Every time you avoid something uncomfortable, your brain reinforces the idea that avoidance works. It literally strengthens the pathways that make hesitation, procrastination, or excuses automatic. And every time you do the hard thing — even imperfectly — your brain is building a new pathway: this is something I can do.

A single bold leap might feel impressive, but it rarely rewires your brain. Doing the same small, slightly uncomfortable thing over and over does. Over time, what once felt difficult starts to feel natural. Discomfort doesn’t have to be avoided; it becomes the signal that you’re actually growing. Your brain begins to expect that you will do the... See more

It’s possible, instead, to make a game of gradually increasing your capacity for discomfort, like weight training at the gym. When you expect that an action will be accompanied by feelings of irritability, anxiety or boredom, it’s usually possible to let that feeling arise and fade, while doing the action anyway. The rewards come so quickly, in... See more