The Exact Formula I Use to Turn Hard Things into Growth
OCTOBER 21, 2024
Stepping outside our comfort zones is often celebrated as the key to growth, but simply facing challenges doesn't guarantee transformation. Real growth demands intentionality—it requires a deliberate approach to how we engage with and learn from our experiences.
Don’t just do hard things, use them to intentionally grow.
Stepping beyond our comfort zone alone does not guarantee growth. If we want to realize real growth out of any challenging situation, it takes some intentionality.
This past weekend we celebrated my sister and business partner, Haviland’s birthday. It wasn’t a typical celebration of cake and ice cream. But rather, we set out to complete a 32 mile ultra-marathon, in honor of her 32 years, carrying 32 pounds for the entirety, in 12 hours. I’m writing this several days after and I can tell you that I’m still not walking quite right after that feat.
Don’t worry, we got her some presents as well. But I wanted to share with you the exact formula I use to turn comfort-zone activities into real growth.
Here’s the Growth Protocol I use…
1. Articulate the tangible goal – What am I committed to No Matter What?
Example: I will walk 32 miles in 12 hours.
Pro-tip: It should be at least slightly beyond your comfort zone or it won’t make much of a difference.
2. Articulate what you’re committed to letting go of as part of this goal – What is no longer serving me?
Example: I’m letting go of this persistent belief that I’m past my prime.
Pro-tip: What you’re letting go of doesn’t necessarily have to be directly connected to the activity.
3. Articulate what you’re committed to instead – What would serve me?
Example: I’m in my prime for as long as I put in the work.
Pro-tip: Make it as specific as possible.
Regardless of how it all goes – the final peace is to come to terms with it all. Exactly what happened and exactly what didn’t happen. And take a moment to reflect on what you really got out of it – who you are now on the other side.
By using challenging activities – a difficult conversation, a stretch sales goal, a new presentation, a marathon, or if you’re crazy enough, an ultra-marathon ruck – to dig deep into yourself to shift foundational beliefs that are no longer serving you – we can catalyze these comfort-crushing activities into real growth. It frees us to start trusting more in our potential than our past.
What’s your next step outside of your comfort zone? Try on this Growth Protocol to make sure you make the most of it.
And let me know how it goes!
Key Idea
Growth isn’t guaranteed from doing hard things. If we want to realize real growth out of any challenging situation, it takes some intentionality. Stepping outside our comfort zone is often celebrated as the key to growth, but simply facing challenges doesn't guarantee transformation. Real growth demands intentionality—it requires a deliberate approach to how we engage with and learn from our experiences.
Takeaway
Don’t just do hard things, use them to intentionally grow
Build your Movement
What’s something hard you have coming up (or could commit to if nothing is scheduled)? Speculate on how this growth protocol might enhance it.
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