How to be uncomfortable

In my Career Author Mastermind, I ask writers to name the emotion they think is most critical for creating success. They often respond with love, confidence, security, bravery, and passion. All of which can definitely help you reach your goals.

But the emotion that I find most critical for success is … discomfort. 

It can be uncomfortable to change. To grow. To ask for what you need. To self-advocate. To go for what you really want, as opposed to what you’ve been told is acceptable to desire. To speak up. To be visible. To say no—or yes. To share your work with the world. 

In fact, almost every big goal requires some degree of discomfort. It’s important to acknowledge that. When you do, you’re less likely to resist and avoid situations that make you uncomfortable. And that's when the wins really begin to add up.

Are you willing to work through your discomfort to create the career that you want? I hope so.

On a related note, I just relaunched Even Better Co. and have several new one-on-one coaching packages that I'm really excited about (including an offer for writers who want to create or jumpstart a coaching practice). If you have a second, take a look and let me know what you think. 

And if you haven’t listened yet, be sure to check out this week’s episode of You Should Write a Book. I had the pleasure of speaking with Jodi Warshaw, my longtime editor at Lake Union Publishing, about how to learn to love editing, how to best work with a developmental editor, why publishing takes sooo long, and more. Jodi was incredibly candid about the realities—and rewards—of the publishing industry, so this is a must-listen.