Why Discomfort Is a Sign You're on the Right Track

Our bodies are wild.

I was coaching a client this week on how to use his physical presence—stance, gestures, movement—to communicate more confidence when speaking.

Midway through, he paused and said, “Omigosh. My body is getting so tight! It’s like it’s locking up while I’m trying to do this!”

I smiled. “Amazing. That means it’s working.”

Here’s why:When we ask our bodies to do something unfamiliar—something outside the comfort zone—they resist. They tighten up.That resistance is evolutionary; it’s your nervous system trying to keep you safe by keeping things familiar.

And that’s the moment where most people give up.

Because discomfort doesn’t feel good. It feels awkward. It feels hard. It makes us question ourselves. So we retreat back to what’s safe.

But not this client. He said, “That only makes me want to push harder.”

And by the end of the hour? He didn’t look like the same person I started the session with. His presence shifted. His energy opened up. And I was practically yelling through the Zoom screen, “You’re doing it! You’re doing it!”

I love working with people who are willing to push through the resistance—because that is where growth lives.

Where are you stretching out of your comfort zone this week?