People will do almost anything to stay in their comfort zones. If you want to accomplish anything, get out of your comfort zone. Strive to increase order and discipline in your life. Discipline usually means doing the opposite of what you feel like doing.

I used to be terrified of heights. When I was a teenager, I remember shaking with fear while I stood on top of a 130-feet (40 meters) tower, afraid to approach the railing. Today, I hike through the high mountains and climb cliffs up to the same height as that of the tower. I jumped out of the airplane, visited the tallest building in the world as of 2017 (Burj Khalifa in Dubai) and flew in a hot-air balloon — things I would have never done in a million years if it weren’t for my consistent attempts to face my fear of heights.

Don’t get me wrong: I still experience fear, but it has greatly diminished, thanks to years of stepping outside of my comfort zone. Exposing myself to heights was the opposite of what I felt like doing, but I knew it was necessary to help me grow. What started as a mere desire to get rid of a fear of heights turned into a full-blown personal transformation.

Whether it’s a fear of heights, an aversion to exercise, or any other kind of animosity toward the uncomfortable, scary, or out of the ordinary, stretching your comfort zone by gradually exposing yourself to such stimuli will lead to immense personal growth.

I strongly recommend regularly stepping outside your comfort zone in both little and big ways .

Little ways can include something as simple as pushing a little bit harder during a workout or working for a little while longer when you feel like you’re about to fall asleep.

Big ways include things like skydiving if you’re afraid of heights, camping in the wilderness if your biggest love in life is your warm, comfortable bed, or learning public speaking when you’re terrified of speaking in front of more than two people.

As uncomfortable and difficult as it is to step outside your comfort zone, it pays incredible dividends in the long run. Make it an inherent part of your life to expose yourself to discomfort and face your fears head on. Few things will change your life more than going outside of your comfort zone.

No vice exists which does not pretend to be more or less like some virtue, and which does not take advantage of this assumed resemblance.

Bad habits are so difficult to give up not only because they’re pleasant, but also because they often masquerade as virtues. When you think of your vice as a friend rather than your enemy, it’s even harder to eliminate it from your life.

For example, people who sleep in and suffer from low productivity might claim that, thanks to staying up late, they have a great social life. They fail to notice they’re paying too high a price for a benefit they could obtain in a different way without jeopardizing their long-term goals.

I used to believe that it was good to jump from one business idea to another. I thought that by trying different things, I would eventually find the perfect idea that would magically grow into a successful business.

In reality, I lacked the self-discipline to focus and wasted several years on endeavors that were destined to fail. Were there some benefits in spreading my attention so thin? Certainly. They weren’t more valuable than what I was losing, though, and what I considered a virtue was actually a vice that was sabotaging my goals.

Are there any vices of yours that might masquerade as virtues? Question your deeply held beliefs and ask yourself if your supposed virtues are indeed helpful, or perhaps they’re like a friend that gives you one dollar with one hand while stealing five dollars from your wallet with the other.