COMFORTABLE BEING UNCOMFORTABLE: the failure within success..
Tom Ellis (TJEphotos/FEATS)
We learn everything from failure and nothing from success. When I first heard these words, it changed my outlook on everything. Suddenly I realised that growth really does take place outside of comfort..
Having never really stuck to one role in my time as a creative freelancer, I’ve always been one to try new things. The irony of not choosing a 9-5 means instead of the traditional eight hours, I find myself working all hours of the day – juggling multiple plates due to the fear that one could get dropped at any minute.
As most freelancers know – upskilling is vital.
In a world where the creative industries are competitive as ever, it is a necessity that as creatives we evolve alongside our field. With continuous learning & keeping up with trends and changing landscapes being the crucial tools one needs to stay afloat. Discomfort is a feeling which is widely familiar to us creatives just trying to build our crafts..
Despite this being a recognised feeling amongst the creative community. Still prevalent is the notion that ‘being bad at something’ to begin with is negative. After all, learning is a process, and we all start somewhere.
Tom Ellis (TJEphotos/FEATS)
Starting a brand-new venture or learning a new skill – it’s important to remember that a lack of knowledge is the default setting. And although even as I say this, I know I can’t take my own advice. This is a completely normal part of development, and as they say the journey really is the best part.
The hardest journey within the learning – is recognising the importance of persistence. And when it comes to upskilling, this is the biggest factor that knocks people back. Largely due to social media, we as a society have really gained the idea of ‘over night success’. When we start a new venture, we are inspired by what we see in front of us. But it’s important that the Instagram grid is simply a highlight reel, and unlike real life, people can pick and chose the parts of their journey they want to display.
So although a music producer may share a clip of a track which may go viral overnight, what is hidden from view is the 5 years plus they sat in a studio watching countless YouTube videos in order to get it right.
Again – with that being said, the idea that everything comes easy, is simply an illusion.
The idea of ‘’comfort’’ is really a grass is greener topic of conversation. Where compared to ‘’discomfort’’ – ‘’comfort’’ stands in a more positive light. ‘’Comfort’’ can also lead individuals into periods where they feel static, lost – or in worst cases regretful for moments where they passed over thoughts of ‘what if’. After all, nothing ventured is nothing gained.
Being challenged to perform outside your comfort zone, may leave you feeling greater motivation in other areas of your career, stemming from a greater feeling of stimulation within the mind.
In some way, we can compare the supermarket idea of ‘’try before you buy’’, to gaining a new skill set. Just like a new product, it’s okay to test out a skill - and if it works for you, it’s fine to stick with it. And if not, it’s also okay to move on to the next investment!
As I mentioned, I state a lot of this from my own journey. In January, I decided it was time to upskill. Inspired by seeing more female sound engineers in the circuit during DJ sets at the end of 2024, I decided I wanted to train myself, and began a seven month course at the start of the year.
Sound Engineering being completely brand new to me, I too dealt with the feeling the information was going in one ear and out the other. But doing the course alongside a couple of my best mates, I was reminded that we started our freelance careers in radio production with no knowledge of how to work a radio desk - and years later we are still in our jobs. Again, another reminder of the importance of sticking with being ‘’bad’’, before becoming ‘’good’’.
So, when I say get comfortable with being uncomfortable, I in no way mean this in a negative light. Rather presenting the recognition, that it’s okay to embrace the badness. And although naturally we all want to do a good job to begin with, trial and error will always remain the most effective strategy to develop our skills.
