7 Reasons Discomfort Can Make You A Better Copywriter (Or Business Owner)
Think about that one thing you dread more than anything.
More than taking out the garbage.
More than spending a month with your Aunt Thelma and her 27 cats (although that does seem pretty awful).
What about in your business?
Is there something you could do in your business that makes you so uncomfortable you panic at the thought of it?
Public speaking? Writing a blog? Creating a proposal?
What makes you nervous about it?
Could it be the fear of failure? Being laughed at? Being misunderstood?
Maybe you just don't think you'd be very good at it.
But how will you ever know if you don't try?
I get it. No one likes to feel discomfort regardless of what causes it. It's so much easier to stay in our comfort zones and be safe.
But safe is boring. And comfort tends to keep us from growing, both personally and professionally.
A business that takes no risks and doesn't grow doesn't stay around very long.
Without stepping out of our comfort zones and taking risks with what makes us UNcomfortable, we never improve.
That's the reality I was met with when looking at ways to become a better copywriter and improve my business. One suggestion that kept coming up over and over again was to start making video posts to social media.
I'm good with words. I'm terrified of being in front of a camera.
I couldn't see how doing videos would improve my copywriting and content creation in the long run, or make me a better business owner.
But doing something that brings discomfort, whether related to your business or not, CAN benefit you.
How?
Here are 7 ways discomfort will benefit you and your brand:
1. It stimulates creativity.
You can't do something new without learning something about it, right? And often times, you'll discover there are several ways to do it. In the case of making video posts, I'm discovering reels, sound effects, visual effects, and editing. I'm thinking about what my content will be, and how to make it more exciting with new backgrounds, props, and styles. Often learning more about how to do something you're uncomfortable with will give you ideas you hadn't thought of before. That creativity will carry over into your approach to the rest of your business as well.
2. You learn how to adapt.
Life is full of changes. Not all of those changes are pleasant. In business, you're hit with unexpected challenges at any given moment.
When intentionally doing something outside of your comfort zone, you force yourself to adapt to the situation. You change your behavior and your approach to find a solution to bring order and comfort once again.
3. You develop new skills.
Practice makes perfect. The phrase might be old, but it's true. Serena Williams didn't become a champion tennis player by waking up one day and grabbing a tennis racket. It took hours of repeating serves, and volleys...learning proper techniques. The same is true for those things you shun because you're afraid you're not good at them. How will you know until you try? How will you become great at them until you start doing them repeatedly?
4. Vulnerability creates connectedness.
Being vulnerable is the worst! Or is it?
No one likes others to see them stumbling, or being afraid. We all like to come across strong and invincible rather than timid or unsure. There's a fear that people won't take anything we do or say seriously if it looks like we don't know exactly what we are doing.
But by being honest and admitting your vulnerability, you actually are connecting with your audience or customers.
People can relate to your own struggles and fears because they are going through the same or similar issues. You become more HUMAN, and that creates a sense of connectedness. By persevering despite your discomfort, you become sort of an underdog, and others will cheer you on. They will become invested in you (or your brand) and support you along your journey.
5. You increase confidence.
This is pretty self-explanatory. The better you become and the more success you achieve in your attempts, the more confident you become in your actions.
6. You stop worrying about what others think.
There's always going to be people that don't support you or understand what you're doing. They're going to misunderstand your message or your purpose. There's a genuine fear that stepping outside of your comfort zone will draw that sort of negative attention.
But it doesn't matter what they think.
The majority of the time, you'll have more people supporting you than not (think back to vulnerability and connectedness).
But regardless of how many approve or disapprove, what will matter is what YOU get out of it. Are you gaining a new skill? Is it something that will help you (and your business grow)? Can it compliment or help you improve something you're already doing? If the answer is yes, then it doesn't matter what other people think. What matters is how it makes you and your brand better.
7. You grow from your mistakes.
Not everything you try is going to succeed.
And that's okay.
You still get the benefits from trying to do something uncomfortable.
It can teach you what worked and what didn't so you improve upon your next attempt.
It can motivate you to learn more so you succeed in the future.
It can also be a good way to decide which areas of your personal and professional life you need to focus on.
The nice part about trying things that make you uncomfortable is you don't have to do them forever if you don't want to. But they are worth doing if you want to continue to expand your horizons in your business or just personally.
So if you find yourself in a rut and can't figure out how to scale and grow, the answer might be to step into your DISCOMFORT zone for a while.
I'll meet you there...sweaty palms and all.