For the most part of our daily lives, we are on autopilot or what I call cruising. We do what we do to get through the day. We do not give much thought to what we did or more importantly what we achieved that day.

But in the days when you felt high achievement, effort and discomfort would not have been far away. Because for high achievement, there is a part of you that needs to be operating from beyond your comfort zone.

Effectiveness usually involves overcoming some form uncertainty, risk or procrastination and our first instinct is to do everything to avoid it. We want to get through the day with predictability and go on to repeat it the next day. Predictability to me is no or minimal discomfort. Unfortunately, we limit ourselves when predictability is involved.

Neuroscience suggests that the brain likes being on autopilot for tasks that it performs on a regular basis and that is fine. If we did not have this feature, our thinking brains would be overloaded.

But to get things done, to achieve or conquer something, the autopilot needs to be turned off to make space for discomfort and/or pain.

Let me explain. To write that thought-provoking article, solve a systemic problem, start a new habit, to achieve a goal, all requires something more from us. Think back to the last time you achieved something, that sense of satisfaction you felt after was the reward for the discomfort and pain endured.

The achievement can be small or big; from exercising every morning for 30 minutes to solving inter-departmental communication breakdowns or having a tough conversation with a team member, it all involves some discomfort. Whether we call this discomfort discipline, commitment, resolve, focus or courage – it needs our attention, clarity and energy. Otherwise we remain in status quo.

All airplanes have the autopilot feature enabling the onboard computers to fly the plane. It was originally meant to reduce fatigue in pilots during long haul flights. It is a switch that is turned on and off by the pilots. It has become a feature that pilots cannot do without. But when pilots want control of the plane, they turn the autopilot off.

Do you know when you are on autopilot? More importantly when you want to regain control you have to turn your autopilot off, and this may induce some discomfort in the process. But is that such a bad thing?

For advice and support with your effectiveness, email me at yoga@yoganesadurai.com