I’m an entrepreneur, and a mom. Neither of those jobs came with a clearly delineated job description, and no one said it was going to be easy. There are times when both jobs are so fulfilling and exciting I can hardly contain myself. There are also times when one or the other is wrenchingly difficult and there are long stretches of time when I feel like my head’s gonna explode.  That’s when I’m doing both jobs at high intensity at the same time.

We all have those moments.  They are not the majority of moments, thankfully. But I tell you, when you want to do something that’s really worthwhile – whatever it is to you—it’s going to take some stretching, some deep-diving, heart twisting honesty. You simply have to grow. That is the part of the job description none of us were warned about.

And it’s a trip!

All the tumult and the awkward steps toward growth are okay by me. Why? Because the day I become uber comfortable is the day I know I’m not growing. And I intend to grow until the day I die. And yes, change is uncomfortable. Growing means transformation.  It means being honest with yourself about what you need to learn and what needs to change.

Doing something extraordinary means being extraordinary. It means you have those moments where you feel like your head’s going to explode, and you pull yourself together and get back to it. OR, you take a break. And then, get back to it. Motherhood doesn’t really give you a break. That comes with the territory. But you do have to find times for yourself to fill your oil lamp and put the oxygen mask on. Being an entrepreneur is a constant leap of faith, going headfirst into discomfort— and changing the way you look at things.  No matter what kind of job you’re in, to excel and expand, your goal is a stretch.

When you look at the not so easy parts as growth, you not only tolerate them better, but start to see the opportunity in the hard parts. Today, someone said regarding a difficult person, “He was my Buddha today.”  I loved that. This guy learned to stand in his truth and not care what someone thought about him. He said it was extremely uncomfortable at first. And then he saw he was being pushed toward the opportunity for growth.

I’d also caution you against playing the martyr or victim roles when things get tough. We can all fall into that trap, but it’s an enormous disservice to the success of any endeavor and to your personal development. Feeling like a victim keeps you stuck, waiting for someone to feel sorry for you, rescue you or pay attention to how hard you’re working.  That’s really disempowered thinking. Instead, simply acknowledge that it’s hard.  Sometimes you just need to suck it up, reframe it and move on.

When you’re in the flow, it’s a beautiful thing. It’s deeply fulfilling, almost effortless. Those moments or days are magical. But it simply isn’t going to stay that way all the time. It’s just the nature of the growth process. Giving birth hurts AND it’s fulfilling. Whatever dream you’re birthing requires that it not be easy all the time.  It requires that you cultivate awareness of what is tolerable, what will stretch you, what will force growth. It also requires from you an increased strength in areas you might never have thought possible.

Besides, it’s utterly impossible to grow without some difficulty.

Seek the opportunity and say, “Bring it on, Universe. I’ve got some new moves.”