The opposite of courage isn’t fear, it’s COMFORT
Rich Litvin

Mike has been a client of mine for a couple years now.

He earns well over $1M a year and only needs to work a few hours a week because he’s hired the right team and implemented effective systems yielding business success with minimal involvement from him.  

When I first met Mike, he had lots of success and money, but very little peace.

Today he has created even higher levels of success while experiencing deeper levels of peace – and the best part is – he’s not tying his worth to his achievements anymore.

But there’s just one problem with Mike’s life today…

He’s taking on a new challenge. Mike has a deeply meaningful and near impossible goal he wants to accomplish this year. But I’d noticed he hadn’t taken much action toward making it happen and it raised my curiosity.

While planning for a two-day coaching intensive together, I knew Mike would need to be shaken out of his current state if he had any chance of making this goal happen in 2026.

So, I designed a challenge for Mike, unlike anything I’ve ever given to a client.

“Mike, most of the growth you’re proud of in your life came from moments when you were uncomfortable, didn’t have a guarantee it would work out, but took the leap anyway.

Over time, life has given you the gift of not needing to live on that edge anymore.

And comfort has dulled the aspect of your personality that’s meant to lead and take risks.

Turning this dream into a reality is going to require you to lean into massive levels of discomfort again. Are you up for a challenge?”

Mike eagerly accepted the challenge without knowing what it’d be. However, when I explained this challenge, the blood rushed from his face and he looked like a ghost.

Mike sank into his chair and stared at the floor for what seemed like an eternity. I got up and went to the lobby of the hotel where we staying, as a subtle way to communicate that I wasn’t going to save him from this.

When I returned ten minutes later, Mike told me he wasn’t going to do it.

I was shocked because Mike is a man of action and extreme confidence.

I’ve never seen him back down from a challenge, ever.

The next morning, we debriefed on the day before.

Mike shared with me that he hadn’t been THAT uncomfortable in over a decade. And it was good for him to feel what that’s like again.

HIS KEY INSIGHT?

If he wants to grow, he needs to intentionally seek out discomfort in the direction of his goals.

But too much discomfort is paralyzing and will shut him down.

As high-performers, it’s tempting to undertake “massive action” with a new project. And sometimes that’s needed. But often, it leads to avoiding taking any action because it’s overwhelming.

The key is finding the right dosage of discomfort.

Just enough causes growth,

too much will paralyze you.

Mike set a stretch goal for the week ahead and chose to start small with a 60-minute commitment each day of tiny uncomfortable actions.

Three days later, he’d already 3x’ed his initial stretch goal and had accomplished more in 72 hours than he had in the last 90 days toward his big dream. 

Tiny, but mighty, uncomfortable actions.

So, if you’re feeling a bit bored, missing that adrenaline rush and ready for a new challenge – step back from your comfort zone. Put a big dream on the table. Then carefully select just the right discomfort dosage and taken ACTION.