I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actually like. But what about when goal pursuit is anything but fun? My latest research w/ @ayeletfishbach in @PsychScience has you covered
Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort.
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Mar 2022 – Sep 2025Where it's discussed
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X / Twitter104 posts
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What people are saying
Numerous discussions center around the notion that seeking discomfort can catalyze personal growth, with phrases like 'embrace the challenge' and references to specific methods such as taking improv classes. The tone of curiosity and support evident in user comments like 'What if instead of tolerating discomfort, people actively sought it out?' and 'Fantastic new work showing how reframing discomfort enhances engagement' illustrates a communal excitement about the possibilities outlined in the article.
The majority of discussions indicate a favorable view toward the article's premise, with many expressing support for the idea that seeking discomfort drives personal growth.
There is a high level of curiosity regarding the studies mentioned, with many users looking to learn more about the methodologies and findings.
While some posts show strong engagement with the content, others provide surface-level summaries or general statements about discomfort leading to growth.
Many participants perceive a strong potential for the findings to influence personal development strategies, with references to real-life applications and implications.
Abstract in brief
- Seeking discomfort can be a powerful motivator for personal growth, as experiencing awkwardness or unease often indicates progress.
- Researchers conducted five experiments with 2,163 adults to test the idea that actively pursuing discomfort leads to greater motivation in areas like confidence-building, emotional processing, and understanding differing viewpoints.
- The results showed that when individuals engaged in activities that caused immediate discomfort, such as improv classes or learning about social issues, they reported increased motivation and a stronger sense of achievement compared to those following standard methods.
Top posts
Most liked on X and BlueskyWhat if instead of tolerating discomfort, people *actively sought it out*? Great new study by @Kaitlin_Woolley and @ayeletfishbach found that seeking immediate discomfort as a signal of personal growth increased engagement and perceived goal achievement. https://t.co/ywbTvXv45f
▼「不快に感じるのは目標達成に近づいている証拠」って考えが成長の近道になる https://t.co/eUAP235aov こう考えた学生は、難しいタスクに対して長時間集中力を発揮できていたそうです。目標達成の過程における不快感は「もうやめちゃえ」というサインではなく、順調に前に進んでいる証拠なのです。
Interesting take on factors that accelerate personal growth. The paper " Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort" provides a different take on the trigger for personal growth. #growth #success #PersonalGrowth #Motivation https://t.co/E88TxCSLAc
Zor duygularla baş etme, farklı siyasi görüşlerden insanlarla iletişime geçmek gibi rahatsızlık duyulacak etkinliklerde, "Rahatsız oluyorsanız işe yarıyor, kendinizi geliştireceksiniz demektir" mesajı verildiğinde insanların motivasyonu artmış. https://t.co/TlYlhsRbQo https://t.co/bpqTJNnKP4
"No Pain, No Gain" Fantastic new work by @Kaitlin_Woolley and @ayeletw showing how reframing how we think about challenging personal growth opportunities enhances whether we engage in them. https://t.co/p4vEUcFil3
All mentions
Using Discomfort as a Catalyst for Personal Growth
Seeking discomfort can be a powerful motivator for personal growth. This video explores how experiencing unease often indicates progress. Learn about studies that show engaging in discomforting activities boosts…
Harnessing Discomfort for Personal Growth and Motivation
Exploring the transformative power of seeking discomfort for personal growth, this video examines findings from five experiments with over 2,000 participants. Discover how engaging in challenging experiences enhances…
Embrace Discomfort for Personal Growth and Motivation
Navigating Dark Themes in Storytelling for Personal Growth
Today, I'm joined by Dan from Beddlym’s Social Hour to discuss how to safely run a story with darker themes. Seeking discomfort can be a powerful motivator for personal growth, leading to greater motivation and a…
Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort https://t.co/gbgi003bTU
Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort (2022) https://t.co/jwTwYJw8uz (https://t.co/Ikh7zvi4Bm)
Вы знаете кому это отправить Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort https://t.co/ne4khIy64j
Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort (2022) via /r/hackernews https://t.co/b9gwpcKwu8
Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort (2022)
Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort (2022) https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/09567976211044685?journalCode=pssa [comments] [53 points]
Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort (2022) Discussion
Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort (2022) https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/09567976211044685?journalCode=pssa (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42283678)
Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort (journals.sagepub.com) Main Link | Discussion
Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort Discussion
Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort https://t.co/LvgcgpLdIc (https://t.co/57Vp7n3gLv)
Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/09567976211044685?journalCode=pssa (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42283678)
Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort https://t.co/ks9MaNjJhE 2
Embrace the challenge and watch yourself transform. Check out the study "Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort" for more insights: https://t.co/x5nyxqI8LU
RT @sbkaufman: What if instead of tolerating discomfort, people *actively sought it out*? Great new study by @Kaitlin_Woolley and @ayeletfi…
Ref: Addicott et al., Primer on Foraging & Explore/Exploit Trade-off, Neuropsychopharm (2017) Woolley, K., Fishbach, A. Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort. Psych Science. 2022 Kaufman, S.B. (2020). Transcend: The new science of self-actualization. New York, NY.
