Hey Reader,
Ever notice how the mind starts spinning stories the moment something feels uncomfortable?
“What if I’m wrong?” “What if I’m not ready?”
People fail to achieve their biggest dreams because they see discomfort as danger.
So they pull back the moment things feel tense or uncertain.
But what if that tension isn’t a threat after all?
In today’s issue, we’ll explore discomfort through an interesting lens for greater accomplishment.
Let’s dive in.
💢 “If you’re not evolving, you’re slowly dying.” — Reed Hastings
In 2011, Netflix made one of the most uncomfortable business moves in history.
They split their DVD-by-mail service from their new streaming model and called it Qwikster.
Customers didn’t take the change well, and the stock dropped.
The media said it was the beginning of the end.
Reed Hastings admitted later, “It was a mess. We moved too fast. But it taught us what had to come next.”
That failure and the heat that came with it forced Netflix to double down on streaming.
They took all that discomfort, re-evaluated everything, and decided to bet fully on what everyone else still doubted.
Two years later, they released House of Cards.
It was their first original series.
And that move changed the entire entertainment industry.
That’s what discomfort can do when you don’t treat it as danger.
It’s a signal that something new is forming.
Only if you’re brave enough to hold on.
🧠 The brain confuses expansion for danger
Our brain doesn’t like uncertainty.
It likes patterns and predictable loops it can control.
So when you’re pushing into something new like a bold decision, a bigger goal, a conversation, or an activity that stretches you, your brain sounds the safety alarm.
Some people think it's a signal to stop.
No, don’t call it intuition.
When deep down, we're pulling back from a supposed danger.
Then comes anxiety.
It starts reinforcing fear.
Subconsciously training the brain to associate discomfort with threat.
And soon, hard decisions, challenges, or new levels trigger the same fight-or-flight pattern.
When in truth, your brain is just reacting to something (a discomfort) it doesn’t recognize just yet.
❤️ Stay with it long enough to see what it’s becoming
Every time you stay with that uncomfortable feeling instead of escaping it, something opens up.
You realize it’s leading you to who you’re becoming.
You begin to see that the tension before a big decision, the anxiety before a new launch, or the unease before a hard conversation isn’t there to stop you.
It’s a signal that you’re stretching.
And with that reframe, you stop seeing discomfort as a threat to your success, fame, and the incredible reputation you’ve built.
You start meeting it with curiosity and courage.
You start asking better questions. Not just “How do I get rid of this?” but also “What is this teaching me?”
You make bolder moves.
You start trusting yourself more.
You no longer have to feel ready before you act.
You act anyway because you now understand that readiness is born inside discomfort.
It can be crazy.
But what do you think?
Growth doesn’t always feel good until it does.
🤲 Build your tolerance to grow in discomfort
The difference between those who stay stuck and those who break through is how they interpret pressure.
Here are 4 ways to reframe discomfort so it builds you:
- Instead of thinking, “Something feels off, maybe I’m not ready.” Think: “This feels new, which means I’m leveling up.” Readiness is built inside the discomfort, not before it.
- Instead of thinking, “I need to get this feeling under control.” Think: “I need to stay in control while feeling this.” You don't need to suppress the discomfort. You just have to maintain focus and clarity while walking through it.
- Instead of thinking, “This pressure might break me.” Think: “This pressure is feedback on how much I can hold.” You get to see how much more capable you are. Just stay a little longer.
- Instead of thinking, “I haven't done this before." "I may fail." Think: “This will reveal more of my potential, and a higher version of me I haven't met." Discomfort is how your potential gets revealed.
🎯 Resistance is the reminder
If everything you’re doing feels easy, what do you think is happening to your growth?
What if that uncomfortable situation is just taking you to the version of yourself your comfort zone can’t recognize yet?
In the words of Abraham Maslow, “In any given moment, we have two options: to step forward into growth or to step back into safety.”
Don’t be quick to run when it burns.
Every next level of your life will demand a higher level of tolerance.
Because excellence has a price.
And it’s hardly an easy price.
You've got this.
With appreciation,
Huw
|
|
Huw Edwards
Founder & CEO, h3.xyz
|
