Growth Feels Like Going Backward—Here’s What to Do Instead

Ever feel like you’re making progress, only to feel like you’ve gone backward?

Don’t panic—it’s normal!  In fact, frustration is often a sign of growth.

I think of it like a video game (even though it’s been like 25+ years since I’ve played video games!). In video games, you start at an easy level and progress to increasingly difficult ones. The goal is to sharpen your skills and master each level before advancing.

And what happens when you reach a new level? You struggle. You fail. You “die.” It can feel frustrating—unless you understand what’s really happening.

If you’re unaware of your mindset, you might be tempted to give up, change directions, or put unnecessary time between yourself and your goal.

I got to experience this firsthand last week. I felt I’d gone backward and struggled with what to write and fell into the trap of waiting for inspiration to strike.

News flash: If you’re waiting for inspiration, it’s not coming!

I wanted to write something profound and meaningful. I wanted a real-time experience to share—a powerful Freedom Unleashed takeaway.  

Except deep down, my mind was whispering: What if it’s not good enough? I was unconsciously judging every idea, dismissing them before they even had a chance to take form. 
 

Then, I remembered: Inspire comes from the Latin inspirare, meaning to breathe into.

If inspiration is about breathing life into something, that means YOU are the creator!  And now that you’ve leveled up, your job is to breathe life into this new stage—to step fully into it, rather than waiting for clarity, permission, or the ‘right’ moment.

So, instead of waiting for something outside of you to ignite action, breathe life into what you want to create.

That’s exactly what I’m doing now—creating this message, breathing life into a powerful Freedom Unleashed takeaway.

Freedom Unleashed Takeaways:

• Feeling like you’ve gone backward? Congrats, you’ve leveled up!

• Stop waiting for inspiration. Breathe life into what you want.

Take a moment now—where are you waiting instead of breathing life into what you truly want? Choose one small action you can take today to move forward.