Be Uncomfortable

I was asked in the summer of 2010 to write an article for my friend, Jeni Herberger’s blog. Jeni is a renown speaker on the design conference circuit, an entrepreneur and executive consultant. The article, shortly after being published, was picked up by Business Lexington. I stumbled across it recently going through some old files on my computer. As I sit in my 12th year of design studio and my wife and I expect our third child, I reflected a bit on the time past and how discomfort continues to drive me today. Please enjoy and be sure to follow my friend Jeni Herberger’s podcast, Design Story.

I am a smalltown Kentucky boy that grew up thinking that being comfortable and fitting in makes for the best lifestyle — get good grades, go to college, pick a good major, don’t stay up late, get up early, get a secure job working a 9–5, don’t disagree with your superiors, don’t do anything to call unneeded attention to yourself. These are a few of the things I learned from watching others around me in society as well as some of what I was taught. Nothing is wrong with any of those things; however, if you don’t fit the mold for some of them, there is nothing wrong with you either. It’s ok to do things different in a way that possibly even makes you feel uncomfortable in comparison to what others are doing or what your mind tells you (Seth Godin calls this The Lizard Brain).

I graduated college and worked as a designer at a world-reknown sports marketing firm for a year and a half. I hated going into work every day; not so much because of the people or what I was doing, but because of the routine and I felt too comfortable. I wanted to be free to do what I want, design when I felt most creative, work when I felt most productive and control my own day. So I took a risk, quit my job and went freelance with only one client that wouldn’t entirely support me alone. It was an uncomfortable feeling but it was the beginning of the best decision I ever made.

That was five years ago. Since then I’ve taken on projects I wasn’t entirely sure I could do, founded an organization I wasn’t sure I could run, accepted leadership roles I didn’t think I could take on, disagreed with leaders when I’d otherwise avoid conflict, called on clients I thought I was too small or young to work for, met some of my design and business heroes I never thought would give me the time of day, as well as learned areas of business I never thought I’d learn. I even got married and am fathering a baby without knowing where the next paycheck is coming from. All of these things have made me uncomfortable.

I have realized that being uncomfortable is actually what drives me. It makes me want to get better, to continue learning, to support my family doing work I love, and to be the best person and designer I can be. When an opportunity presents itself, even if I create it, I find that putting myself in the most uncomfortable position allows me to solve the problem more creatively and to find a way to become successful at whatever it is simply because I have to, otherwise I’ll fail. Not being afraid of failing is what pushes me.

If I never made that uncomfortable move five years ago, I would have missed out on some great experiences and the opportunity to meet some wonderful people while doing the things I love.

I encourage you as creatives to step out of your comfort zone every once in a while. You don’t have to be as extreme as quitting your job and starting a business (unless your gut is telling you to but you say no, i.e. the Seth Godin dubbed Lizard Brain), but I encourage you to do something different; something that doesn’t feel as comfortable. You’ll notice that you’ll find new creative ways to overcome the obstacle and solve the problem, all of which can make you a better designer and a more confident person. So go forth and make yourself uncomfortable.

(Bio as written in the 2010 article)

Adam Martin is an independent creative strategist, designer and founder of Social Media Club Lexington. His company, A. Martin Design in Lexington, Kentucky, partners with clients to develop positive, emotional brand experiences through design, social media and branding strategies.