Don’t Confuse “New” with“Not a Fit”

Ever had to open your car door in a drive-thru just to order your food?
That was me recently (in a rental car that I couldn’t figure out).

When something feels hard or uncomfortable, it’s easy to jump to: “Maybe this just isn’t for me.”

But what if it’s not a sign to quit… just a sign that you’re still learning?

In this quick Two-Minute Tip, I share this real-life (and slightly embarrassing) moment that reminded me why we need to give ourselves more time to grow into new challenges.

• Read the video transcript

  This one is for anybody who's feeling a little bit stretched or out of their comfort zone in their role right now. So I'm on a quick business trip and the rental car facility graciously upgraded my car without me asking for it, and I walk out last night in the dark to find this kind of fun fancy Jeep, which I've never driven a jeep before, and it's quite different than the cars that I am used to.

  And so it's late. My flight had been delayed. I was starving. I had to go grab some food, and so I decided to quickly stop into the Wendy's by my hotel to get a cup of chili. Chili and baked potato--

  always a good quick option from Wendy's if nothing else is available. So I go through the drive thru and pull up ready to order, and literally cannot find the button to make the window go down. It's nowhere to be seen and it's dark out and I can't figure it out. So I had to open the door to place my order and pay and get my food. Quite embarrassing!

  But it got the job done.

  And it reminded me of a conversation that I just had recently with a client who is working on a project that feels like a stretch for her. And it's been really challenging. It's playing with her confidence,

  and so she has jumped to this potential conclusion that maybe this field just isn't right for her. Maybe she should be looking for another role. And I want to remind you if your job feels right now, like you're sitting at the drive thru and you can't get your window down, and you just feel like, ah, this car isn't for me--this job isn't for me-- I better totally switch. I want to remind you to give yourself some time. In your job, everything might feel like a stretch. You might feel out of your comfort zone on everything right now, but if you give it some time, that stress will wear down and some things will start to become more familiar.

  And a little bit easier. So if this is resonating, I just want to remind you, give yourself some time. The confidence will come.

  And don't jump to the conclusion that this job-- or this Jeep-- just doesn't fit you.