Quick note before we jump in. The Optimistic Outlook book is now available on Amazon. It brings together the best posts from the last year of this newsletter. If you or someone close to you enjoys short inspirational stories, it makes a perfect Christmas gift.
Dig Yourself Out Daily
Most people avoid pain like the plague. I do not blame them. Comfort is comfortable.
The problem is comfort does not fuel improvement.
When it came time for my daughter Lucy to get braces, the first couple of hours were filled with excitement. She kept checking her reflection and smiling at the new look. Then the real experience hit. The next few days brought pain, pressure, and soreness. At times, she hated them.
That was when I reminded her, “When it hurts, it is helping.”
Because in her case, the pain meant the braces were doing exactly what they were designed to do. They were creating long-term alignment by applying short-term pressure.
The same principle is true in your life and mine.
During an executive coaching call recently, I was brainstorming action steps with a CEO who needed to solve a revenue problem. When I suggested one idea, her immediate response was, “I do not want to do that. I hate it. It makes me uncomfortable.”
In that moment, I knew we had found gold. If it made her uncomfortable, it was probably the very thing she needed to lean into.
Today is your reminder to seek the things that create immediate discomfort in the name of long-term gain.
That first lift at the gym will make you sore. That soreness is progress.
Choosing a healthy meal may not taste great. That choice is progress.
Having the hard conversation may feel heavy. That courage is progress.
Do not wait. Get uncomfortable. When it hurts, it is helping.
If you feel discomfort while improving, it is often a sign that it is working.
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Use Your Gifts,
John Eades
Creator, The Leadership Lens & The Optimistic Outlook