Takeaways from Reading 'The Comfort Crises'

The other day I finished reading The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter and, with the help of AI, wrote a book summary on it.

In this post I’d like to expand on it with some of my own ideas and related experiences.

In chapter 6, Michael writes about Misogi. Misogi is a Japanese concept about testing one's limits to achieve mental clarity and resilience. It’s about doing something really hard, though not life-threatening.

Interestingly, I only first heard this term a week or so ago while listening to the My First Million podcast. They were talking about Misogi competitions as niche businesses. I think good examples of this would be the Mongol Rally, or perhaps an ultra marathon.

Perhaps my military experience falls into this category, and probably some of my more adventurous travel experiences.

Another concept Michael brings up is to disconnect and spend time in nature. The idea of disconnection is in the realm of technology as well as personal connection.

Again, I spent lots of time in nature during the army, but I wasn’t disconnected.

I spend lots of time in nature during summer camp also, but I am even more connected there than in my normal life.

In 2008 a friend and I hiked the Bibbulmun Track, which took us 7 weeks. That might have been the most disconnected I have been. If we walked separately we might not have talked to anyone for 8 or so hours, which, looking back now, isn’t that long at all. I’ve definitely talked to no-one for longer periods of time than that during solo travel, sometimes up to a few weeks, but I’ve always had social connection via the internet.

Anyway, to be totally disconnected from technology and people for more than 24 hours is quite a feat. Perhaps the best way to achieve this is by going solo camping for a few days each year. Leave your phone at home and have an EPIRB for emergencies.

One thing I do know, which was also mentioned in the book, is that it is during times of solitude that I have my best insights. Perhaps that’s why they say it is good to just go for a long walk in a park. It refreshes your mind and sparks creativity.

Another thing I learned about doing hard tasks is something I learned from The Huberman Lab. When you do something hard, or more accurately, when you do something you don’t want to do, it grows your prefrontal cortex, and the more this grows, the more hard things you will have the capacity to do.

So what is the takeaway for me from this post?

I’d like to say that I will go solo camping for two nights at least once every couple of months, but I honestly don’t think that will happen anytime soon. Perhaps once I am more settled.

In the meantime, I think a weekly walk in the woods for an hour or so is a good idea. No music, no podcasts, nothing. No phone, except for emergencies.