How to be comfortable being uncomfortable as an entrepreneur

I’m 47 years old. I still feel like I’m 21, but now I “enjoy” numerous pain that has no discernible cause. I’m also heading towards having to wear reading glasses. Yet yesterday, for the primary time in my life, I strapped on a snowboard and tried something completely latest. Let me provide you with a bit of background.

Twenty-six years ago, after college, I moved to Summit County, Colorado with my great friends Davin, Ted, and Dan. We lived a typical skier lifestyle. And I felt pretty good. Good enough to turn into a ski patroller at Keystone (full disclosure, I used to be still the worst skier of all my roommates). Good enough to ski mainly every little thing in Colorado. I liked it very much, but after two years I left to check law.

Let’s fast forward 24 years. When the pandemic hit, I used to be a lawyer living in Chicago. Crime has skyrocketed. Chicago was languishing. So my wife and I made a decision to pack up and move our son and I to Summit County, Colorado. We’ve been here for nearly two years, and we ski every weekend within the winter.

Challenge

We go away several weekends in the course of the ski season with our friends Connor and Laura. Laura is a skier (outstanding) and Connor is a snowboarder (spectacular). Even though Laura and I exploit the identical medium, it’s truly impressive to see the speed and power Connor can generate on his snowboard. To be honest, I used to be never really into snowboarding, but once I saw someone who was really good, I could not help but think, “I have to try that.”

Now let’s return to the start. I’ll say it again: I’m 47 years old. Snowboarding is famous since it initially puts a crushing strain in your wrists, back, buttocks, shoulders and knees. So when I discussed that I used to be desirous about trying it, most of my friends told me I used to be losing my mind.

Still, I could not shake my interest and needed a (possibly obligatory) excuse to present it a likelihood. Luckily, my buddy Chuck and his family were going to go to us, so I asked him if he desired to go snowboarding for a day. His exact answer was, “I’m always looking for adventure.”

So one brisk morning in early March, Chuck and I purchased snowboards and headed to the mountains. Have we learned our lesson? Of course not. Too stubborn. Both of us being good skiers, we thought, “How hard could it be?”

Well, I won’t keep you in suspense. It is tough. Really difficult. The moment I put one foot in, I spotted I could barely stand. As we sat within the queue for the lift, I began sweating profusely. I spotted that despite all of the comfort I even have on skis, I’m mainly helpless on snowboarding. But we went.

Here are the outcomes: (a) I never once got off the chairlift without falling; (b) I could not do a tip-toe twist to avoid wasting my life; (c) I even have literally fallen more times in at some point snowboarding (probably 30-40 times) than I even have within the last 30 years combined skiing; (d) skiing, to the purpose of cockiness, I’m sure. This snowboard made “Paddington’s Easy Way Home” appear like K2; and (e) the subsequent day I assessed my injuries…two stuck thumbs, two sprained wrists, and two severely bruised knees.

Rewards and applications in entrepreneurship

You’re probably considering it wasn’t a superb day – quite the alternative. It was absolutely amazing and I am unable to wait to do it again. Here’s why:

• As you grow old, there are few things you possibly can do which can be truly latest and difficult. Especially as an entrepreneur, your life becomes uncomfortable. The more you possibly can thrive in these circumstances, the higher.

• Fear just isn’t a weakness – it’s a strength for those who select to beat it. The leap into entrepreneurship necessarily involves fear. But for those who never jump, you never fly. Embrace your fear and take up the challenge.

• Being humble reminds you that you just are never as great as you’re thinking that you might be. We all need a dose of humility infrequently. As an entrepreneur, you’ll fail. Over and once again. And that is okay. Failure teaches you. Learn out of your failures and improve.

• Your friends have the ability to encourage you to do latest things and join you in your journey. Both are an absolute gift. As an entrepreneur, you can not achieve your goals on your personal. Create a terrific group of colleagues and friends. Let them encourage you. Lean on them for help. And benefit from the ride with them.

• Pain is temporary, but self-improvement just isn’t. When starting and running a business, you’ll probably experience metaphorical pains that may make you would like to quit. This happens often. The only method to succeed is to beat these pains and move forward. Remember, take one step forward each day, irrespective of how much it might hurt, and you may eventually get there.

• Finally, being an entrepreneur means you MUST be comfortable being uncomfortable. Life is filled with routine, often to the purpose of monotony. When you get out of your routine and get really uncomfortable, you possibly can recharge your batteries in a way you never expected. Moreover, for those who do not like discomfort, starting a business is probably not that fun either.

When I get better from this adventure, the very first thing I’ll do is buy a snowboard and boots and set out again. I’m sure it should hurt… again. I’m sure I’ll suck it…again. I’m sure I’ll fall… over and once again. But there’s a brand new mountain to climb. A brand new goal to realize. It’s going to be very uncomfortable to get there – and I’m totally high quality with that.