By the time I finished the fifth plank variation, I knew I had made a mistake.
Now, to be fair, it wasn’t a group class—just a one-on-one virtual session—so thankfully, there was no audience to witness my struggle. Still, it had been months since I’d taken that particular fitness class, and I had conveniently forgotten just how strenuous it was.
Although I persevered through it, it sure did serve as a big reminder.
It reminded me of how far I’ve come in my physical strength journey ( I remember when I could barely do one plank)… and also how much farther I still have to go.
That simple realization brought me to a powerful insight about leadership.
Growth Requires Discomfort—Not Defeat
So often, I see leaders misinterpret hard things as signs of failure.
They try something difficult—like initiating a courageous conversation, setting a firm boundary, or leading through conflict—and when it doesn’t go as planned the first time, they assume they’re not cut out for it.
They quit.
They avoid.
They stop showing up in the hard spaces.
And that’s where so much growth gets left on the table.
On the flip side, I’ve worked with leaders who have mastered a specific skill—maybe they’re getting buy-in from their team or seeing consistent success—and they assume that because they’re thriving in that one area, they’ve arrived. They stop exploring. They stop stretching.
But leadership, like fitness, has variations.
Just because you’ve mastered one version of the “plank” doesn’t mean there aren’t other muscles that need to be worked, stretched, and strengthened. There’s always another level of depth, nuance, and growth available—if you’re willing to pursue it.
No One Graduates from Leadership
Let’s be real.
Most of us didn’t go to formal “leadership school.” Sure, maybe you took a course or two, but for many, leadership was something you were thrown into. You learned on the fly. You made mistakes. You adapted. And hopefully, you grew.
That’s why one of the biggest mindset shifts I help my clients make is this:
Leadership is not a destination—it’s a dynamic, evolving practice.
Whether you’re struggling with the “plank variations” of emotional intelligence, feedback, delegation, or team dynamics, your ability to stick with the work—not master it all at once—is what determines your long-term impact.
So Where Do You Sit?
Let me ask you this:
- Are you the leader who tries something hard once, fails, and never attempts it again?
- Or are you the leader who’s gotten so comfortable with your strengths that you’ve stopped stretching toward anything new?
Both sides carry risk.
One leads to avoidance and stagnation.
The other leads to complacency and irrelevance.
Neither helps you grow—nor do they help those you lead.
Growth Without Grace Is Just Pressure
Now, I’ll be honest—in the past my personal struggle was the constant pushing.
Always looking for the next win, the next challenge, the next level. For a long time, I didn’t pause to celebrate the progress I had already made. But here’s what I’ve learned (and exactly why I coach others):
You can stretch toward more without disqualifying your current progress.
You can acknowledge the strength you’ve built while still having areas to strengthen further.
So I ask you:
- Are you recognizing what’s working?
- Are you giving yourself grace for the journey?
- And are you still courageous enough to try the next “variation”?
Don’t let the difficulty of the thing convince you that you’re not ready.
And don’t let the comfort of success convince you there’s nothing left to learn.
Leadership, like growth, is a practice.
And every practice session counts.
Personal Reflection:
Where do you sit right now?
Are you stuck in defeat after something didn’t work out?
Or sitting comfortably in your last success story without challenging yourself further?
Drop a comment or send me a message—I’d love to hear your reflections.
