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Friday, October 23, 2015

Gordon Gekko Would Tell You that Discomfort is Good!

Discomfort for lack of a better word,  is good.
Discomfort should be endured
Discomfort makes us work
Discomfort expands our skills
Discomfort is the essence of the evolutionary spirit.
Discomfort in many of it's forms, discomfort when learning new skills, discomfort when acclimating to a new situation or of something unknown has marked the upward surge of your skills.

Discomfort will not only make you better, it will make you happier.

If that sounds slightly familiar, it's modified from the infamous Michael Douglass speech in Wall Street.

It can be uncomfortable to try new things or attempt unfamiliar projects, but anything new will be uncomfortable and you have to cross that threshold. When something is uncomfortable, don't avoid it, but find out how to be better. Find out how to adapt.

I don't want to avoid being uncomfortable I want to overcome it.

I created a mold and cast a prop in urethane plastic for Halloween. I had never done this, and didn't quite know what I was doing. I made more than a few mistakes, but I didn't stop or give up. I kept continuing, adjusting to my mistakes. I can't wait to make a new cast. If I hadn't taken that first step and allowed myself to make a few mistakes along the way, I wouldn't have this new skill. When I made my first mistake, I could have just stopped, but I don't want to avoid being uncomfortable, I want to overcome it.

I joined Toastmasters and found it incredibly uncomfortable to stand up in front of a group of people and speak, but through doing it, I have gotten more comfortable.

I began video recording my speeches and that was disconcerting hearing my own voice, but i got used to that. In the process, my speeches became better.

I started posting videos of me to youtube. That was uncomfortable. It hasn't gotten much better, but I will keep striving to improve.

Discomfort causes us to grow and to learn skills. Enduring discomfort will make you better. I don't mind speaking in front of people, I'm starting to enjoy it. My youtube videos are still incredibly rough, but I'm working on it and searching how to be better.

Don't run from discomfort, don't avoid it. Learn the skills and gain the confidence to overcome it and adapt to new situations and experiences.

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