Ben Johnson, "Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable"

Ben Johnson didn’t just throw out a cute catchphrase. He dropped a grenade into Halas Hall with those five words: “Get comfortable being uncomfortable.” And let me tell you, as someone who’s been a Bears fan for decades, we need this. This franchise has been a comfort zone for mediocrity, and it’s time for that to end.

A Personal Perspective: Learning to Embrace Discomfort

I pride myself on being comfortable with the uncomfortable. It’s how I’ve grown in my own career. I used to hate speaking up in meetings. The thought of presenting my ideas to a room full of people made my stomach turn. But I knew that if I wanted to experience growth in my career, I’d have to embrace the anxiety of public speaking. I’d have to get comfortable with the discomfort of presenting to my peers.

So, I started speaking my mind, and embracing the awkward silences when people didn’t immediately agree. You know what happened? I got better. I grew.

That’s exactly what Ben Johnson is asking of this team. He’s telling the Bears to lean into the awkwardness, the failure, and the hard conversations. He’s asking them to look at their decades of losing and say, “This stops here.”

A Wake-Up Call for Halas Hall

The Bears have spent years hiding from discomfort. Whether it’s hiring “safe” head coaches who won’t challenge the status quo or running outdated offensive schemes that every defense in the league sees coming, this team has perfected the art of avoiding risk.

“Get comfortable being uncomfortable” is a direct attack on that mindset. It’s a challenge to every player who jogs through a route, every coach who settles for the same playbook, and every executive who thinks mediocrity is enough to keep fans happy.

This is more than a philosophy—it’s a culture shift. No more sideline claps after blown assignments. No more excuses about “adversity” when the team collapses in December. Johnson is here to tear down the soft identity that’s plagued this franchise for years.

Why This Resonates

As a fan, I hear this quote and feel two things: hope and accountability. Hope, because for the first time in what feels like forever, we have a coach who’s willing to call out the garbage. Accountability, because if Ben Johnson is willing to take the heat and push this team to its limits, then we need to hold ourselves to the same standard.

I think about the moments in my own life when I’ve avoided the uncomfortable—the tough conversations, the hard decisions—and I know that’s when I’ve stagnated. The Bears have been stuck in that same rut, avoiding the hard truths and pretending everything’s fine. Ben Johnson is saying, “It’s not fine. And we’re going to fix it.”

Final Thought

If you’re uncomfortable hearing this as a fan, good. You should be. Change isn’t supposed to feel nice or easy. But this team hasn’t been “nice” or “easy” to root for in decades.

For the first time, it feels like someone in charge understands that the road to greatness is paved with discomfort. And if the Bears can’t handle that? Then maybe they’re not ready to win.

Get comfortable being uncomfortable. It’s about time we all do.