How Discomfort Can Result in Self-growth

While most often discomfort is evaluated as an impediment that obstructs self-growth, a recent study, in this context, has demonstrated the contrary. Drawing references from the research conducted by Cornell’s Kaitlin Woolley and Chicago Booth’s Ayelet Fishback, Kasandra Barabaw delves into the ways in which discomfort can result in self-growth, in this article in Chicago Booth Review.

In order to enunciate why discomfort is important for growth, the article refers to the findings of the varied experiments conducted. The outcomes denote that discomfort, by virtue of the dissatisfaction that it induces among individuals, propels people to improve their existing conditions. Further, a detailed analysis also reveals that the participants chose to push forward and partake in more risks because of this very lack of comfort, the article states. While comfort and satisfaction work as great incentives in terms of satisfaction, opting for a careful approach instead and using the adversities associated with dissatisfaction to one’s own advantage, reveal that discomfort is a catalyst for growth, in the long run.