31 Writers, 31 Lessons-Lesson 7: Get Uncomfortable

I found Christopher's popular blog Lessons from the Cockpit on Networked Blogs long ago. His title was so close to mine and I also found that even though our circumstances are different, we tend to blog on similar topics. I find his blog to be full of great lessons and insight and I highly recommend it. Christopher appeared here once before as part of my 365 lessons. He wrote Lesson 121: Find Your Mantra. Here he is again, please welcome Christopher Laney:

Fitness has been part of my life for a long time. I’ve worked out enough to have a little insight into building muscle. One absolute truth is, muscle doesn’t grow unless you apply resistance. And to apply resistance means making that muscle “uncomfortable.”

When I think about this in broader terms, I realize it applies to any accomplishment in life. I can’t think of any goal worth achieving that is performed without effort, or more specifically, without being “uncomfortable” in some manner. Yet, we seem to have become a nation that seeks comfort. We chase it instead of our dreams. We seek the path of least resistance instead of the path to enlightenment.

And it’s making us soft... mentally, physically, and spiritually.

For many of us, our days are filled with numerous activities that get us nowhere. We do them because they make us feel comfortable. They suck us in. Who hasn’t misplaced an hour or two getting lost in the internet or a few television shows? But we don’t seek out these activities because we truly desire them. No, we bury ourselves in them because we are avoiding something. Some may say we are avoiding our dreams, or success, but frankly, what we are really avoiding is the hard work, time, and effort that it takes to be:

-Great

-Fulfilled

-Content

What are you avoiding because you’ve been confusing comfort with happiness?

Do something today that makes you uncomfortable.

Christopher Laney is a writer/pilot/fitness instructor who seeks to wring the most out of life and loves sharing what he’s learned with others. He’s owned and grown two separate multi-million dollar businesses and is an in-demand speaker. Author of the blog, Lessons from the Cockpit: Everyday Wisdom from the Flying Life, Christopher also writes for magazines and recently completed a novel about discovering life’s hidden clues that show us who we are meant to be.