The pain is absolutely necessary

I hate to be the one to break this to you, but the pain is necessary.Think about the most meaningful, positive changes you’ve made in your life.Now imagine you have two buckets in which to collect these important inflection points.One bucket is labeled “I did it because it just seemed like a good idea.”The other bucket is labeled “I did it because it was the antidote to the pain I was experiencing.”Which bucket fills fastest?It’s unpleasant when a deal falls apart, or you break trust with someone because you didn’t keep a promise, or you realize your current skillset won’t get you where you want to go, but that pain is the catalyst that will move you forward.Just like physical pain, the pain you experience as a professional is a warning sign. An indication that something is wrong.Instead of viewing the pain as the enemy, leverage it to show you the way forward.OPPORTUNITY FOR ACTION: The next time you find yourself experiencing some amount of professional pain, ask yourself, how do I need to behave differently to prevent an experience like this in the future?My free PDF, “The 5 Secrets of Impossibly Effective Teams,” will show you the simple leadership moves that help teams unlock their full potential and deliver outsized results, without burning out. Grab your copy now at geoffwelch.com/secrets