Young and Profiting (YAP) with Hala Taha

Michael Easter: The Comfort Crisis, Embracing Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self | E290

May 13, 2024

Michael Easter, author and expert on behavioral change, talks about the power of discomfort and practical ways to optimize life. He discusses the drawbacks of excessive comfort, infusing discomfort for growth, benefits of boredom, avoiding the scarcity loop, and rewiring our brains for better decision-making. Discover how embracing discomfort can lead to better health, happiness, and fulfillment.

59:15

Episode guests

Michael Easter

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Embracing discomfort leads to personal growth and challenges the comfort zone.

Excessive comfort in modern society can lead to adverse health consequences.

The scarcity loop can be harnessed for positive habits and productivity.

Deep dives

Facing the Abyss of Discomfort Leads to Growth

Embracing discomfort and taking on challenges that seem daunting can lead to immense personal growth and development. Stepping out of one's comfort zone, even in the face of potential failure, is highlighted as a crucial aspect of growth.

Introduction

2min

Embracing Discomfort for Growth and Exploration

18min

Exploring LinkedIn for B2B Sales, Yahoo Finance for Investments, and Indeed for Recruitment

5min

Embracing Discomfort for Mental Health and Creativity

15min

Exploring Shopify Benefits and Historical Evolutionary Behaviors

3min

Breaking the Scarcity Loop

7min

Leveraging the Scarcity Loop for Positive Behavior

2min

Exploring Discomfort, Scarcity Brain, and Monastery Wisdom for Growth and Success

3min

Alcohol offered Michael Easter a cheap thrill. But when he got sober, he needed to fill the void with other stimulating experiences. So, he turned to travel, surrounding himself with brilliant thinkers and people living at the extremes. From hunting in the Arctic to living in the Bolivian jungle, his experiences have helped him uncover practical ideas for optimizing life. In this episode, Michael breaks down the power of discomfort, the scarcity loop, and how to avoid falling into the trap of excess and bad behaviors.

Michael Easter is an expert on behavioral change and a New York Times bestselling author of The Comfort Crisis and Scarcity Brain. He is also a contributing editor at Men's Health magazine and a columnist for Outside magazine.

In this episode, Hala and Michael will discuss:

- The side effects of too much comfort

- How to infuse more discomfort in our daily lives

- How uncomfortable situations lead to better health and more happiness

- Why we’re overly competent but underconfident

- The upside of boredom

- Why thinking of death leads to better decision-making

- The problems of excess

- How the scarcity loop fuels bad habits

- Why we're so obsessed with unpredictable results

- How can we rewire our brains to change bad behaviors

- Tips for avoiding scarcity cues

- How to deal with information overload

- And other topics…

Michael Easter is an adventurer, an expert on behavioral change, and a New York Times bestselling author of The Comfort Crisis and Scarcity Brain. He is also a contributing editor at Men's Health magazine, a columnist for Outside magazine, and a professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His research focuses on how embracing discomfort can enhance well-being. His work has been featured in publications such as Men’s Journal, New York, and Scientific American, reaching audiences in over sixty countries. He shares his latest insights through his popular newsletter, ‘2% with Michael Easter.’

Connect With Michael:

Michael’s Website: https://eastermichael.com/

Michael’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/

Michael’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Michael_Easter

Michael’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael_easter/

Michael’s Newsletter: https://www.twopct.com/

Resources Mentioned:

Michael's Books:

The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort To Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self: https://www.amazon.com/Comfort-Crisis-Embrace-Discomfort-Reclaim/dp/0593138767

Scarcity Brain: Fix Your Craving Mindset and Rewire Your Habits to Thrive with Enough: https://www.amazon.com/Scarcity-Brain-Craving-Mindset-Rewire/dp/0593236629

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