Seek Discomfort
Seek Discomfort.
Discomfort is important. I know it can be unpleasant, stressful, and something we innately want to avoid, but discomfort is something that is worth exploring and seeking out.
It pushes you forward, makes you grow, brings about a new and refreshing perspective and it can sometimes be helpful in discovering new talents, new interests, new ideas and develop your skills in areas that were previously not a priority.
Scott Myers talks about the concept of Getting Un-comfortable. He goes on to suggest some bizarre experimental scenarios.
Take your laptop outside and write in the freezing cold.
Start writing the instant you wake up. Don’t eat, don’t brush your teeth, don’t shower, don’t even pee — go straight to your writing station and write.
Stay up for 24 hours straight, then start to write.
If you typically write in silence, slap on some headphones, turn on whatever music you love, or even better hate, crank up the volume, and write.
Writing in the desert? Why not!?
Sometimes, we can get caught up in optimizing, having a routine, getting it down to a science that may not always work. Incorporating some change of pace, change of scenery or change in method can be good for you. When you have acquired some degree of mastery or advanced proficiency with a task, infusing some semblance of creative irregularity can be fruitful - Keith Jarrett found this out performing on a broken piano.
I know for myself, I have my likes and my dislikes; I have my comforts, my routines. For me, I'm experimenting with how I write these blogs - what research I do, how much I spend on each aspect of the writing process, and what interests me. I have my pre-set ideas, my schedules, but sometimes getting away from how things are normally done is worth trying — I'll keep you posted on what I find out. For you, is there something that needs spicing up? Your outlook on life? Your preferred lens for photography? Your preferred route to work or type of podcast you listen to? Anything and everything can be changed and maybe that change will shift your perspective ever so slightly.
And that shift in perspective might trickle into a little difference in response or reaction to something else down the road.
I didn't know where I would go with this piece but I think that's okay. I'm currently sitting with my sound-cancelling headphones in silence - no music playing - cause I typically always listen to music. My own thoughts are rushing and jumping a little more sporadically than normal.
But sometimes that can be good for the creative process.
There's an amazing Youtube Channel called Yes Theory that I believe embodies this and you can see the resilience, optimism, growth and maturity of these young creators pursuing their passions.
So I challenge you to try something different, something new too.