This week I’ve been thinking about how often growth shows up in unexpected ways—especially when we’re uncomfortable. Sometimes it’s the big milestones, but more often, it’s the small pivots, the discomforts, and the willingness to adjust that actually move us forward.
LEADERSHIP
Discomfort isn’t always a signal to pull back—it’s often the signpost that growth is happening.
As I’ve continued scaling my business and keynote presentations, I’ve noticed this firsthand. At the start of 2025, my keynote felt the strongest it had ever been. I’ve presented to bigger audiences and more groups than ever before. On paper, it would be easy to call that success, put a bow on it, and keep the presentation exactly as it is (a good ripple effect).
But every few weeks when I meet with my team and speaking coach, we resist that temptation. We keep asking questions like: How do we make sure this stays relevant to the room? How can we deliver not just information, but true insight, strategies, and make the experience one-of-a-kind? Is there a better way to share this story? The changes we’ve made aren’t sweeping overhauls—they’re small, nuanced shifts. They consider different perspectives, refine a story, or adjust a takeaway just slightly. Those iterations, subtle as they are, create more opportunity and impact.
And the same is true in leadership. Whether you’re leading yourself or a team, it’s often the small iterations that make the biggest difference. Maybe it’s how you run your staff meetings or budget reviews. Maybe it’s the way you approach one-on-ones, or the processes and procedures that have become a little too routine. Even the emails you send and the detail you provide can benefit from a fresh look. Sometimes all it takes is a good dust-off and a slight iteration to create new energy, engagement, performance, and results.
Growth rarely comes from keeping things exactly the same. It comes from the courage to keep asking, What could be better?
LIFE
As I mentioned last week, we were supposed to be hiking rim-to-rim in the Grand Canyon. But after wildfires destroyed the campsites, the tour company encouraged us to wait until next year. Since our flights were already booked, we pivoted and headed to Sedona for hiking and pool days instead.
If you’ve ever been to that part of the country, you know the mountain and rock views are stunning. I soaked up as much time outdoors as possible, from sunrise to sunset, taking in the red rocks.
In true life fashion, all my training had been for the Grand Canyon—medium inclines with heavy weight on my back. The trails in Sedona? More rock scrambling and steep climbs. There were moments where I had to stop and catch my breath—let’s blame it on the elevation, wink, wink. And I remember thinking, this isn’t what I trained for, this isn’t what I expected.
But just like in leadership, we iterate. We pivot. We adjust to what’s in front of us. I took it slower, made sure to hydrate, and kept moving. And here’s the best part—when I went to my workout class back home, I felt stronger than ever. The training wasn’t wasted; it simply showed up in a different way.
Sometimes the path isn’t the one we planned, but the work we’ve done still pays off. Growth often comes in surprising ways—just when we least expect it.
Here’s to embracing the pivots this week—what’s one area you’re iterating on right now?
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