Valuable Discomfort

The most valuable things in life come from temporary discomforts. Asking someone out can be uncomfortable because we can get so nervous; giving birth is probably very uncomfortable (no, I wouldn't know), but we should be thankful to our mothers for going through it.

Lesser discomforts also have big rewards. It's awkward to ask our employers for a raise, but this can significantly increase our income. It's uncomfortable to decline a low offer on our homes, but this makes way for higher offers.

In our day to day lives, we need to get over the discomfort of demanding value. Yes, you care about your hairdresser's kids and his stories, but you don't need to put up with a bad hair cut that makes you look like a chicken. It's uncomfortable to tell an eager mortgage broker that her interest rate is too high for you, especially after all the "effort" she put in to "help" you.

There are times when we should mitigate discomfort, like waiting patiently for the old lady to cross the street instead of honking our horn at her. There are other times when we need to stand up and put a little discomfort and strain into getting value. This doesn't just benefit our pockets, it also benefits society. It teaches people to offer more.