{"id":1380,"date":"2015-11-01T04:44:07","date_gmt":"2015-11-01T04:44:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/?p=1380"},"modified":"2024-01-22T14:25:01","modified_gmt":"2024-01-22T03:25:01","slug":"valuing-discomfort","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/valuing-discomfort\/","title":{"rendered":"Valuing Discomfort"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many world-class performers tell stories\u00a0of discomfort, rejection and failure at some\u00a0point in their past. Is this coincidence? Or do these uncomfortable experiences lay the foundation for long-term development and, ultimately, success. PDP Lead Researcher, James Vaughan discusses the importance of discomfort on the learning journey.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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American scholars such as Brene Brown and Robert Horner (researchers into education, development and vulnerability) have led us to the following question: if curiosity marks the start of the learning process\u00a0and vulnerability is the birthplace of creative connection, is discomfort a catalyst for development?<\/p>\n

Development can be defined as durable changes resulting from a combination of experience, learning and maturation.<\/p>\n

In terms of world-class athletes, painful experiences may have (subconsciously) challenged them to question their development journey \u2013 what they\u00a0do and why they do it \u2013 renew their dedication and re-assess their mindset. Consider some real-life examples such as West Ham left-back Aaron Cresswell. On the books at Liverpool until the\u00a0age of 15, he was then released by manager Gerard Houllier and signed for Tranmere Rovers \u2013 a time he refers to as \u201cheartbreaking\u201d. After a few years developing with Tranmere and then Ipswich, Aaron was signed back to a Premier League club and is knocking on the door of the England squad. Another player inline for full\u00a0international honours is Harry Kane, released from Arsenal at 11 and then at Watford, Harry was loaned out to gain valuable experience before his breakthrough season at Tottenham this year.<\/p>\n

The Science of Discomfort<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cognitive development research suggests that discomfort, specifically \u2018feeling out of our comfort zone\u2019,\u00a0is caused by a mental state called cognitive disequilibrium. This mental discomfort is basically an imbalance between someone\u2019s understanding of the world and their new (or current) experiences. Simply put, adapting to new ideas can be confronting and uncomfortable.<\/p>\n

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Development specialist and leadership author Stephen Covey explains that an individual\u2019s understanding of\u00a0the world is shaped by the current paradigm guiding their thought. Covey describes a paradigm as the culturally constructed lens through which we view the world. Consider the old paradigm or \u2018old school of thought\u2019 around pre-season fitness, when I started playing it was all about running laps, intervals of 200m, 300m,\u00a0400m. Now modern technology and scientific research has shown that playing small sided games (3v3\u2019s, 4v4\u2019s etc.) and manipulating the time, rules and playing area can bring about the same fitness outcomes \u2013 the added benefit being that the training is sport specific. What we\u2019ve all experienced here is a paradigm shift \u2013 in this case a slow change over a number of years. However the speed of change will\u00a0vary from person to person, as will the discomfort felt \u2013 do you rip the Band-Aid off or peel it back slowly? Sometimes we don\u2019t have a choice \u2013 adapt or die.<\/p>\n

Thomas Kuhn, author of \u2018The Structure of Scientific Revolutions\u2019 supports the idea that paradigm shifts occur when \u2018new findings\u2019 begin to contradict\u00a0a person\u2019s current practices and traditional beliefs. The value we place on these traditional beliefs \u2013 running laps for example \u2013 will determine the discomfort we feel when breaking with tradition and moving outside of our comfort zone.<\/p>\n

However research has show that this cognitive discomfort, these moments of imbalance and feelings of mental discomfort are the \u201cmajor energising force in development\u201d.<\/p>\n

This is why Covey believes:<\/p>\n

“If you want to make minor changes and improvements, you need only work on practices, behaviour or attitude. But if you want to make significant, quantum improvement, work on paradigms.” <\/strong><\/p>\n

–\u00a0Stephen Covey<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This may be why so many high performers tell stories of discomfort, rejection and failure at some point in their past.\u00a0So if the science of discomfort shapes player development, what does this mean for coach development? How do we embrace discomfort in our development?<\/p>\n

New Zealand Football Special Projects Manager Steven Dillon gives insight into this question by sharing his experiences at the World Football Academy (WFA) expert meeting in South Africa in 2014. The WFA is made up of expert speakers and delegates\u00a0from over 20 countries around\u00a0the world and from a wide range\u00a0of both professional and amateur backgrounds. Steven\u2019s experiences give insight into elements of the development environment created\u00a0by the WFA. Steven attended the conference last year while working for Auckland Football Federation.<\/p>\n

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“Arriving at the WFA led to feelings of discomfort almost immediately. Here I was, in the middle of South Africa, originally from England but working\u00a0in New Zealand, rubbing shoulders with some of the most knowledgeable and respected people in football. Talk about a reality check \u2013 I felt like an imposter.<\/em><\/p>\n

But although it took time to acclimatise to my surroundings, what followed were six days of the most incredible, uplifting and challenging level of expert speakers that I had ever come across. If there was ever a study in creating a culture of excellence, this was it. The variety of topics enabled us to take\u00a0a broader view of football whilst still being linked by the same philosophy and always having the reference and starting point of football.<\/em><\/p>\n

There are a number of talks that stood out and have stayed with me, which says a lot about the quality of the presentations. These key messages consistently reinforced in many of the talks were:<\/em><\/p>\n