I listened to a number of podcasts featuring Farrah Storr, award-winning editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan Magazine, prior to reading her debut book The Discomfort Zone. First up, was Emma Gannon’s much-loved CTRL Alt Delete, in which Storr spoke about the notion of ‘having it all (ish)’ and the importance of being vulnerable as a writer. I later listened to Elizabeth’s Day popular podcast, How To Fail, and loved the conversation between Day and Storr, where they spoke about the curse of perfectionism, and how doing what scares you can sometimes be the pathway to success.
Engaging and inspiring from the very first page, The Discomfort Zone: How to Get What You Want by Living Fearlessly is a special sort of book, in that it talks openly about both the perils and pitfalls of discomfort and failure, and the way in which we can learn and grow from both. Storr writes eloquently about her own failures, and how she actively seeks discomfort as a way to cultivate growth and a renewed sense of self.
Full of anecdotes, advice and helpful hints and tips, Storr shares ways in which the reader can make discomfort a positive thing, and writes about how putting oneself beyond the bounds of comfort can be a tool to bettering ourselves.
A real gem of a book that’s perfect for people at all stages of life, The Discomfort Zone is an easy and eloquent read and a truly useful manual that really shows the reader how much more we could all achieve by following Storr’s advice to embrace – and relish in – moments of discomfort.
About The Discomfort Zone
While it is human nature to shy away from things that are outside of our comfort zone, it is only by spending time in our discomfort zone that we can grow, and improve, and realise our full potential. Whether it’s putting yourself forward for a new challenge, asking for difficult feedback, nailing a presentation or getting a dream job, in this book Farrah Storr shows how you have to push through what she calls “brief moments of discomfort” in order to get to where you need to be.
Farrah describes these brief moments of discomfort as “like HIIT training for your life” – and shows how the more you force yourself into them, the easier it will get. This book is full of advice, practical exercises and examples both from Farrah’s own life and career and from all sorts of other successful people, from athletes to entrepreneurs.
By adopting the brief moments of discomfort, or BMD method, you will soon understand that nothing in life is an insurmountable challenge, only a series of small, uncomfortable tests that can easily be overcome. Once you have used Farrah’s techniques to transform your fear into bite-size, manageable pieces, you’ll be able to take on anything. In fact, in time, you’ll even begin to enjoy these moments.
When you explore your discomfort zone, you’ll find that anything is possible.
About Farrah Storr
Farrah Storr was appointed Editor of Cosmopolitan UK in July 2015. Since taking the role, she has led the magazine through a dramatic new look and introduced unique content.
Farrah is internationally recognised as a leading authority on print and digital publishing, fashion, branding, international and current affairs and lifestyle as an author and journalist. Storr is an accomplished moderator, host and presenter, and speaks on leadership, motivation, media, press relations, Asia relations, woman’s rights, health and travel.
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Image © Sara Tasker