat them like they are. We spend a lot of time and effort making sure they're always available in the ways that we're used to. But we're changing. Our needs are changing. What happens when these basic human needs disappear? I'll tell you what: discomfort.

Comfort breeds dependency and dependency breeds complacency. It's a vicious cycle. When you're dependent on something or someone, you're willing to do anything to hold onto what you have. If your livelihood or your very survival depends on something, you're going to be very hesitant to let go. But that doesn't need to be the case. You don't need to be a slave to comfort. You don't need to be a slave to anyone.

The way out of this cycle is constant discomfort. You need to constantly seek out new experiences, push your limits, and change your routine. The only way out is to break free.

The Two Critical Steps

There are two things, that will be absolutely necessary in order to achieve your goal; the first is that you make a decision to take the leap of faith, and you actually take the leap, the second is to overcome your limiting beliefs. The reason why these are so important is that they're the only things, that will take you from where you are to where you want to be. The rest of it is just details.

The Decision

The decision is simple. You can choose to be a slave to your fears. You can spend the rest of your life paralyzed by them, or you can choose to conquer them. In the back of your mind, you should always be aware of the possibility of failure. But it's a small price to pay if you're able to learn and grow from each experience as it happens.

If you decide to live your life enslaved to your fears, you'll never take the risks, that are necessary to change your circumstances. You'll continue to hold yourself back and suffer in your current state.

If you decide to overcome your fears, there's a chance that you might fail. But the chances of success are extremely high. So do you have what it takes to live life on the edge? Your success will depend heavily upon your ability to face your fears.

Limiting Beliefs

Fear has a way of obscuring what is in front of your face. You have a hard time seeing the truth, when it's right in front of you. In other words, fear has a way of convincing you, that there's something that you're unable to overcome. There are two major limiting beliefs, that you will need to break in order to become a master of your own fate. These beliefs act as cages, that keep you small and unable to reach your potential.

Firstly, you must overcome your fears of the dark. These fears have prevented you from seeing certain opportunities and have held you back in life. You must conquer your fears of the unknown.

Secondly, you must stop caring so much about what other people think. Your insecurities have prevented you from becoming one with your ambitions and have held you back in life. You must learn to focus on your own desires and stop caring about what others think.

If these two critical steps have not been taken, then you will never be able to live your life on your own terms.