2. Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable: The ADD drug for Entrepreneurs
Being uncomfortable is, by definition, not a pleasant experience. We can all agree there.
What this statement is referring to is more to do with being outside your comfort zone – putting yourself in an unfamiliar setting, where you’re not necessarily skilled at dealing with what is happening around you.
The statement is meant to provoke – because in reality we’ll never be comfortable when we’re not. Rather, it challenges me to allow myself to work through that discomfort, until I gain what I need from that experience.
The temptation when uncomfortable, is to withdrawn, or to become defensive.
As an entrepreneur and leader, I know that being uncomfortable lies at the heart of my business. I must learn to accept risk as being an essential component for success – a requirement, almost.
But it’s not just in business that being uncomfortable is important. When others tell me that I’m being inconsistent, or selfish, I can react defensively, or I can respond by receiving the criticism, being aware that it can spur me on to greater integrity.
How I respond is different to how I react. When I react, I am manifesting my primeval, animal-like instinct for survival. When I respond, I create a gap between the stimulus and what I subsequently do.
The most creative and successful people have learned that being uncomfortable is an indicator of potential change, growth, and new avenues opening up.
In that sense, this is what differentiates someone who is an entrepreneur from someone who is self-employed. The former person has learned to embrace discomfort (some say, embrace change), knowing that it is a positive place for change.
And entrepreneurs are often seeking for change – for the next challenge.
Dez.
**Please add your comments below – this is meant to be an interactive site where people can share their experiences and insights – thanks!**
