3 Awkward Emotional States You Must Tolerate to Live Your Biggest, Boldest Life

Successful people know something a lot of people don’t…

Comfort kills dreams.

This may seem like an overstatement but it’s not.

There can be no victory and no achievement without discomfort.

This is a fact but most of the world is blind to this. We are drawn to comfort like moths to a flame - we want it, we complain when we don’t have it and many of us are willing to do a lot to get it.

Think about it…

Just about every one of your goals is there to help you feel more comfortable, not less.

But the habit of seeking comfort is a dangerous one.

If you want to feel calm, happy, fulfilled and content all the time you’re never going to get what you want.

High achievers understand that a tolerance for emotional discomfort is the key to lasting success, happiness and wealth.

Here are 3 awkward – even painful – emotional states you must learn to tolerate to make your dreams a reality.

Discomfort #1: Disapproval

If you want to be successful, you need to be comfortable with disapproval.

Successful people accept that there will be those in their life who will understand and support their burning ambition for success and others who will fall away.

The hard truth is some people you know right now – this may include close friends and even family members -  will disapprove of your goals. They will no longer be an active part of your life when you start to become truly successful.

As you’ve probably experienced by now, going for big dreams is not for the weak-willed.

It takes an incredible amount of drive, determination, and discipline to achieve massive success.

This means a lot of your time will be channeled toward your goals – and this is time away from people who want you to hang out with them.

You’ll have to say no to party invites, lazy Saturday brunches and movie nights.

And you’ll have to do that again and again.

It’s the only way to stay on track and aligned with milestones and objectives you’ve set for yourself.  

This approach can be hard for a lot of people to accept and in some relationships, it could be a deal-breaker.

But if you want to play the long game, if you’re serious about success, build a tolerance for disapproval and discontentment from others…

All successful people do this and so should you.

Discomfort #2: Doubt

For most people, deep self-doubt is an unbearable feeling.

It leads to anxiety and fear that kick starts a spiral of negative thoughts about failure and public humiliation.

What if I don’t get what I want? What if I make the wrong decision? What if I fail? Everyone will know and I’ll look stupid.

This kind of thinking is enough to stop many people in their tracks.

But not those who understand what it actually takes to succeed. High achievers don’t try to escape self-doubt. They embrace it. They know self-doubt is a natural part of the experience of reaching further and higher than they have before.

The truth is self-doubt arises because you don’t want to make a mistake or take a wrong turn on the road to success.

But know this…

Every “mistake” you make and every setback you experience gives you valuable data and information on your next steps.

When you view your obstacles, errors, failures, and problems from this perspective, self-doubt becomes a lot easier to bear on the road to success.

Discomfort #3: Disappointment

No one – and I mean no one – has ever achieved success without first experiencing disappointment.

This includes rejection, denial, elimination, and dismissal of any kind.

Some of the world’s greatest achievers – including high-performance athletes, and top notch entrepreneurs – endure disappointment again and again before they hit their goals.

Steven Spielberg is recognized as one of the most gifted directors in cinematic history but he was rejected by the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, not once but twice.

One of the most masterful horror writers of all time, Stephen King, had his classic novel, Carrie, rejected not once, not 5 times or even 10 times…

But 30 times, before it was finally published.

Abraham Lincoln, survived multiple business and political failures before he finally became the 16th President of the United States.

These are just some of the examples of successful people who learned to ride the bitter wave of disappointment to become legends in their field.

While it’s good to go for big dreams that lead to greater comfort - a penthouse in the city, a beach house in the Bahamas, luxury vacations around the world – the journey that will get you all of those things will be emotionally uncomfortable.

If you can be comfortable with discomfort, you’re going to be a rockstar at anything you try.

You’ll stay in the game long after everyone else has given up and success will be yours.

I guarantee it.