Here’s a quick question to test whether you’ve been challenging yourself to grow recently:

Have you made the comment to yourself that you wish you would have known [insert whatever lesson you’ve learned] earlier in life?

While college is now a couple decades ago for me, I recall a conversation I was having with one of my baseball coaches at Wartburg and made the comment I wish I would have known this when I was pitching in high school. I’ll never forget his simple response – well doesn’t that show how much you’ve grown here at Wartburg? I think back on not only the physical development my coaches helped propel for me but most importantly, the focus on the mental game to be successful.

There’s a saying that wisdom is wasted on the young. I think this is partially true but would rephrase to state wisdom is wasted on the inexperienced. Like my baseball coach had portrayed, there’s an element of going through the experiences that provide the opportunity for knowledge and insight. I couldn’t understand how to be a better pitcher back in high school because I had not gone through the growing pains and development learned at the collegiate level. Diving into challenges and new experiences is when more dots get connected and additional insights start flowing. When we take time to acknowledge these dots we’ve connected, it’s a reminder of what gaps in knowledge we may have previously had.

The question originally posed is a good indication of whether we’ve been embracing new challenges to grow. If we can’t find ourselves wishing we would have known something in the past because it’s been so beneficial to us now, I would question whether we’re challenging ourselves to grow. It would make me wonder if I’ve hit the cruise control button and the comfort zone is the only spot we choose to be.

At work how are we connecting the dots to understand how we can make more of a positive impact? In relationships, what are we learning about how we show up for others to grow the relationships we want for the future? In health and wellness, what are we learning more from how our body reacts to certain foods, workouts, mental recharges, etc. to progress our health and wellbeing journey?

It’s natural to want to seek the comfortable route and soon we realize we haven’t taken any of the turns that provide opportunity to challenge and grow. We keep cruise control moving forward on a comfortable path which feels good in the moment. The issue becomes long-term how much do we decelerate what we’re capable of becoming? We need moments now of growth so that someday in the future we can tell ourselves, wow I wish I would have known that earlier.

Take your step: take a moment to reflect on whether in the past few months you’ve thought to yourself, it would have been good to know this earlier. There’s a good chance if it’s easy to think of scenarios where you may have said this in one way or another, you’ve found a good recipe for challenging yourself. Keep it going. If there’s a struggle to find situations where you may have been able to say this, reflect on where you’ve been challenging yourself lately. Has the road of comfort become a well-traveled road? If so, identify 1-2 ways you want to challenge yourself this week to keep the journey of growth continuing.