3 Books About Voluntary Discomfort That Will Change Your Life
The ancient Stoic philosophers had many ideas for how to live the good life that might sound counter-intuitive to modern minds. One of these concepts is Voluntary Discomfort โ voluntarily putting yourself in situations where you are likely to experience discomfort, both physical and mental.
Ancient Origins of Seeking Discomfort
Already the ancient Greeks used Voluntary Discomfort as a way to get on the path towards the good life. The Stoic Epictetus advises us that when we say goodbye to a friend, we should remind ourselves that this might be our final parting. Seneca recommends us not only to contemplate bad things happening to us, but to periodically live as if bad things already happened. An example of this might be to practice poverty by eating simple food and dressing plainly. Musonius Rufus took this concept even further and suggested that we should cause bad things to happen to us.
From time to time we would cause ourselves to experience discomforts that could have been easily avoided. Some ways to do this might be to walk without shoes, underdress for cold weather, or not eat for a day or two despite having food available. This might sound like masochism, but it's actually a proven way to build a more resilient mindset and appreciate the blessings nature has bestowed upon us.
3 Books About Voluntary Discomfort
Here are 3 books that will inspire you to lean into what is uncomfortable and discover the benefits of a wilder, tougher and more challenging lifestyle. I have picked the books that helped me get off the couch and motivated me to introduce Voluntary Discomfort into my personal life. Each book approaches the subject from a slightly different angle and reading one won't devalue the benefits of reading the others. It's the trinity of voluntary discomfort in book form, and I can tell you from personal experience: it works, and it's worth it!
1. The Comfort Crisis โ Michael Easter
We live in a cushioned and temperature-controlled world of comfort, and with every day we eliminate ever smaller annoyances. We must be on track to reach happiness, fulfillment and tranquility for everyone very soon? Right?! Quite the opposite:
"A radical new body of evidence shows that people are at their best โ physically harder, mentally tougher and spiritually sounder โ after experiencing the same discomfort that our early ancestors were exposed to every day."
"Scientists are finding that certain discomforts protect us from physical and psychological problems like obesity, heart disease, cancers, diabetes, depression and anxiety. And even more fundamental issues like feeling a lack of meaning and purpose."
In this book we learn why modern life makes us anxious and depressed, and it gives us practical tools for how to reintroduce common stressors that our ancestors faced every day into our modern lives โ and be better off because of it.
2. Can't Hurt Me โ David Goggins
David Goggins went from being fat and lazy to becoming a Navy SEAL and one of the world's foremost endurance athletes. In this autobiographical book, Goggins spills the beans on how he created a mindset that allowed him to set the world record for most pull-ups (4,030 โ I could do 12 when I'm at my best). If someone can tell us about leaning into discomfort and building a resilient mindset, it's David Goggins. It's hard to read this book and not reevaluate where you set the bar for yourself.
3. A Guide to the Good Life โ William B. Irvine
If you want to learn about Voluntary Discomfort then it's obvious to consult the ancient Stoic philosophers.
Why would the Stoics voluntarily put themselves in uncomfortable situations? To develop appreciation and gratitude for what they already have, prepare for future adversity, and to find out what's truly valuable โ and what's not!
Here are a few ways a modern Stoic could engage in Voluntary Discomfort:
โ Underdress for cold weather
โ Forgo pleasures such as passing on a glass of wine or skipping your favorite show
โ Sleep on the floor instead of the bed
โ Eat only plain foods and drink only water for a week
โ Emulate poverty by dressing in shabby clothes
โ Don't drink anything for a day
โ Read the comment sections online to elicit anger and practice equanimity
โ Sleep without a pillow
No other book has impacted my life to the same extent as this one. It was the book that introduced me to Stoicism and the idea of Voluntary Discomfort and my life has never been the same. What makes this book stand out is that it's focused on the practical aspects of philosophy and it's full of exercises and examples of how you can embody it even in a modern context.
Pick up this book today and learn about Negative Visualization, self-denial, and other tools the ancient Stoics used to build resilience and attain tranquility.
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๐ก The Takeaway
These three books form a powerful combination. The Comfort Crisis gives you the modern science, Can't Hurt Me gives you the raw inspiration, and A Guide to the Good Life gives you the ancient philosophical framework. Together, they make an irresistible case for embracing discomfort as a path to a better life.