I posted this on the ICA Facebook page last week and got some excellent comments. I wanted to share one interaction with you all. One commenter asked, “How much uncomfortable?”
It is such an excellent question, because I bet many people had that thought flash across their minds. They thought, “OK, I’ll buy that. Sort of. But before I agree, how much uncomfortable are you talking about?”
Here was the answer I gave.
I guess it’s dependent on the person. Going beyond one’s comfort zone will be different for me than it is for you than it is for everyone reading this. It may depend on how far you’ve pushed yourself in the past, or if you are risk-averse or challenge-averse.
Change will usually not happen on its own, at least, the good changes we want to see. Most people fall into a complacency and continue with the status quo for many many years, and then wonder later on in life why they didn’t do something sooner.
This could apply to anything in life, but in the context that I posted this, I mean about one’s fitness and health, especially to accomplish a longtime goal that requires some big (and uncomfortable) changes. It could be weight loss, changing one’s diet, working out harder (higher intensity), working out longer (endurance), working out more often (frequency), as well as things like changing one’s schedule to accommodate exercise, such as getting up earlier to go to a cycling class or get out on your bike. All of these things require sacrifice.
Thanks for posting that question!
I’d like to know your thoughts on the question. How much uncomfortable are YOU willing to accept to accomplish your goals, to affect change in your life?
Oh, and if you’re not following ICA on Facebook yet, what are you waiting for? Follow us here! Sometimes I’m too impatient to post my questions or quotes here on ICA and throw them up on Facebook first! Plus, you might get advance notice of articles posted on ICA before the newsletter goes out.
Beautifully said Basia!
Change is always uncomfortable and doesn’t always equate to big changes as you mention. I think that commitment also plays into the uncomfortable. If I want to see change, I have to commit to making it happen which by default means there is some discomfort. In terms of fitness, I believe you have to challenge yourself potentially in small doses. Many people don’t succeed as they eat the whole elephant and don’t cut it into manageable pieces. Discomfort can be managed, thus becoming no longer uncomfortable but part of the new thing that you can accomplish. Taking small bites of discomfort helps the person achieve success and thus want to take another bite, could be the same size, could be a little larger.