How Are You Managing (Dis)comfort?

Seeking comfort, convenience and overall ease are some of the biggest drivers in our decision making today. Takeout or cook? Sleep or go to the gym? Try or not? These daily decisions influence our well-being and ultimately the amount of luxury we have. How we manage our (dis)comfort will impact the amount of comfort we attain.

Background: I was sitting at a jazz concert in the back corner crammed as I saw the VIPs getting situated in their spacious front row seats. The disparity of comfort between our seats was large, but then it dawned on me:

How can you expect to afford the luxuries of comfort if you're not willing to be uncomfortable in other situations? 

Not knowing how those people made it to the VIP section, I positively assumed they achieved it on their own merit, their own hard work and grit. In order to pay for those seats they likely had to accrue a level of wealth (or riches) to be comfortable that night. Getting those riches may not have been easy and that's the point. I started to wonder what decisions I needed to make in order to be in a position where I could choose more comfort in my entertainment. I realized I needed to learn how to manage my (dis)comfort.

Managing (dis)comfort isn't easy for me. I wake up when I want to, I eat somewhat healthy when I feel like it, I work as hard as I let myself. I have a lot of amenities in my housing situation that are somehow now non-negotiables like having a garage. Being exposed to these conveniences and comforts have made me less hungry, more complacent and worst of all, more immediate comfort driven. The immediacy of comfort is comforting in itself. Comfort foods, sleeping in, not doing anything: all these provide immediate pleasure. This pleasure is short-lived and the ephemeral nature coaxes us to do it again.

The problem with many people (and I'm talking about myself here) is that there's a threshold of a comfort achieved and anything below that level is unacceptable, unwelcomed, and downright shunned. Discomforts are where growth is catalyzed, skills are developed and character is built. But with the mentality of avoiding discomfort, you can't expect the level of comfort to increase significantly in other areas either.

Delaying gratification isn't easy, discipline isn't fun, but those are the traits emphasized by highly effective and successful people. Knowing the traits alone will not help to achieve them, there has to be something deeper to enable those traits to manifest. Having the ability to manage (dis)comfort is the key.

Managing (dis)comfort isn't prioritizing comfort alone or de-prioritizing it either, it is understanding how the systems of comfort and discomfort work together to achieve the comforts that are truly important and desired.

Delaying gratification without an end-goal will likely lead to giving up and quitting on those goals every time. One thing I learned about gamification was this: Games provide a clear goal and first step on how to achieve the goal. If the goal is known and desired with a clear path to success, the attributes required are more likely to manifest. Unfortunately, in real life neither the goals or paths clearly present themselves. These steps help to excite thought on what's valuable to you and understanding the path to get there. 

1. Determine the comforts you want. This is something that only YOU can decide. The comforts you prioritize are based off your own preferences. Comforts (or goals, achievements, valuables) can't be compared to other people. And that's oftentimes where I have to catch myself. Someone's new car may be great for them but you may prefer enriching experiences. Do you.
2. State potential discomforts that create obstacles to your goal. Discomforts can be in the form of inconveniences, compromises or risks. For example, the discomforts with college include the significant investment of time and money (compromise) and hard work required (inconvenience) in hopes to find a job (risk).
3. Assess its worth to you. If you're not willing to put in what it takes, you won't do it… so don't do it or re-evaluate the situation. Lofty goals are great, but if they're not expressed in manageable terms the overwhelming prompt can cause us to freeze and do nothing. Ignorance of the obstacles can be blissful, but more often than not learning of new obstacles may be the reason that you'll stop dead in your tracks. Any worthwhile goal will have unappealing discomforts, but knowing that they will exist and it's OK is key to getting to the final step.
4. Execute knowing that the discomfort is temporary and the comfort/goal is worth it. Don't overthink the discomforts. They are often what become the excuses of tomorrow. Acknowledge challenges lie ahead but know they are temporary and the end-goal is much greater. Understanding the goal and pushing through the discomforts along the way won't be easy, but perspective on the end goal can alleviate and give meaning to the action. One of the most frustrating things I've come to discover is the presence of the discomfort. Knowing the aches and pains and drawing attention to them only makes the race harder. Finding your rhythm and disciplined routine will allow you to go the distance.

This framework applies to any facet of life, not just professionally. If you're an athlete, former athlete or someone who is truly seeking results at the gym, you understand the levels of discomfort your body must endure to get stronger, better and faster. The temporary pain is worth the accomplishment. Moreover, the journey and incremental improvements are incredible to experience. Knowing that the discomfort of an hour at the gym is worth the benefits afterwards, makes it all worthwhile. 

--

Challenge: Barter with yourself on your comforts.

Think about the goals and vision you aim to realize this year. What comforts are you willing to sacrifice to get there? What discomforts are on the way? Trade in your small luxuries to obtain something much greater and more meaningful later.

If you knew what you truly wanted lied right outside your comfort zone, would you grab it?

I thought so, so do it!