Why is it that some people can push themselves harder than others? How can two people do the same workout, one gets spectacular results and the other nothing?
This is a fundamental question that I address with all my people. There are many ways to answer this. Some say it is discipline. Others will say it is motivation. I think it is how you define pain and discomfort.
I have the bad habit of using these words interchangeably and they are not the same. In fact, they are two totally independent concepts and recognizing this can make all the difference in the world with your workouts and life in general.
You have heard me say it.
You need to get comfortable being uncomfortable.
So let’s get into it.
Pain
Pain is a warning signal from your body that it has been damaged. For example, you put your hand on a hot stove, you will get a signal to take your hand away. The pain in your hand afterwards is a sign that tissue has been damaged and not to use the hand for anything else until it heals.
That makes sense, right? Pain is a protection mechanism that should be listened to.
Another example could be plantar fasciitis. That is when the bottom of your feet become extremely tender and painful. The body is telling you that you have a problem you need to deal with. If you keep doing what you do, the situation will get worse until you get to the point you can’t stand. The body is smart that way. It is a feedback loop system. Whatever you do, your body will give you feedback.
Discomfort
Discomfort is a condition where you are not comfortable. No duh, right? Working out is a great example of being uncomfortable. You may think it is painful to workout but it isn’t. You are not damaging your body in any way. What you are feeling is a buildup of lactic acid in the muscles. This is a normal process and as soon as you stop, the sensation goes away. Therefore what you are feeling is not pain but temporary discomfort.
Here is where the problem comes in. We like to be comfortable. Almost everything we buy is towards that end. Modern society has given us the option to opt out of any kind of pain or discomfort and many people can’t tell the difference.
When I run a Spartan race, I know I am going to be uncomfortable for a while. In fact, the whole purpose of a Spartan Race is to make you uncomfortable. They want you out of your comfort zone and suffer a little or a lot as the case may be. When you realize that, your whole world view undergoes a massive shift. The race is a test of how uncomfortable I can get and still push forward. In other words, it is not about the physical but the mental.The body will do what the mind tells it to. I have done enough races to know most of my discomfort will go away as soon as I stop and I can stop anytime. It is my choice that I don’t stop until I cross the finish line and that has nothing to do with pain. It has everything to do with practicing delayed gratification. Suffer a little longer now for a greater reward in the end.
Homework
Your homework is to start differentiating between pain and discomfort. You can tolerate a lot more discomfort than you think if you have the right frame of reference. Start by pushing past the point where you stopped the day before. Get use to giving a little more after the point where you want to stop. This is easier than you think after you do it a few times. This is the key to unlocking your hidden potential.
If you stop every time the workout or set gets “painful” you will never make progress. Reframe the way you think and start testing your limits because you aren’t feeling pain, you are feeling discomfort.
