The Level #98

< 5 min

Welcome back to The Level —your weekly reset for growing a business that works as well inside as it looks outside.

This week’s Level Set: The moves that feel hardest are often the ones that matter most.

Expert Insight of the Week

“Comfort is the enemy of progress.”

- PT Barnum

As founders, we are wired to take action. We are wired to solve problems.
But here is the paradox. The things that feel easy, predictable, or safe rarely move the needle.

Progress lives in the small, uncomfortable choices. The conversations we delay, the risks we hesitate to take, the ideas we overthink before sharing.

This Week’s Shift:

Comfortable Execution → Deliberate Discomfort

Growth does not come from doing more of what is easy.
It comes from leaning into what feels awkward, uncertain, or challenging. It comes from stepping into the friction, the moments that trigger your ego, test your courage, or stretch your identity. 

The growth edge never feels convenient.
It feels like hesitation before the send button.
It feels like rewriting the same sentence ten times.
It feels like doubt, resistance, vulnerability.

Examples?

• Reaching out to a contact you have not spoken to in months even though it feels awkward because connection matters more than your pride. 

• Sharing your perspective publicly even if you fear it will not resonate.

• Tackling a decision you have been avoiding even though it could lead to temporary friction.

Here’s the paradox:
Discomfort is fleeting. But the momentum it generates compounds.
Clarity. Confidence. Credibility. They all come from reps. And reps require resistance.

You’re not weak for feeling the edge.
You’re just one decision away from leading past it.

Your Next Move

Pick one action this week that feels slightly uncomfortable but strategically important.

Ask yourself:

1. Why am I resisting this move?

2. What would happen if I leaned into it anyway?

3. How does this align with the impact I want to create and the leader I want to be?

Do the thing.

Write down what you notice about how it feels and what it changes.

This is the core work of founders who are not just doing but growing intentionally.

Ready to take the step that matters most?

Check out my Deliberate Discomfort Framework now → to guide your next move and track your progress.

To leaning into discomfort and moving forward boldly,

 - Amanda

P.S. Got a decision you’re wrestling with, or a topic you’d like me to unpack? Hit reply. I personally read every response and love sharing ideas that can help you see your next step more clearly.