RT @kssiddhu: Interesting take on factors that accelerate personal growth. The paper " Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort" pr…
RT @kssiddhu: Interesting take on factors that accelerate personal growth. The paper " Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort" pr…
Interesting take on factors that accelerate personal growth. The paper " Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort" provides a different take on the trigger for personal growth. #growth #success #PersonalGrowth #Motivation https://t.co/E88TxCSLAc
@Coxy3012 Might be of interest: https://t.co/lhtv8TIIKq Sounds quite Vygotskyian too, in relation to the ZPD.
RT @FastDOCTOR_jp: 「ネガティブな感情は成長の証」「このエクササイズの目的はネガティブな感情になること」と伝えられたグループは、練習や学習のモチベーションや継続力が上がったそうです。成長はネガティブな感情を伴うことを認識して物事に取り組みたいですね。 http…
RT @FastDOCTOR_jp: 「ネガティブな感情は成長の証」「このエクササイズの目的はネガティブな感情になること」と伝えられたグループは、練習や学習のモチベーションや継続力が上がったそうです。成長はネガティブな感情を伴うことを認識して物事に取り組みたいですね。 http…
RT @FastDOCTOR_jp: 「ネガティブな感情は成長の証」「このエクササイズの目的はネガティブな感情になること」と伝えられたグループは、練習や学習のモチベーションや継続力が上がったそうです。成長はネガティブな感情を伴うことを認識して物事に取り組みたいですね。 http…
RT @FastDOCTOR_jp: 「ネガティブな感情は成長の証」「このエクササイズの目的はネガティブな感情になること」と伝えられたグループは、練習や学習のモチベーションや継続力が上がったそうです。成長はネガティブな感情を伴うことを認識して物事に取り組みたいですね。 http…
RT @FastDOCTOR_jp: 「ネガティブな感情は成長の証」「このエクササイズの目的はネガティブな感情になること」と伝えられたグループは、練習や学習のモチベーションや継続力が上がったそうです。成長はネガティブな感情を伴うことを認識して物事に取り組みたいですね。 http…
「ネガティブな感情は成長の証」「このエクササイズの目的はネガティブな感情になること」と伝えられたグループは、練習や学習のモチベーションや継続力が上がったそうです。成長はネガティブな感情を伴うことを認識して物事に取り組みたいですね。 https://t.co/LKFo151WYD
(2/2) Woolley, K., Fishbach, A. "Motivating personal growth by seeking discomfort". Psychological Science 33, no. 4 (2022): 510-523
Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort https://t.co/IoaxmYzih5
Zor duygularla baş etme, farklı siyasi görüşlerden insanlarla iletişime geçmek gibi rahatsızlık duyulacak etkinliklerde, "Rahatsız oluyorsanız işe yarıyor, kendinizi geliştireceksiniz demektir" mesajı verildiğinde insanların motivasyonu artmış. https://t.co/TlYlhsRbQo https://t.co/bpqTJNnKP4
https://t.co/kaiwuKecPD
'불편함을 견디는 대신 적극적으로 찾는다면? 불편함은 즉각적이고 쉽게 감지할 수 있으므로, 이를 추구하면 동기를 부여할 수 있다고 제안한다'는 것이 초록의 내용. https://t.co/JVmuKbIHkq
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
Beginning a course w/ a discussion of “how to succeed in this course” is such a great way to boost student experience. This reading is a perfect intro. I also use @Kaitlin_Woolley & @ayeletfishbach on “motivating personal growth by seeking discomfort” https://t.co/Jg2jrSHyvp https://t.co/Ufhj2Vv92C
What if instead of simply embracing #discomfort, you actively put yourself in challenging novel situations? https://t.co/QPcwuN5ggj #personalgrowth #selfimprovement
Achieving personal growth often requires experiencing discomfort. What if instead of tolerating discomfort (e.g., feeling awkward or uncomfortable), people actively sought it out? Five studies (N=2,163 adults) suggest it's related to growth & motivation. https://t.co/ooCUIGc0M8 https://t.co/xWdwWaDV43
RT @sbkaufman: What if instead of tolerating discomfort, people *actively sought it out*? Great new study by @Kaitlin_Woolley and @ayeletfi…
