Discomfort zone
New Zealand Listener|May 14, 2022
Doing things that are difficult shouldn't be avoided. In fact, we should embrace the angst they evoke.
Marc Wilson
Discomfort zone

Has anyone ever said to you, when things aren't going well, that "whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger"? Did it help? Or did it make you want to whack them over the head with your rolled-up NZ Listener? Okay, maybe that's just me. I get pretty ticked off with “live your best life", too.

But perhaps they were right.

Generally, I prefer things I enjoy to things that "don't kill me". And I know I'm not alone - it's true we find things that are enjoyable, exciting, and rewarding to be highly motivating. Computer games are fun, and it's great sitting on the newly built deck enjoying a beer and some sunshine.

But I also have to admit that at least some of the things that I enjoy aren't, ahem, always without tribulation. More often than not, those computer games end with the ignominious death of my avatar. I love the deck that I finished building over Anzac weekend, but my back still aches at the memory.

As Kaitlin Woolley, of Cornell University in the US, notes, not all goals involve fun, and we typically find it harder to pursue goals, no matter how worthy, that are tough. That's a problem if that difficulty means we give up, or fail and then give up.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM NEW ZEALAND LISTENERView all
First-world problem
New Zealand Listener

First-world problem

Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Applying intelligence to AI
New Zealand Listener

Applying intelligence to AI

I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Nazism rears its head
New Zealand Listener

Nazism rears its head

Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Staying ahead of the game
New Zealand Listener

Staying ahead of the game

Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?

time-read
4 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Grasping the nettle
New Zealand Listener

Grasping the nettle

Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Hangry? Eat breakfast
New Zealand Listener

Hangry? Eat breakfast

People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Chemical reaction
New Zealand Listener

Chemical reaction

Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Me and my guitar
New Zealand Listener

Me and my guitar

Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Time is on my side
New Zealand Listener

Time is on my side

Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?

time-read
7 mins  |
September 9, 2024
The kids are not alright
New Zealand Listener

The kids are not alright

Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 9, 2024