To grow is to have your comfort zone expanded.

Your comfort zone expands any time you perturb the edges of it by participating in situations that are challenging and at least somewhat unfamiliar.
Sometimes you’ll actively do this on your own; other times life will force it upon you.

Either...

The notion of ‘committed’ and ‘interested’ are abstract and nuanced concepts that defy precise definition yet contain distinct qualities that are generally understood. 

Commitment involves a vested interest. It’s mandatory, not optional. It asks that one regularly show up — even when it’s not convenient.

Interest is exhibited before...

Maybe you’re not inclined to try something because you’re not comfortable risking failure. 

Maybe you’re not inclined to speak up because you’re not comfortable risking your reputation. 

Maybe you’re not inclined to take a new job because you’re not comfortable risking the current set of opportunities your job...

It’s easy to acknowledge that a problem exists:

Our users are churning. 

This business process is broken. 

Our partnership isn’t as successful as we thought it would be. 

The thing is, merely saying “there’s a problem” doesn’t bring you any closer to a solution. It’s a declarative...

Contrary to popular advice, visualizing success is a poor predictor of success (Oettingen & Mayer, 2002; Oettingen & Wadden, 1991). 

To investigate why this might be the case, Dr. Heather Kappes and Dr. Gabriele Oettingen ran a series of studies that compared the energy levels of participants who visualized...

“But” is the quickest way to introduce resistance and get stuck in your mind.
I’m working on a project, but there’s a roadblock.
I’m looking forward to the weekend, but I have this challenge at work is on my mind.
I’m on vacation, but it’s raining.
By saying ‘but’, Rosamund...

“The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.” — Clarke’s second law

There’s a profound difference between impossible and undiscovered. 

Impossible means it can’t happen. 

Undiscovered means it hasn’t happened yet. 

The default for...

“You will never be 100% ready.”

That’s the sage advice that my first boss gave me that has proven to be true time and time again. 

Most decisions involve some level of risk that cannot be completely accounted for: Pivoting into a new career does not guarantee that you...

Some things make total sense to validate outwardly: 

If you’re working on a project for a client, then it makes sense that the client should be the one to validate whether or not your work meets expectations. 

If you’re trying to sell a product, then it makes sense...

A trainer I used to work with would often tell me when I was stretching to “take a deep breath and lean into to the stretch.” 

If you’ve ever made a point to stretch before, you might imagine that this command is somewhat counterintuitive — namely, because leaning into...