Start Where You’re Uncomfortable (Uncomfortability Is the Sign — Not the Stop)
Most people avoid what makes them uncomfortable.
I did too — for years.
Speaking was always the thing I avoided. I didn’t like the sound of my own voice. I didn’t think I had the right delivery. I didn’t think I was “built” for it.
But deep down, I always knew that I was built to speak. To teach. To challenge people. To show them what they’re capable of.
I just didn’t feel ready.
And that’s when I learned something:
Uncomfortability may be the sign we’re always asking God for.
It doesn’t show up as clarity. It doesn’t show up as certainty.
It shows up as resistance. Nervousness. Anxious excitement.
A little voice that whispers, “Hey… your destiny is over here.” 👋🏽
So if something makes you uncomfortable — pay attention.
That might be direction, not danger.
Start Where You’re Uncomfortable
We always want to start where we’re gifted, where we shine, where we get applause.
But if you’re stuck in life and don’t know where to begin…
Start where you’re uncomfortable.
Because when you are uncomfortable, you are not blocked—
you are being called.
Uncomfortability is a clue.
It’s signaling there is something meaningful there.
Something unsolved. Something that wants to grow.
If you are moved by it, intimidated by it, or even jealous of it —
that may be the thing you were meant to do.
That’s how speaking was for me.
It wasn’t that I didn’t belong in those rooms —
it’s that just the thought of speaking in them made me uncomfortable.
So I stayed quiet.
And the few times I did speak,
I didn’t speak from confidence — I spoke from fear.
Crafted, Not Born
Confidence is not born.
Presence is not born.
Leadership is not born.
They are crafted — built — in the exact places that scare you.
Not at the finish line.
Not after the degree.
Not when you’re “ready.”
Confidence is built inside moments of discomfort —
not outside of them.
People think that speakers must be fearless.
I don’t believe that.
I believe effective speakers are simply people who recognize discomfort,
walk toward it,
and craft confidence in real time.
Speaking Was My Uncomfortability
I avoided speaking for most of my life.
I wrote. I observed. I thought. I learned.
But when it was time to speak, I would hold back.
I convinced myself that my voice was better on paper.
But leadership doesn’t let you hide forever.
Last week, I sat on a panel in San Diego at a healthcare leadership event.
It was my first time on a major panel.
I wasn’t nervous because I wasn’t prepared — I was nervous because I knew it mattered.
And somewhere in between answering those questions…I felt alive.
Not because I had a perfect response.
Not because I sat on a panel.
But because I stopped avoiding the thing that made me uncomfortable.
And I realized — this is where I belong.
Uncomfortability is the Sign
If you’ve been waiting for a sign to begin, here it is:
Start where you are uncomfortable.
It’s not a wall — it’s a doorway.
It’s not a warning — it’s an invitation.
It’s not fear — it’s signal.
Direction.
Calling.
Growth.
If you have dreams, purpose, or something you feel pulled toward —
listen for this sign:
Do you feel uncomfortable?
Good. Go in that direction.
Uncomfortability is rarely the stop.
It is often the sign.
Try This: A Personal Check
When you’re unsure where to start, ask:
📍 What keeps tugging at me?
📍 What am I intimidated by, but drawn to?
📍 What feels important, even if I don’t feel “ready”?
📍 What do I admire in others, because it still lives in me?
That’s your sign.
Final Thought
Uncomfortability may be the sign you’ve been praying for —
not to scare you,
not to stop you,
but to call you closer to who you are becoming.
🔗 Ready to explore your own “uncomfortable sign”?
Book me for keynotes, student leadership talks, or faculty development on purpose, transitions, and the real work of leadership.
