We often mistake progress for speed. We measure success in boxes checked, tasks completed, and goals accomplished. But none of that really captures what growth feels like.
This post is a short recap from our latest episode of “The Learning Imperative podcast.”
Click here to list to the full episode >>
When Progress Almost Cost Her a Job
Michelle Braden shared a moment on our podcast from her career where she nearly got fired. She was a young leader, juggling grad school, motherhood, and a demanding job. On paper, she was doing everything right. But in reality? No one wanted to work with her.
Her intense push for results was driving people away. “I couldn’t figure it out,” she admitted. “I thought I was a good person. Why didn’t anyone want me on their team?”
That moment forced her into an uncomfortable kind of reflection: maybe progress wasn’t just about how much she achieved, but how she achieved it.
So she gave herself a challenge: for 90 days, she would measure success differently. Every day she asked herself two questions:
- Did I make some progress today, even just a little?
- Did I do it without shoving someone else out of their comfort zone?
By the end of those 90 days, Michelle had a row of stars on her calendar—and more importantly, a better reputation. Her boss told her she’d never seen someone change so quickly. Colleagues who once avoided her now wanted to collaborate.
What Michelle discovered was this: success isn’t only about pressing harder on the gas. Sometimes it’s about easing up, creating space for others, and letting progress feel steady instead of overwhelming.
Discomfort Is the Point
Here’s the other truth: if you’re comfortable all the time, you’re not growing. Comfort feels safe, but it doesn’t stretch you.
Shawn Hunter talked about this on the podcast—how getting in over your head can be terrifying at first, but transformative in hindsight. Think about the shaky voice before a big presentation, the pit in your stomach before a new role, the restless nights after making a big decision…
Those aren’t signs you’re failing. They’re proof you’re learning.
Discomfort is a compass. It tells you you’ve stepped outside the familiar. Too much challenge, and you’ll burn out. Too little, and you’ll stagnate.
But that place right at the edge, where you’re nervous but still moving forward, that’s where we discover what we’re capable of.
Your Path, Your Pace
The next time you feel uncomfortable, pause before labeling it as a warning sign. Instead, ask: What am I learning here? How might this stretch be shaping me?
And when you measure your progress, resist the urge to compare yourself to others. Their pace is not your pace. Their path is not your path.
Progress is personal. It’s measured by the steps you take with intention, not by how flashy or fast they look from the outside.
So the truth is, you’re not lost. You’re learning. 🙂
And if you can learn to lean into that discomfort as a sign of growth, you’ll find yourself a lot further along than you think.
