Wedding Business Solutions

The great improvers are willing to get uncomfortable!

• Alan Berg, CSP, FPSA, Global Speaking Fellow

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What’s the last thing you did that made you uncomfortable professionally or personally? Are you stretching beyond your comfort zone or settling for what you already know? How could trying something new, even if it feels strange, help you grow your skills, confidence, or your wedding business? In this episode I share reminders and real stories of why seeking discomfort leads to satisfaction, learning, and improvement in everything from learning new languages to trying new restaurants.

Listen to this new 9-minute episode for a push to get out of your comfort zone and practical encouragement to embrace the discomfort that leads to growth.

If you have any questions about anything in this, or any of my podcasts, or have a suggestion for a topic or guest, please reach out directly to me at Alan@WeddingBusinessSolutions.com or visit my website Podcast.AlanBerg.com 

Please be sure to subscribe to this podcast and leave a review (thanks, it really does make a difference). If you want to get notifications of new episodes and upcoming workshops and webinars, you can sign up at www.ConnectWithAlanBerg.com  

View the full transcript on Alan’s site: https://alanberg.com/blog/



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I'm Alan Berg. Thanks for listening. If you have any questions about this or if you'd like to suggest other topics for "The Wedding Business Solutions Podcast" please let me know. My email is Alan@WeddingBusinessSolutions.com. Look forward to seeing you on the next episode. Thanks. 

Listen to this and all episodes on Apple Podcast, YouTube or your favorite app/site: 

©2025 Wedding Business Solutions LLC & AlanBerg.com 

The great improvers are willing to get uncomfortable. Listen to this episode and see where that came from.

Hey, it's Alan Berg. Welcome back to another episode of the Wedding Business Solutions podcast.

Tiger Woods' coach, Hank Haney, said, "The great improvers are willing to get uncomfortable."

This is something I've spoken about before on the podcast, also from Adam Grant's book Hidden Potential, where he talks about becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable.

You need to be okay with being uncomfortable if you want to get better at anything.

I saw this note in the spreadsheet where I keep ideas for future podcast episodes. It's been sitting there for a while because I talked about this before, and now it feels like a good time to revisit it.

It's a great reminder that if we stay in our comfort zone—if we only do things we already know because they're comfortable—how do we grow?

I've mentioned many times my journey with French on Duolingo. I think today was day 1,976, maybe 1,977 or 1,978 by the time I'm recording this. I'm getting close to 2,000 days.

I'm also learning American Sign Language using an app called Lingvano.

It's something I've wanted to do for a long time. I've started and stopped several times over the years. I learned the alphabet but never really got beyond that.

Now it's been gamified, much like Duolingo, and that's made all the difference. I think I'm over 50 days into that.

What's interesting is that the days when Lingvano is really challenging me—when I'm getting answers wrong—are actually the best days.

Those are the days when I think, "Okay, I don't know this yet."

Then, when I finally get it right, there's a real sense of satisfaction because I know I've actually learned something.

Sure, there's satisfaction in getting a perfect lesson. It's like getting an A on a test.

But that's looking backward. It means you already knew the material.

What about the things you don't know yet?

That's where growth happens.

Very often, we have to become uncomfortable in order to learn those things.

We have to be okay with not knowing the dance steps but getting out on the dance floor anyway and trying.

Once you learn them, there's satisfaction.

The same thing applies if you play music and struggle with a new piece, if you're creating art and can't quite achieve a certain effect, or in your business.

Whether you're a photographer, videographer, musician, DJ, florist, invitation designer, fashion designer, or someone who writes wedding vows, that project that makes you a little uncomfortable is usually the one that pushes you to think more deeply and work a little harder.

When I'm working with a client in a business that's different from what I'm used to—or maybe they're serving a niche I've never worked with before—it makes my brain say, "Okay, wait a minute. I haven't done this before."

Then I put in the work.

I allow myself to be uncomfortable for a little while.

The same thing happens when I give a presentation to a group I've never spoken to before or deliver a brand-new keynote I've never given before.

I don't know exactly how it's going to go.

But if I've done the work and accepted that initial discomfort, then afterward I know I can give that presentation again.

From there, I improve it.

I change things almost every time I speak.

It's all part of being willing to be uncomfortable.

People often ask whether I still get nervous before going on stage.

