Recently I had the opportunity to be the learner.

I am usually the facilitator, the trainer, the speaker, and the author. This time I was the learner.

I had the opportunity to fully immerse myself in an experience that pushed me, stretched me, pulled me, and in some ways broke me.  I experienced the imposter in all its glory.  I was taken right out of my comfort zone.  My mountain of questions was growing with each second of the experience.  Was I good enough?  Had I ever been good enough?  Would I reach my goals?  What were my goals?  Why did I have those goals?  Were they still my goals?

By the end of this experience, after I travelled home and woke up in my bed, I truly did not know what day it was. And even though only three days had passed, the amount of work completed in those three days felt like two weeks had gone by. 

I came back different from when I left.  There was a new sharpness in my focus.  There was an elevated level of energy.  Whilst some of my questions had remained unanswered, I had a feeling of being comfortably uncomfortable. 

This is a new feeling for me.  I like to be comfortably comfortable usually!  Usually knowing where I am going and how I will get there.  This time, I know where I want to go, and I am looking forward to discovering the path I will take to get me there. I don’t need to know the how right now.  I am comfortable in knowing the why and the what. 

There’s conviction- deep trust in myself.  A trust that it is exactly as it needs to be.  A trust that in the discomfort lessons are illuminated, brighter, and sharper than if not for the discomfort. 

“Comfort is the enemy of progress” PT Barnum

Rita Cincotta writes, mentors, and speaks on individual and team performance, leadership development, resilience and new ways of working. She works with organisations to develop human centred solutions that help people and businesses to thrive.