How unexpected hurdles build superpowers

You sit at your dim kitchen table, staring at a printed page in a nearly illegible gray italic font, and you think, “This is ridiculous.” Every sentence feels like a marathon. Your eyes water, and you bend over, squinting. But that’s the point—a forced difficulty. As your frustration peaks, something shifts. You discover the subtleties of each letter’s shape. You slow down, enunciate each syllable in your head, and for once, you’re fully present with the text. The world quiets. You feel your endurance expand, and after you’ve navigated that tiny gauntlet, reading a normal email feels effortless.

This isn’t a parlor trick. Psychological research on “desirable difficulties” shows that when we force ourselves to wrestle with challenges just beyond our comfort zone—like reading blur or juggling odd tasks—we recruit deeper mental circuits. We train concentration, error detection, and adaptability. It’s the same principle that made a dyslexic like David Boies into an extraordinary listener, and a fearless child during the Blitz into a hero. What seems like a setback becomes a secret superpower.

Next time your brain craves an easy win, remember: adding friction can sharpen your edge.

Start by choosing a minor task—reading small gray text, working in low light, or mixing ingredients without looking—and crank up the difficulty for three minutes. As you struggle, look for new strategies—whisper each word, slow your pace, or breathe deeply to ease frustration. Then note the hidden skill you just practiced—like laser focus or problem-solving under pressure—and plan a short daily drill. Watch how that tiny friction transforms your performance in real-world tasks.