Ep. 021: Expanding our (dis)comfort zones for learning

In this week's episode Mike and Elizabeth talk about getting comfortable with discomfort.  We discuss a series of studies in which people who were prompted to seek discomfort as a sign of growth and learning demonstrated increased willingness to engage in challenging activities.  Some spent more time on improvisational exercises, others read more about COVID 19, gun violence, or opposing political viewpoints. The article resonated with us on personal and professional levels, and is quite relevant in this culture of victimhood, anxiety, and discomfort avoidance.  We also link the article to methods commonly used in diversity training.

Podcast Article:
Woolley, K., & Fishbach, A. (2022). Motivating personal growth by seeking discomfort. Psychological Science, 33(4), 510–523.