RT @sbkaufman: What if instead of tolerating discomfort, people *actively sought it out*? Great new study by @Kaitlin_Woolley and @ayeletfi…
RT @sbkaufman: What if instead of tolerating discomfort, people *actively sought it out*? Great new study by @Kaitlin_Woolley and @ayeletfi…
RT @stevemagness: Relevant research: https://t.co/M52hXVhtym https://t.co/bK0Q55ab40
Relevant research: https://t.co/M52hXVhtym https://t.co/bK0Q55ab40
RT @sbkaufman: What if instead of tolerating discomfort, people *actively sought it out*? Great new study by @Kaitlin_Woolley and @ayeletfi…
RT @sbkaufman: What if instead of tolerating discomfort, people *actively sought it out*? Great new study by @Kaitlin_Woolley and @ayeletfi…
RT @sbkaufman: What if instead of tolerating discomfort, people *actively sought it out*? Great new study by @Kaitlin_Woolley and @ayeletfi…
RT @sbkaufman: What if instead of tolerating discomfort, people *actively sought it out*? Great new study by @Kaitlin_Woolley and @ayeletfi…
RT @sbkaufman: What if instead of tolerating discomfort, people *actively sought it out*? Great new study by @Kaitlin_Woolley and @ayeletfi…
RT @sbkaufman: What if instead of tolerating discomfort, people *actively sought it out*? Great new study by @Kaitlin_Woolley and @ayeletfi…
RT @sbkaufman: What if instead of tolerating discomfort, people *actively sought it out*? Great new study by @Kaitlin_Woolley and @ayeletfi…
RT @sbkaufman: What if instead of tolerating discomfort, people *actively sought it out*? Great new study by @Kaitlin_Woolley and @ayeletfi…
RT @sbkaufman: What if instead of tolerating discomfort, people *actively sought it out*? Great new study by @Kaitlin_Woolley and @ayeletfi…
Full paper: https://t.co/UZiywIR2GN @paulbloomatyale, What do you think? Seem consistent with your thesis.
What if instead of tolerating discomfort, people *actively sought it out*? Great new study by @Kaitlin_Woolley and @ayeletfishbach found that seeking immediate discomfort as a signal of personal growth increased engagement and perceived goal achievement. https://t.co/ywbTvXv45f
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
@edbatista @kellymcgonigal This was really good. Reminds me a little of Woolley and Fishbach’s latest work (reframing a perceived “negative” emotional state) - which I found very helpful for coaching. https://t.co/R4ukuhNMOX
RT @Astella6174: ▼「不快に感じるのは目標達成に近づいている証拠」って考えが成長の近道になる https://t.co/eUAP235aov こう考えた学生は、難しいタスクに対して長時間集中力を発揮できていたそうです。目標達成の過程における不快感は「もうやめちゃ…
RT @Astella6174: ▼「不快に感じるのは目標達成に近づいている証拠」って考えが成長の近道になる https://t.co/eUAP235aov こう考えた学生は、難しいタスクに対して長時間集中力を発揮できていたそうです。目標達成の過程における不快感は「もうやめちゃ…
RT @Astella6174: ▼「不快に感じるのは目標達成に近づいている証拠」って考えが成長の近道になる https://t.co/eUAP235aov こう考えた学生は、難しいタスクに対して長時間集中力を発揮できていたそうです。目標達成の過程における不快感は「もうやめちゃ…
RT @Astella6174: ▼「不快に感じるのは目標達成に近づいている証拠」って考えが成長の近道になる https://t.co/eUAP235aov こう考えた学生は、難しいタスクに対して長時間集中力を発揮できていたそうです。目標達成の過程における不快感は「もうやめちゃ…
RT @Astella6174: ▼「不快に感じるのは目標達成に近づいている証拠」って考えが成長の近道になる https://t.co/eUAP235aov こう考えた学生は、難しいタスクに対して長時間集中力を発揮できていたそうです。目標達成の過程における不快感は「もうやめちゃ…
