Did you know that a little discomfort is good for us? In fact, without experiencing some discomfort we struggle to learn, grow or maintain motivation.
It’s easy to assume that discomfort is something to be avoided. We are surrounded by tools and services designed to remove it from our lives. Food arrives without effort, meetings happen without leaving the house and almost every inconvenience can be solved with an app. While this kind of ease has its place, it also comes with a hidden cost, especially for leaders. Over time, the more we protect ourselves from discomfort, the less resilient we actually become. We lose our ability to shift and grow with the changes in the environment around us.
This isn’t about hardship or extremes. It’s about recognising that discomfort is often a sign of growth. It is the space where progress happens, where we sharpen our thinking, where we discover what really works. Too much comfort in leadership often leads to repetition, stagnation and a slow erosion of challenge. That’s where momentum is lost. Not in failure, but in the quiet settling for what feels safe.
For senior leaders, this comfort can look very polished. A well-managed calendar, a strong team, a steady business. Nothing is wrong, but nothing is shifting either. The edges are smooth, the conversations are predictable and the risks are carefully managed. It feels good. It feels calm. But underneath that calm, many leaders feel something else entirely. A low-level frustration, a lack of energy, a sense that something vital has gone missing.
Discomfort, when approached intentionally, can be one of the most powerful tools in a leader’s development. It forces reflection. It challenges assumptions. It opens up questions that are easy to avoid when everything feels stable. Choosing discomfort does not mean seeking chaos or inviting unnecessary pressure. It means actively creating space for stretch, for challenge, and for real conversations that might not be easy, but are absolutely necessary.
In nature, nothing flourishes by staying in one season. Growth comes through rhythm, through cycles of stress and recovery, through weathering the elements. The same is true in leadership. We need contrast. We need moments that test our thinking and strengthen our capacity to respond. Comfort zones might be pleasant, but they do not build the kind of resilience that today’s leaders need.
It can be as simple as asking harder questions, making space for honest feedback or stepping away from habits that keep you busy but not necessarily effective. It might mean taking on a new challenge that feels uncomfortable because it asks more of you than you’re used to giving. Or it could mean choosing stillness when your default is to keep moving.
The key is to treat discomfort not as a threat, but as information. Something to notice, explore and work with. It is often the early signal that change is needed. And when leaders learn to engage with it thoughtfully, they open up space for something better.
