Don't Let That Gut Feeling Hold You Back

They say “trust your gut.” 

I say? 

Bullshit. 

Your gut is designed to keep you safe and comfortable. 

I had a recent conversation with a partner about the debt load in one of our organizations. 

The conversation was always met with skepticism, criticism, and what felt like a dismissive tone. 

The abiding truth that “a business must produce profit if it is to meet its obligations today and tomorrow.” 

It cannot survive otherwise. 

I know this. We all know this. But I let my discomfort override what I knew.

I knew I had to stop all other conversations on the business until we were aligned on the PnL, the Cashflow Proforma, and the Debt Repayment/Investment plan. 

I knew we had to stop avoiding the situation and approach it instead with a rigorous battle rhythm to ensure we were achieving our goals.

I avoided it for many months. The knot in my chest caused me to dance around it. But I finally leaned in. 

And it was cathartic. 

We now have alignment and clarity and a path forward. 

A conversation we had both danced around for two years became THE obstacle we had to tackle. 

It was crunchy. It was hard. But it had to be faced for growth to take place.

We’re better for the conversation. We’re on the right path now.

My gut had been holding me back.

And here’s the thing:

Your gut is designed to keep you safe and comfortable. 

Unfortunately, we’re not intrinsically driven by growth and our true potential. 

We’re driven by comfort and safety. 

Your gut is trying to keep you comfortable.

Discomfort is not a warning to stop — it’s often a signal to start. 

To grow. To lean in.

What feels uncomfortable is likely your clearest indicator of where the work — and the growth — is.

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Here are 3 shifts to carry into your week:

1. Discomfort ≠ Danger

   
   

   Your gut flares up in response to unfamiliarity, not just risk. Learn to tell the difference between danger and discomfort.

2. Growth Lives Just Beyond the Edge of Comfort

   
   

   That knot in your stomach? It’s the border between who you are and who you could be.

3. Stop Using Discomfort as an Excuse Not to Grow

   
   

   If you wait until you feel ready, you’ll be waiting forever. The discomfort is the invitation.

Most times, when you're feeling that discomfort in your gut, it's a sign that you are potentially at a moment of growth.

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Practical insight:

Next time you feel hesitation, ask: Am I avoiding danger, or am I avoiding growth? 

If it’s the latter, lean in.

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This week’s prompt:

Where are you retreating to comfort when you should be moving forward through discomfort?

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Quote to remember:

“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” — Marcus Aurelius.

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