This time, I want to show you the good side of pain and encourage you to leave your comfort zone for good, because once you do, amazing things will happen in your life.
1. Running.
If you never really ran regularly before and you suddenly commit to becoming a runner, your first workouts will be extremely hard. Your calves will burn and your mind will scream, begging you to stop. The good news is it gets easier. Except you need to do it repeatedly, and that’s the hard part. Running isn’t only about staying in shape and living an active life, although that’s a habit that pays off every single time. Running is also a metaphor for going through hard times in life without giving up once you feel uncomfortable or like you are unable to keep going. If you are able to complete your run, even if it’s painful and you’d rather give up, you’ll learn how to bite the bullet and survive once life throws you some huge obstacles.
2. Lifting weights.
When you start lifting weights consistently, you’ll experience the real power of commitment. You’ll also experience the power of tiny gains. At first, you will struggle with every single exercise, but as you get back to the gym over and over again, you’ll get stronger and stronger. Keep in mind that transformation never happens overnight. Actually, that’s another invaluable life lesson you get from lifting iron. Patience. Will Smith Working out strengthens your body, improves your self-esteem and confidence, as well as boosting your health. I could talk about other countless benefits for hours, but that’s not the point. The message I want to deliver is that in contrast to sitting in a cubicle, lifting weights is something your body will be grateful for. It may be painful and uncomfortable; however, the feeling of accomplishment after finishing a workout, as well as long-term benefits, are worth all that sweat.
3. Taking a cold shower.
I’ve been doing it for months now. It’s one of the best habits I’ve developed. The beginning was painful, but over time it gets a little bit easier. That said, the freezing cold water remains that way no matter how many days go by. And that’s the beauty of it. Arnold Schwarzenegger When you let the cold water run down your body, you start to panic, and want to stop it immediately. However, before you do it, realize that this pain is fictional. It’s not a real pain. You don’t actually suffer at all. It’s just a vein of discomfort which make you feel alive. Taking a cold shower tests your ability to experience short-term discomfort in order to achieve long-term success. This is a skill which separates the extraordinary individuals from the average crowd. I guarantee you, and it’s not a vain promise, but something based on real life experience: if you begin taking cold showers, your life will improve in many unexpected areas.
4. Organizing your life in advance.
Successful people don’t live on the spur of the moment. Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s not that they are boring. They know exactly what they expect from their lives and what it takes to get there. Pursuing this path requires some strategic planning in advance. Joel Runyon Whatever your goal is, it won’t become a reality by accident. Every success you see is a result of sustained planning and taking action. I won’t lie: it’s painful and uncomfortable. Instead of proceeding, we run to distractions, procrastinate, and come up with thoughts that prevent us from leaving our comfort zone. However, if you want to become successful, you need to go through that pain. It doesn’t pay off immediately, but it definitely pays off forever.
5. Eating healthy.
Let me clarify, healthy meals are way tastier than fast food and you’ll absolutely enjoy eating them. The painful part is sticking to preparing them and refusing to eat crap when the opportunity arrives. Alan Lakein Your body is your biggest asset. Most people don’t truly realize it. This is why you see so many smokers, overweight or obese people, and other living examples of health-destroying tendencies. If you take the time to learn about nutrition and put only high-quality foods on your plate, you’ll make your future self a huge favor. Featured photo credit: U.S. Naval Forces Central Command via flickr.com Arlen Specter
