Benefits of Embracing Discomfort 

In 2015, a group of friends in Montreal, Canada challenged themselves to do something outside their comfort zone every day for thirty days. Although they had just met, the group quickly discovered a shared desire to break out of the monotony of their routine and try something new. Thomas, Ammar, and Matt spent the next month walking around in superhero costumes, learning how to surf, and performing stand-up comedy, among other tasks. You may know this group as Yes Theory. They now travel around the world and take on unique challenges with the hope of inspiring others to “seek discomfort,” as their motto states. 

In an interview for Oxford’s Cherwell newspaper, Matt explained why discomfort is the focus of Yes Theory: “We believe that everything you want in life, from love, to happiness, to success, and to peace of mind, all comes from seeking discomfort. We live in a society that advertises comfort to us 24/7, from resorting to our phones to living vicariously through TV characters. We are more and more isolated from what originally got us here as humans: social connection and discomfort. At Yes Theory, we want to go back to our roots—to bring people together and to experience what it’s like to challenge ourselves at the highest levels. That’s where true joy lives: in the growth that follows discomfort” (Heslop, 2019).  

Now, is it necessary to quit your day job and become a traveling content creator in order to enjoy the benefits of embracing discomfort? No. But the reality is that leaning into difficult moments with the intent to change for the better can shape our lives in powerful ways. Let’s explore some research that illustrates this idea:  

Dr. Kaitlin Woolley of Cornell University and Dr. Ayelet Fishbach of the University of Chicago are experts in goal pursuit, decision-making, and motivation. In 2022, they published a study that analyzed the relationship between discomfort and motivation. “Achieving personal growth often requires experiencing discomfort,” the researchers wrote. “What if instead of tolerating discomfort (e.g., feeling awkward or uncomfortable), people actively sought it out? Because discomfort is usually experienced immediately and is easy to detect, we suggest that seeking discomfort as a signal of growth can increase motivation” (Woolley & Fishbach, 2022, p. 510). 

To test their hypothesis, Woolley and Fishbach carried out five experiments designed to expose participants to discomfort, either through taking an improvisation class, writing about an emotional experience, learning about the COVID-19 pandemic, considering different political viewpoints, or exploring gun violence issues. In each of these tasks, half of the participants were instructed to engage with discomfort (e.g. “Your goal for the next exercise is to feel awkward and uncomfortable. Feeling uncomfortable is a sign that the exercise is working.”) while the other half were told to focus on developing their skills or learning something new.  

In all five of the experiments, the participants who were directed to engage with discomfort were more motivated and open to completing the tasks than their counterparts. They also felt a greater sense of accomplishment. In the improvisation experiment, those who focused on discomfort took more risks and participated in the class activities for longer periods of time. This suggests that these individuals achieved not only their group’s goal of being uncomfortable but also spent more time doing the very activities that would develop their improvisation skills. In other words, both groups’ outcomes were effectively accomplished when discomfort was the focus.  

Think about the implications for your own life. Have you ever tried to learn a new skill? How might your progress be enhanced if engaging with healthy levels of discomfort is your primary objective? Chances are you’ll develop your skills faster and feel more satisfied with your efforts along the way. Or, have you ever run into someone who has different opinions than you? How might your interactions with them turn out differently if you turn toward, rather than away from, discomfort?  

To wrap up this discussion, check out this TEDx Talk by adventure photographer Corey Rich where he explains how embracing discomfort has impacted his career and life for the better:  

In the next section, we will explore various strategies that you can use to engage with discomfort in more productive ways.