Thank you, Andrea, for this thoughtful and resonant article, as always. Your point about "your career accelerates the moment you stop asking for permission" struck a deep chord with me. In both my work and at home, I’ve noticed how easy it is to fall into the habit of waiting — whether it’s for the 'right' project, the perfect conditions, or even a nudge from someone else. But much like my daughter’s fearless exploration of her world, the most exciting discoveries in my work have come when I’ve simply decided to dive in, unprompted.
What really made me pause was thinking about how we often view discomfort as a warning sign, rather than as evidence of growth. This leads me to an additional reflection: sometimes, the greatest catalyst isn’t just embracing discomfort, but actively seeking environments that challenge your default thinking. It’s not just about the projects we take on, but also the questions we let ourselves sit with, the ones without immediate answers. Perhaps growth isn’t just about doing more, but about lingering longer in the spaces that make us uncomfortable. Thank you again for sparking such reflection.
Thank you so much for this! I found it (and still do tbh) really hard to accept that to grow I have to make myself feel discomfort. Over time I think I’ve learned to tell apart the truly uncomfortable discomfort (the kind I can’t stomach and that hurts me) vs the productive kind. It’s still a bit hit and miss, but I’m getting better!
Re: failing, that's why it's so hard to work for people who don't challenge me enough. If I'm not scared to death by a task, I'm not learning anything from it. I can't tolerate not learning, so it's become a deal-breaker for me.
In my experience the best case scenario is when you have flow - as in a bulk of activities that are complex but comfortable, plus a small number that stretch you and challenge you to grow. Too many easy ones are boring and prevent learning, but too many hard ones tend to create a feeling of terror every day as you step into the office 😅
The best work experience I ever had was one that was a mix of terrifyingly important tasks mixed with absolute safety. I stayed at that job for 10 years and only left because my salary maxed out in my position (and HR was too lazy to create another tier). It was a thrilling ride!
Thank you, Andrea, for this thoughtful and resonant article, as always. Your point about "your career accelerates the moment you stop asking for permission" struck a deep chord with me. In both my work and at home, I’ve noticed how easy it is to fall into the habit of waiting — whether it’s for the 'right' project, the perfect conditions, or even a nudge from someone else. But much like my daughter’s fearless exploration of her world, the most exciting discoveries in my work have come when I’ve simply decided to dive in, unprompted.
What really made me pause was thinking about how we often view discomfort as a warning sign, rather than as evidence of growth. This leads me to an additional reflection: sometimes, the greatest catalyst isn’t just embracing discomfort, but actively seeking environments that challenge your default thinking. It’s not just about the projects we take on, but also the questions we let ourselves sit with, the ones without immediate answers. Perhaps growth isn’t just about doing more, but about lingering longer in the spaces that make us uncomfortable. Thank you again for sparking such reflection.
Thank you so much for this! I found it (and still do tbh) really hard to accept that to grow I have to make myself feel discomfort. Over time I think I’ve learned to tell apart the truly uncomfortable discomfort (the kind I can’t stomach and that hurts me) vs the productive kind. It’s still a bit hit and miss, but I’m getting better!
Re: failing, that's why it's so hard to work for people who don't challenge me enough. If I'm not scared to death by a task, I'm not learning anything from it. I can't tolerate not learning, so it's become a deal-breaker for me.
In my experience the best case scenario is when you have flow - as in a bulk of activities that are complex but comfortable, plus a small number that stretch you and challenge you to grow. Too many easy ones are boring and prevent learning, but too many hard ones tend to create a feeling of terror every day as you step into the office 😅
The best work experience I ever had was one that was a mix of terrifyingly important tasks mixed with absolute safety. I stayed at that job for 10 years and only left because my salary maxed out in my position (and HR was too lazy to create another tier). It was a thrilling ride!