Discomfort Debt: The Hidden Cost of Every Brave Move You Don’t Make

Bravery Digest #7

Discomfort Debt: The Hidden Cost of Every Brave Move You Don’t Make

By Sam Penny – Coach for the Brave
Discomfort Debt

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Every time you delay a decision, stay silent, or back away from the thing you know you should do — you’re not just pressing pause.

You’re building Discomfort Debt.

And it’s costing you more than you think.

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What is Discomfort Debt?

Discomfort Debt is the emotional and energetic price you pay when you avoid brave action.

You know the ones:

• The conversation you keep putting off

• The launch you delay

• The truth you don’t speak

• The change you avoid

Every time you defer that discomfort, it compounds — not in your to-do list, but in your energy, clarity, and self-trust.

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Symptoms of Discomfort Debt

• You feel off, but can’t explain why

• You’re busier than ever but not making real progress

• You second-guess yourself constantly

• You’re tired… but not physically

This is what happens when courage gets postponed.
It leaks your power.

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Why This Matters

Most people think avoiding discomfort protects them.
But it actually traps them.

Because discomfort avoided is just discomfort deferred — and when it comes back around, it’s louder, messier, and harder to face.

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How to Start Paying It Down

Here’s how you begin to clear Discomfort Debt:

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1. Identify your top 3 “unpaid debts”

What brave moves are you avoiding right now?

Write them down. Don’t justify. Just list them.

2. Pick one

Focus beats overwhelm. You don’t need to clear everything.
You need to prove to yourself you can clear something.

3. Take one sharp action

Not necessarily big — just brave.
Something that stings a little and moves the needle.

• Have the 2-minute hard conversation

• Hit publish

• Set the boundary

• Make the decision

That first action is the hardest… but it’s also the most freeing.

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Final Thought:

Every act of bravery is a payment toward your freedom.

Make one today.
Stop the bleeding.
Start the shift.

—

Sam Penny
Coach for the Brave.

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Coming Next:

In Bravery Digest #8, I’ll break down the Bravery Flywheel — the 4-phase loop that turns small actions into unstoppable momentum. Once it spins, it’s hard to stop.

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Which brave move have you been avoiding the longest? Comment below or DM me — you’re not alone.