Quote from James A.Hart on July 16, 2025, 10:45 pm

Most people say they want growth — in their business, skills, or personal life. But when it comes down to it, they often avoid the very thing that leads to growth: discomfort.

It’s easy to assume that once you’re making money or things are going well, you should “feel” better. You should be less stressed, less overwhelmed. But that mindset can be dangerous. Because growth doesn’t happen when things are easy — it happens when you’re stretched.

The Hidden Cost of Comfort

Staying in your comfort zone can feel productive. You’re busy, you’re ticking boxes, you’re not dealing with any fires. But behind the scenes, something is slowly dying: your edge.

Comfort can lead to complacency. And complacency is the silent killer of momentum.

When you’re comfortable:

• You stop asking hard questions.
• You delay important decisions.
• You avoid the next level of skill or strategy that could 10x your results.

The Signal of Growth: Being Overwhelmed

Ironically, feeling overwhelmed is often a sign that you’re growing. It means you’re pushing into new territory — building a bigger team, launching a more complex campaign, taking on real risk.

Of course, chaos without direction isn’t growth. But if you’re feeling stretched because you’re solving higher-level problems, managing bigger numbers, or learning new skills — that’s the price of progress.

Make Discomfort a Habit

Instead of waiting for motivation or clarity, start practicing discomfort:

• Launch before you feel ready.
• Have the hard conversation.
• Do the thing you’ve been avoiding.
• Say yes to projects that scare you a little.

Because growth never feels safe when it’s happening. Only in hindsight does it make sense.

Discomfort is the tuition you pay for growth.
If you’re feeling too comfortable right now, that might be your biggest warning sign.