Embrace Hardship
We live in a world of modern conveniences. Air conditioning, heating, showers, baths, refrigerators, cell phones, computers, automobiles, airplanes, trains, grocery stores, hospitals, and so on. Add to that the constant flow of entertainment and indulgences such as music, television, parties, social media, snacks, alcohol, video games, and other pleasures and vices, and the typical 21st-century citizen lives better than any king or queen of centuries past.
There are a lot of benefits to living with technology, such as increased speed and efficiency, greater access to resources, expanded opportunities, seemingly unlimited information, and all the conveniences that come with these perks. One of the results that come from all this is the heart of this discussion: comfort.
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Too Much Comfort Makes You Weak
Comfort is one of the most sought-after experiences we humans crave. There’s nothing inherently wrong with comfort. It can certainly be a useful tool to bring some measure of joy to our lives. It is what helps us cope whenever we are faced with stress. It sedates us when we’re feeling down.
And that’s what brings us to the crux of the problem. When comfort becomes the desired standard by which we gauge success and when it holds us back from positive change, it is no longer a benefit; it is an impediment to growth. This comfortable mental sedation leads to a major character flaw: weakness.
This weakness can manifest in many ways. These include procrastination, indecisiveness, discontent, complacency, emotional mismanagement, lack of commitment, and the inability to effectively deal with—well—discomfort.
Comfort is not limited to conveniences and pleasurable activities. Familiarity and routine are expressions of comfort as well. So much so that the act of changing oneself—embracing new disciplines and healthier habits—can be among the most challenging endeavors we can attempt.
Take exercise as an example. How about running? The hundreds to thousands of physically draining single-legged hops involved in expeditiously traversing from point A to point B, the burning lactic acid that eventually builds up in the legs, and all the heart-pounding and chest-heaving involved with gasping for oxygen that a hard run can cause are all enough discomfort to discourage even the most inspired Rocky movie fans.
And what about diet? With a word whose first three letters spell out “die,” just think of all the most enjoyable delicious foods you love . . . and now kiss them all goodbye!
How about intermittent fasting (IF)? Oh, joy! An even better discipline than diet because you won’t be eating anything at all for 16 to 23 hours each day!
What about the discipline of waking up at 4:00 or 5:00 am each morning to go work out while it’s still dark? After all, why on earth would you want to remain in that warm, silky, inviting bed, far from the troubles of your daily grind?
How about the practice of taking cold showers or ice baths in the morning? Why wouldn’t you want to use the frigid cold to shock yourself into breathlessness and shivering pain?
Let’s not forget the sacrifices involved with creating, operating, and running a growing business. What possible reasons would you not be willing to give up so much of your relaxation, hobbies, and social activities to work on entrepreneurial projects that have you grinding late into the night?
Yeah, the daily discipline of embracing hardship can be a very uncomfortable experience indeed. Of course, some readers would insist that self-imposed hardship is not necessary.
On some level, there is some truth to these statements. Practically speaking, anyone could lead a healthy and productive lifestyle with a whole lot less hardship.
Running is not required to obtain cardiovascular benefits. People don’t have to give up their favorite foods, nor do they have to limit their meals to a restricted feeding window. No one has to wake up at 4:00 am or take cold showers. And there are plenty of easy jobs that do not require the risks and sacrifices needed to run a business.
This minimalist approach encourages only what is considered good enough. The problem with the “good enough” mentality is that it embraces the philosophy of putting in the least amount of effort and accepting a life of sedated mediocrity. Such a mindset is antithetical to excellence, growth, and victory.
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This discussion reminds me of a funny comic strip I once saw. It showed two images of a mountain. One of them had a drawing of a guy, designated as type-A, who was climbing near the top of the mountain, while the other image had a guy, designated as type-B, chilling out, resting against the bottom of the mountain. There was a statement that was shown in both drawings: “Because it’s there.” ?????
Are you a type-A personality? If so, I’m preaching to the choir, because you already have the killer instinct that craves challenge. You are are DRIVEN to strive for the “impossible.” It’s in your DNA. As you well know, this mentality compels you to take a lot of risks and undergo a lot of discomfort. But you wouldn’t have it any other way.
What if you’re a type-B personality? Unfortunately, if you don’t have an insatiable hunger to challenge yourself, it’s highly unlikely you will ever reach a point in your life when you will somehow become driven. This mindset may not be a part of your values, which means that you probably do not resonate with the premise of this article.
Then again, if you’re still reading this article, perhaps there’s another part of you that yearns for something more. Perhaps you want to develop the desire for challenge and growth, even if this proclivity does not come naturally to you. You may have reached a point in your life where you are ready to expand who you are and are ready for a new breakthrough, irrespective of the likely discomforts that come with it.
Make no mistake, if there’s something inside you that yearns to be the absolute best version of yourself, then you will need to take certain actions you will not enjoy. You will need to get comfortable being uncomfortable. To be your best, there simply is no way around this.
Discomfort is absolutely essential for growth. Your personal evolution demands it.
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Embrace the Suck
The single most effective method of building mental resilience is to practice uncomfortable daily rituals. In other words, each day, do something you don’t want to do. Do something that sucks!
Now, these uncomfortable experiences must have some kind of self-improvement component to them. In other words, running into a brick wall face-first ten times each morning is obviously not recommended! Self-imposed discomfort must be something that improves you in some way.
If you hate your job, that is not the kind of discomfort that counts, at least, not for the long-term. Because staying in a job you disdain and doing nothing about it is a form of self-inflicted discontented comfort because you would rather remain with the familiarity of what’s miserable than step into the discomfort zone of the unknown and explore your options.
Having hard times is no excuse to avoid discomfort either. Everyone goes through hard times. Besides, self-imposed discomfort must feel voluntary. Instead of being done to you, you are the initiator. This is necessary to build a level of self-empowerment.
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What Does Not Destroy You Makes You Stronger
If you want to get stronger, you must condition your mind for daily discomfort. This repeated exposure to uncomfortable experiences will harden your mind and will establish your authority over your emotions. Your willpower will no longer be in the backseat of your decision-making processes.
Instead of dreading what could be perceived as misery, you will exert personal power over your life that welcomes the challenge of discipline and commitment. And if you reach this level of mental toughness and personal mastery, you will realize that the discipline of hardship has unlocked your potential and freed your mind to achieve the “impossible.”???????