Michael Easter, a contributing editor at Men's Health and author of "The Comfort Crisis," dives into the significance of discomfort for personal growth. He shares his transformative experiences during a month in the Alaskan Arctic, illustrating how facing challenges can enhance well-being. The conversation touches on why modern conveniences may hinder our development, the benefits of embracing boredom, and the concept of 'Masogi'—an annual challenge to push limits. Expect insights on how discomfort can lead to resilience and deeper fulfillment.
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Arctic Adventure
Michael Easter and Donnie Vincent spent a month in the Alaskan Arctic.
The trip involved challenges like grizzly bears and hurricane-force winds.
insights INSIGHT
Comfort-Seeking Instinct
Humans are wired to seek comfort because historically, discomfort meant danger.
Modern life has engineered out natural discomforts, requiring us to consciously reintroduce them.
insights INSIGHT
Problem Creep
The prevalence-induced concept change explains how we perceive problems.
As problems decrease, we find new, often less significant ones, leading to "first-world problems."
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This book details the almost two-year struggle for survival of the 28-man crew of the Endurance, which was beset and eventually crushed by ice floes in the Weddell Sea during the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914-1917. The crew drifted on ice floes, salvaged lifeboats, and eventually reached Elephant Island. Shackleton then led a perilous journey to South Georgia Island to secure rescue, culminating in one of the most remarkable survival stories in history. Lansing's narrative is based on extensive research, including interviews with surviving crew members and access to their diaries and personal accounts[4][5][3].
The Comfort Crisis
Michael Easter
In 'The Comfort Crisis,' Michael Easter explores the idea that modern society's emphasis on comfort and convenience has led to various physical and mental health issues. Easter's journey takes him to diverse locations, including the Alaskan backcountry, Bhutan, and the labs of neuroscientists, to uncover the benefits of living at the edges of one's comfort zone. He discusses the concept of 'misogi,' a Japanese practice involving challenges that push individuals to their limits, and how such experiences can enhance creativity, reduce burnout and anxiety, and increase overall well-being. The book is a call to action, encouraging readers to break out of their comfort zones and reconnect with the natural world and their own potential[2][3][4].
Michael Easter is a contributing editor at Men's Health magazine, columnist for Outside magazine and Professor at the University of Nevada.
The world is pretty comfortable right now. Between air conditioning, Amazon Prime, Deliveroo, Netflix, Google Maps, soft beds and automatic cars, you can get through big stretches of life without encountering any real discomfort. Michael has spent years researching why discomfort is so important to our health and fulfilment, and how to reintroduce it to your life.
Expect to learn why rites of passage no longer happening in modern life is a huge loss, how Michael survived an entire month in the Alaskan Arctic, how an annual challenge with a 50% chance of failure can change your life, what nosey airport security staff can teach us about human nature, why boredom is good for you, how to overcome trauma and much more...
Modern Wisdom 
