A little over a week ago, I read an article in the Wall Street Journal titled, “Don’t Get Too Comfortable. Your Quality of Life Depends on It.” It was very interesting. Then, a couple of days later, I listened to Wynne Leon’s podcast The Life of Try, where she invited Lindsey Goldstein, author of Gap Year, to discuss personal growth and courage.
Wynne paints the premise of the novel this way:
“When in the span of a few days, Jane’s daughter leaves for a gap year, her husband informs her that he’s in love with someone else, and she’s forced to choose between a promotion or to quit her job, she decides to take her own gap year. She goes to Ecuador to climb the mountain she’s always wanted to, Cotopaxi.”
Interesting, isn’t it?
Well, I saw a connection between the podcast and the article, which argues that modern life—especially with increasingly frictionless technology and AI—is removing the challenges and effort that humans biologically need in order to thrive. It goes further by explaining that while convenience and instant comfort may feel good temporarily, they can also lead to stagnation, loss of resilience, and a diminished sense of vitality.
In a time when everything seems stuck and the news cycle is driving us crazy with nonstop bad news, it is good to step back and re-engage in meaningful activities in order to improve our lives.
The author of the article, Moshe Bar1, introduces the concept of “progression,” which means continuously adapting and growing through manageable challenges. Progression is not about constant productivity or achievement, but about engaging in activities that expand physical, mental, and behavioral capacity over time. According to the article, research suggests that this kind of forward movement improves mood, strengthens resilience, supports brain plasticity, reduces inflammation, and contributes to healthier aging.
The article identifies three major areas where progression matters:
Physical progression — Exercise benefits the body most when it gradually becomes more challenging through increasing endurance, strength, or skill. This process builds lasting capacity and improves overall health.
Behavioral progression — Small meaningful actions, such as taking a walk or reconnecting socially, help break cycles of avoidance and depression. Momentum and energy often come after action begins, not before.
Mental progression — Healthy thinking involves exploration, curiosity, and openness to new ideas. In contrast, repetitive worry and rumination are linked to anxiety, depression, and reduced vitality. Expanding one’s thinking improves creativity, flexibility, and emotional well-being.
The article contrasts progression with passive pleasures like scrolling social media, overeating, alcohol, or endless entertainment. These activities may temporarily soothe discomfort, but they do not strengthen a person’s abilities or resilience.
Ultimately, the author argues that long-term well-being comes not from comfort or achieving isolated goals, but from sustained forward movement and engagement with meaningful challenges.
The article concludes with this:
“Human beings are optimized by effort.”
Most of us don’t have the ability or resources to go to Ecuador and climb Cotopaxi, but go ahead and tackle those things on your list that you have been postponing for whatever reason. Get your shoes on and go for daily walks. Volunteer for that organization you have been researching for months but are still “thinking about.” Grab that book from your pile and start reading it. Pull out that journal you bought at the beginning of the year that is still sitting brand new on your desk and write your first entry.
Whatever that thing is, just do it, and start your progression toward a better life.
LatinosUSA 
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