Leadership, Culture, Impact | Active Choices, Inc. | Anese Cavanaugh | The IEP Method®

Getting comfortable with your discomfort

Written by Anese Cavanaugh | July 12, 2019

 

How far you go with your leadership is directly related to how comfortable you can be with your discomfort. It's going to be harder to lead at your greatest edge, grow people optimally, have hard conversations, hold boundaries, and stretch out of your own comfort zones if you're not comfortable with being uncomfortable.

How well you can hold space for another human being is directly related to how comfortable you can be with your discomfort. It's going to be harder to hold space for someone to be in their own pain, to be angry, to be struggling, to be in their own discomfort, (or even to be fully shining and rocking it!), if you're not comfortable with your own pain, anger, struggle, discomfort, and shining.

How far you'll go with your goals is directly related to how comfortable you can be with your discomfort. (Click here to tweet.) Creating great results takes work. It can be uncomfortable. Whether it's a hard workout for a healthier body, declining alcohol or a late night out with colleagues so you can be at your best the next day, rocking a presentation that takes a little extra work and has you be bolder, saying "NO" to an ask so you can say "YES" to something else, or just doing that extra push when you want to stop in order to do your best work -- being comfortable with your discomfort will be necessary to "take you there."

Get comfortable with your discomfort.

How? Notice it. Breathe. Stay present to it. Remember your intention for why you're doing it. Take excellent care of yourself (so you're fully resourced and stronger to hold your space). And serve.

Practice today. All. Day. Long. Every little thing counts.

Go.

X/Anese