Wouldn’t it be great if we could lose weight and get in shape without having to put away our snacks or get off the couch? Or become a scratch golfer overnight without years of practice and training? It would be nice, but deep down we all know that’s not how life works. The truth is, if you want to grow and change, it’s almost always going to involve getting uncomfortable for a while.
I’ve learned far more in my life from playing and coaching on losing football teams, and from trying to make real estate deals during recessions, than I ever did during the good times, when victories came regularly with little effort. Losing at sports and business teaches you how to get comfortable being uncomfortable quickly, because there’s no easy way out. You can’t just walk off and leave your team in the middle of a losing season, and most of us can’t radically change our careers just because things get hard in our current job. So you are forced to get humble and find a way to change your situation, while also trying to keep your spirits up and deal with the day-to-day trials.
Winning promotes complacency and satisfaction. It’s easy to start believing your own hype, and believing that you have it all figured out. A solid winning streak may leave you thinking you’ve found the mythical “secret to success” and therefore will never lose again! Of course, that’s not true – and the moment you start believing it, you’re setting yourself up for a big stumble. As the legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant once said, “It is easier to build a dynasty than it is to maintain one.”
But some people do manage to maintain dynasties. How do they do it? They actively work to keep themselves from getting too comfortable by constantly taking on new challenges and setting higher goals. They are never satisfied with the status quo. They keep people around them who will tell them when they start getting too cocky, or buying too much into their own hype. They also recognize that being on top today is no guarantee they will be on top tomorrow, and they let that keep them hungry.
In our day-to-day lives, we are forced to make the same choice over and over again: do we stay comfortable, or do we place ourselves in uncomfortable situations to push ourselves to grow? This week, I challenge you to say “yes” to being uncomfortable at just one of those choice points. It could be as simple as getting up and going for a walk when you’d rather watch TV. Just consciously choose the more uncomfortable option and start practicing getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. I promise the results will be worth the discomfort.
Have a great weekend,
Ro