自己の個人的な成長において、自己成長のシグナルとして積極的に不快感を求めるように指示すると、エンゲージメントが向上し、目標の達成感も高まるよという研究。 【論文】Woolley & Fishbach (2022) Psy Sci https://t.co/njCuhpdGOc
RT @Astella6174: ▼「不快に感じるのは目標達成に近づいている証拠」って考えが成長の近道になる https://t.co/eUAP235aov こう考えた学生は、難しいタスクに対して長時間集中力を発揮できていたそうです。目標達成の過程における不快感は「もうやめちゃ…
▼「不快に感じるのは目標達成に近づいている証拠」って考えが成長の近道になる https://t.co/eUAP235aov こう考えた学生は、難しいタスクに対して長時間集中力を発揮できていたそうです。目標達成の過程における不快感は「もうやめちゃえ」というサインではなく、順調に前に進んでいる証拠なのです。
RT @ethan_kross: "No Pain, No Gain" Fantastic new work by @Kaitlin_Woolley and @ayeletw showing how reframing how we think about challengi…
RT @ethan_kross: "No Pain, No Gain" Fantastic new work by @Kaitlin_Woolley and @ayeletw showing how reframing how we think about challengi…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
Study link - - https://t.co/YTVzjdrXol
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @ethan_kross: "No Pain, No Gain" Fantastic new work by @Kaitlin_Woolley and @ayeletw showing how reframing how we think about challengi…
RT @SoftyStudy: 新生活は期待が胸に溢れる反面、できないことも多く嫌な思いをする場面も多い。そんな中、その「思い通りに行かないときに感じる嫌な思い」を成長のサインとして捉えると成長のモチベーションが高まる可能性があります!春は積極的に「成長痛」を感じていきましょう…
Seeking Discomfort as a Motivator of Personal Growth: Sounds like a great area of research focus for #pain #ChronicPain #painmanagmenet, #rehabilitation , and #psychologically informed #physiotherapy https://t.co/pVp9cHtxhk
"No Pain, No Gain" Fantastic new work by @Kaitlin_Woolley and @ayeletw showing how reframing how we think about challenging personal growth opportunities enhances whether we engage in them. https://t.co/p4vEUcFil3
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @myuuko: 自己成長には不快感が伴うので,成長のシグナルとして不快感を求めるとモチベーションが向上するよという研究。いまいちロジックが腑に落ちない。わかるようなわからないような。/ Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Disc…
新生活は期待が胸に溢れる反面、できないことも多く嫌な思いをする場面も多い。そんな中、その「思い通りに行かないときに感じる嫌な思い」を成長のサインとして捉えると成長のモチベーションが高まる可能性があります!春は積極的に「成長痛」を感じていきましょう
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort https://t.co/qEyVYz49r1
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @JeffGreeneLearn: Novel approach to cognitive reappraisal by @Kaitlin_Woolley & @ayeletfishbach suggests helping people reframe discomfo…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
RT @Kaitlin_Woolley: I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actua…
I often talk about finding the FUN in goal pursuit – to stick with health goals, choose workouts and veggies you actually like. But what about when goal pursuit is anything but fun? My latest research w/ @ayeletfishbach in @PsychScience has you covered
Novel approach to cognitive reappraisal by @Kaitlin_Woolley & @ayeletfishbach suggests helping people reframe discomfort as a signal of growth can lead to better persistence & outcomes. Would love to see extension to "desirable difficulties" in education. https://t.co/ACCefs9qVx
RT @myuuko: 自己成長には不快感が伴うので,成長のシグナルとして不快感を求めるとモチベーションが向上するよという研究。いまいちロジックが腑に落ちない。わかるようなわからないような。/ Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Disc…
自己成長には不快感が伴うので,成長のシグナルとして不快感を求めるとモチベーションが向上するよという研究。いまいちロジックが腑に落ちない。わかるようなわからないような。/ Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort https://t.co/3kjWI7LqaR