One of the greatest misconceptions about learning is that if something feels difficult, we must be doing it wrong. Research on the “Generation Effect” suggests the opposite. We remember information far more effectively when we actively generate an answer ourselves rather than simply reading or reviewing it. The effort required to retrieve knowledge strengthens memory and deepens understanding. This is why testing yourself, attempting to solve problems before looking up the answer, or explaining an idea from memory is often far more effective than repeatedly rereading your notes.

As a coach, I often remind leaders that discomfort is not the enemy of growth as I think it’s frequently the mechanism that makes growth possible. Learning does not happen when everything feels easy. It happens when we are willing to think, struggle, reflect, and try again. One should reframe the question from it’s not whether learning feels difficult to whether that difficulty is helping you grow.