“You can have convenience or you can have growth, but you can’t have both.” – Craig Groeschel
Life often presents challenges that can feel inconvenient, uncomfortable, or downright frustrating. However, these moments of inconvenience are often the very crossroads where growth, success, and transformation are forged.
If you’re facing something difficult right now, it might be a sign you’re on the brink of something extraordinary. Perhaps it’s a once-in-a-lifetime growth opportunity. But first, it’s crucial to understand a key distinction: inconvenience is not the same as a problem!
Robert Fulghum, best-selling author of “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten”, put it like this… “Life is lumpy. And a lump in the oatmeal, a lump in the throat, and a lump in the breast are not the same lump. One should learn the difference.”
Inconveniences are those things that stretch us, test us, and push us outside of our comfort zones — but they’re not insurmountable problems. They’re the doorway to growth, and here’s why they SHOULD matter.
When I went full time with Atlas in 2011, For the first year, I thrived in the day-to-day production work. Especially mowing as I loved to cut grass. I loved being out there, doing the work, and seeing the results firsthand. It felt familiar, fulfilling, and honestly, convenient. But deep down, I knew that staying in that space wasn’t going to propel our mission forward.
To truly grow the company, I had to step away from the production work I enjoyed and embrace the discomfort of leading at a higher level. It wasn’t easy, and this is where many service company business owners get stuck. There were moments I missed being on the front lines, but I knew that building a team and focusing on the bigger picture was the only way to achieve the vision I had for Atlas.
When problems arose, I had another “convenient” solution – sell more work. It was my go-to fix for nearly every issue. Cash flow problems? Sell more work. Operational inefficiencies? Sell more work. For a while, it worked, but eventually, I realized that this approach wasn’t sustainable. I was avoiding the real challenges – fixing the inefficiencies, strengthening the systems, and growing myself and the team – because it felt inconvenient.
Choosing to address those root issues, rather than taking the easy way out, was one of the most inconvenient but transformational decisions I’ve ever made. It forced me to grow as a leader and as a visionary.
“Nothing worth achieving is ever convenient. If it were, everyone would do it.” – Jocko Willink
Inconvenience is the price of transformation. It’s not easy, but the alternative — living a life of convenience — can often lead to complacency.
Convenience never lasts. What you fail to work for will eventually fade. A career you didn’t build with much effort can crumble, relationships you didn’t nurture can wither away, and a body you didn’t care for will eventually rebel against you. When you avoid inconvenience, you miss out on the opportunity to grow into the person you’re meant to be.
The best leaders know this. They attack inconvenient challenges with urgency because they understand that every moment in life is fleeting. Wasted time is a crime against your future self, and embracing inconvenience is one way to ensure you don’t squander the opportunities in front of you.
Inconvenience builds resilience. It pushes you to develop new skills, stronger habits, and a clearer sense of purpose. Whether it’s staying late to perfect a project, waking up early to read, pour into yourself, chase good physical health, or just enduring the discomfort of personal growth, inconvenience stretches you in ways that lead to lasting impact.
It’s a challenge — but it’s worth it. The more you embrace inconvenience, the stronger and more capable you become. And in the long run, the discomfort you feel today is nothing compared to the rewards you’ll reap tomorrow!
So my amigo, if you’re facing something inconvenient today, take heart. Take note. Journal it down. You’re most likely on the edge of something special. Lean in, put in the work, and trust that inconvenience is shaping you into the best version of yourself.
In the end, growth isn’t supposed to be easy. It’s strictly supposed to be worth it!