Get comfortable with being uncomfortable

Whether it’s asking the closing question, delivering difficult news to a client, or prospecting for new business, the discomfort we avoid often holds the key to our growth and resilience.

Michael Easter’s The Comfort Crisis explores why stepping into discomfort is vital for personal and professional development. Let’s dive into how these insights intersect with real estate, viewed through the lens of mental fitness.

The downside of staying comfortable

Easter warns that modern life’s addiction to ease, like instant gratification, climate-controlled environments and digital distractions, is eroding resilience and physical and mental fitness. While enjoying comfort in moderation is natural, seeking it excessively while avoiding temporary discomfort can limit personal growth.

In real estate, this manifests in choosing mass flyer campaigns over direct prospecting or hesitating to knock on doors due to awkwardness. These small acts of avoidance not only hinder business growth, but also weaken mental resolve. After all, comfort doesn’t build character; discomfort does.

Seek discomfort to build resilience

The Japanese concept of misogi promotes deliberately taking on challenges that stretch us beyond our comfort zones. These are not the goals you know you can achieve. They’re the ones where success feels uncertain.

For example, running 5 kilometres may feel manageable, but attempting 15 kilometres pushes you into uncharted territory, where growth truly begins. Pursuing these stretch goals fuels intrinsic energy and motivation. The satisfaction of achieving them is immense, bolstering mental fitness and resilience.

An uncomfortable stretch in real estate

In real estate, misogi could mean setting stretch goals, like committing to speak with 100 potential clients daily for a week, an uncomfortable leap from the usual 15 to 20. Or it could be as personal as attending your first solo networking event or exploring an entirely new market.

Leaning into such discomfort strengthens resilience, equipping you for high-pressure moments, like price negotiations or managing disappointed sellers with confidence and empathy.

The neuroscience of discomfort

Proactively seeking discomfort rewires your brain for success. Neuroscience shows that practices like cold showers or morning workouts, where discomfort is embraced early, elevate baseline dopamine levels. This results in higher energy, motivation and positivity throughout the day.

In contrast, comfort-first habits like sleeping in or indulging in heavy breakfasts might feel good initially but often leave you lethargic. By training your mind to seek discomfort intentionally, you condition yourself to tackle challenges head-on, bringing vitality and confidence into client interactions.

Applying the comfort crisis to real estate

Here’s how Easter’s principles align with key real estate practices:

1. Prospecting and networking: Fear of rejection is universal. Reframe these moments as opportunities for growth, building both your pipeline and mental toughness.
2. Delivering tough news: Telling a client their property won’t meet their price expectations is uncomfortable. Yet, honesty and empathy in these moments reinforce trust and professional credibility.
3. Closing the deal: Asking for business can feel daunting. But embracing this discomfort with conviction in your value sets you apart from competitors who avoid direct asks.

Integrating discomfort into daily routines

Easter emphasises that discomfort isn’t a one-time challenge, it’s a habit. Here’s how you can integrate it into your life:

• Physical challenges: Regular exercise, cold showers, fasting, or outdoor adventures push your physical limits and strengthen your mental resilience.
• Professional stretch goals: Set ambitious weekly targets for calls, appraisals, or networking. Engage a coach or accountability partner to keep you on track.
• Embrace silence: Resist the urge to fill every quiet moment with distractions. Use downtime for reflection and strategic thinking.

A call to action

As real estate professionals, we’re in the business of facilitating change and helping clients transition from one stage of life to another.

To excel, we must embrace change ourselves. Proactively seeking discomfort cultivates the resilience and adaptability needed to thrive in this ever-evolving industry.

What’s one uncomfortable step you’ll take today to grow your business? Let’s redefine what’s possible by pushing beyond the limits of comfort.

Let’s get uncomfortable ... for our own good, and our clients.

Shane Kempton is CEO of Harcourts Western Australia.