Most great things emerge from discomfort

Most people work hard at ensuring things are always copacetic. We dislike unexpected surprises, inconveniences, and aid on the side of predictability. Humans love to hear praises, know their assumptions are accurate and watch their project unfold according to plan. Endorphins and dopamine feel so much better than cortisol.

Discomfort though is the catalyst for progress. There is very little learning and growing without it. If you’re feeling comfortable, you’re just reinforcing what you already know. Knowing something just feels better. It’s that little voice inside your brain praising you, for previous knowledge, for getting things right on the first try.

In product development, you make assumptions and learn through the rigorous process of validating and rejecting these assumptions. This assumption generation/validation happens through customer research and agility. Research, pivot?, build, release, iterate (in small cycles). You must stay humble, embrace the constant discomfort of your own ignorance, and adjust. This method is arduous, but progress and learning can only happen this way. When you hear about companies succeeding, you rarely hear praise for the grit or see the rigor of the terrain; rather you mostly hear about the destination. But there is no escaping the obstacles in the way. The obstacle is the way.

In groups, healthy conflict can be the catalyst for progress. Conflict is almost never comfortable, but you can get better at accepting it.

Most meet criticism with defensiveness. It’s hard to come to terms that someone is judging you and telling you that you suck at something. Working hard at looking at criticisms as opportunities to improve and learn can be life-changing. It’s probably one of the most important social skills one can develop. Demand and seek out criticisms wherever you can. It doesn’t mean they are right, but you might just find a nugget of gold there at times.

Many rely on processes as a safe heaven before entering uncharted territories. Though repetitive patterns lend themselves well to micro processes, they rarely do so at the macro level. In some cases a process is good, but in most situations just embrace the uncharted and rely on experience to make the right moves at the right time. Developing and adhering to a set of principles as you go is a great way to ensure you learn from your experiences, but remain adaptable.