Enjoying the Pain of Learning Will Make Your Smarter

Why discomfort is your greatest ally in mastering new skills – sorry, magic pills won’t do the trick

For more on developing a culture of learning and collaboration, check out my intensive course, How to Build a Fearless Culture Program.

Juan Moyano (Spain)/Stocksy

Imagine standing at a crossroads. One path promises instant expertise – fluency in every language or mastering AI overnight. The other offers the messy and often frustrating journey of learning the hard way.

Most of us would choose the shortcut. After all, why endure the pain?

But here’s the catch: That very pain is what makes learning stick. In today’s fast-paced world, the ability to learn isn’t just nice to have – it’s essential for survival.

While how we learn has evolved, the path remains the same. Shortcuts might provide quick wins, but they won’t help you develop the learning mindset required to thrive. Without embracing discomfort, there’s no real growth.

The Myth of Effortless Learning

“Learning is experience. Everything else is just information.” – Albert Einstein

Our obsession with speed and convenience has screwed up ho…