I've been speaking professionally for over 20 years. I've spoken in person in 14 countries and virtually in even more.

My answer is always, "A little."

But it's not fear that I don't know my material.

I've put in the work.

It's simply the desire to do a good job.

Now, if I'm speaking in another country for the first time, or speaking in another language, then yes, I'm definitely more nervous.

Giving a brand-new presentation creates more butterflies too.

But I'm confident in my ability as a speaker.

If it's a new audience, there's always a little extra nervousness.

The interesting thing is that once I've been on stage for about a minute, I don't think about any of that anymore.

If I'm focused on the butterflies, I'm not giving my best presentation.

I think you can probably relate to that in your own business.

If you're photographing a venue for the first time, you're probably wondering whether you know all the best locations.

If you're working within a culture you're unfamiliar with, there's naturally going to be some uncertainty.

That's normal.

I love this quote:

"The great improvers are willing to get uncomfortable."

So here's my question.

What are you doing this week that's going to make you a little uncomfortable?

Personally?

Professionally?

What are you going to try that's different?

Maybe you'll take a different route home just to see what happens.

Maybe you'll try a new restaurant.

In fact, my wife and I just experienced exactly that.

We were recently blessed with a new grandchild—the first child for our older son and his wife. It's our second grandson because his younger brother beat him to it.

While we were visiting them in Oakland, California, there was a restaurant in their neighborhood with the strangest sign.

It simply said:

"Cheesecakes, Barbecue & Latkes."

Latkes are potato pancakes—a traditional Jewish food, though there are similar dishes in other cultures.

But barbecue and latkes?

They just don't seem to belong together.

Then throw cheesecake into the mix.

Even the sign looked like a barbecue restaurant, with black and red lettering that resembled flames.

It was just... odd.

My son and daughter-in-law said the place had been open for months, but they'd never gone because they couldn't figure out what it was.

One day my wife and I were walking by, and I said, "Let's go in."

She wanted to see what kinds of cheesecake they had.

They offered little individual cheesecakes in cup-sized portions, along with larger sizes.

We bought three different cheesecakes to take back to the apartment.

The owner mentioned it was latke happy hour between 2:00 and 5:00, so the latkes were $2.50 each instead of their usual $3.

I said, "Sure, give me two."

Funny enough, there was even a limit of two at the discounted price.

We got back to the apartment.

It wasn't time for dessert yet, so we tried the latkes first.

They were amazing.

Absolutely delicious.

If you're ever near Lakeshore Avenue in Oakland, California, stop by.

The latkes were incredible.

My wife thought so.

I thought so.

My son and daughter-in-law thought so.

The cheesecake was excellent too.

But their messaging was the problem.

My son and daughter-in-law had avoided the restaurant simply because they didn't know what to expect.

Instead of thinking, "Let's try it," they avoided it.

Now they're completely sold on it.

I even went back later to try the barbecue.

I ordered a pastrami sandwich and a brisket sandwich for us to share.

The pastrami was outstanding.

The brisket was good, though I thought it needed a little more sauce.

So what does that have to do with getting uncomfortable?

Sometimes getting uncomfortable means walking into the restaurant you've always wondered about but never tried.

The worst that happens is you don't go back.

That's it.

Now my son and daughter-in-law have another favorite place because they were willing to get past that initial uncertainty.

Once you've done something, it usually isn't uncomfortable anymore.

Of course, there are exceptions.

I've been skydiving.

I'd do it again.

One of my friends wanted to go up again immediately.

Another friend said, "I'm glad I did it, but I'm never doing it again."

Some people become comfortable after trying something once.

Others decide that once is enough.

Either way, they learned something.

So what are you going to do this week that's going to make you just a little uncomfortable?

Let me know at Alan@WeddingBusinessSolutions.com or leave a comment on the podcast.

Thanks for listening.


I’m Alan Berg. Thanks for listening. If you have any questions about this or if you’d like to suggest other topics for “The Wedding Business Solutions Podcast” please let me know. My email is Alan@WeddingBusinessSolutions.com or you can  text, use the short form on this page, or call +1.732.422.6362, international 001 732 422 6362. I look forward to seeing you on the next episode. Thanks.

Listen to this and all episodes on Apple Podcast, YouTube or your favorite app/site:

©2026 Wedding Business Solutions LLC & AlanBerg.com


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Alan Berg, CSP, Global Speaking Fellow

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