Getting better at something is hard. Really, really, freaking hard. You can’t do it playing on the surface. You can’t do it without digging deep, challenging yourself, and letting others push you.
A couple years ago I was on site with a client, meeting with the sales team one on one. I don’t do the typical, boring, go through the motions update meetings. These are almost like therapy sessions. I wanted to know, on a deep level, what was holding these people back from reaching their full potential.
One conversation stands out. I was speaking with Candice, who had just moved into a role that could be considered a “lower” role. Candice told me that in her previous role she felt intimidated because she had the least experience on the team. It made her uncomfortable. But in her new role? She felt much better. She was now the top dog with more experience than her colleagues. A big fish in a little pond so to speak.
This jumped out at me as a problem – a really big problem that needed to be fixed. Feeling like a big fish in a little pond sometimes seems desirable, but I’m going to make the argument that it is the most dangerous trap to growth.
Comfort Trap
When we’re the smartest, best, most competent person in a room, it builds our confidence. It makes us feel comfortable and capable. We don’t really have to work very hard when we’re the big fish in a little pond. We set the direction; people look up to us. We’re familiar with the surroundings, very little is new.
Being a big fish in a little pond is easier.
This is the problem. There is no growth when you are the big fish. And that should make you significantly more uncomfortable than the other way around.
Getting comfortable is a trap. It’s a false sense of security that leads to complacency.
The most successful people feel suppressed or penned in when in small ponds. They get increasingly uncomfortable as their competence rises above those around them. They seek out newer, bigger ponds – environments where they can continue to grow and challenge themselves.
The unsuccessful and average? They seek out the little pond. They seek out perceived superiority and avoid situations that threaten their ego.
Be the Little Fish in a Big Pond
Real growth happens when you jump into a big pond filled with skills and talents that dwarf your own. Being a little fish in a big pond can be overwhelming at first. You may feel small, insignificant, and incapable compared to the people who surround you. It’s unfamiliar and you’ve got to work harder just to keep up. There’s more room for failure.
And that’s exactly the point. Being the little fish forces you to find ways to level up. You can’t coast on previous accomplishments or let your skillset stagnate.
The big pond is full of information, ideas, and methods that you can’t find in your little puddle. The big fish in the big pond are mentors and leaders to be studied and emulated. Their existence should serve as motivation to improve.
The most successful people love being a little fish. They thrive in the big ponds because they recognize the opportunity for growth. Discomfort isn’t scary to them, complacency is.
The Comfort Compass
If feeling confident as the big fish in a little pond is appealing to you, your comfort compass is jacked up and needs recalibration. The successful get antsy when they’re outpacing their environment.
Start paying attention for cues of stagnation or lack of growth. When you find yourself in the position of the top dog who sets the direction, start looking for new environments. Embrace some discomfort. Be motivated to seek out bigger ponds and more ambitious colleagues. Surround yourself with people and ideas that make you feel like a minnow.
The best are always looking to level up by any means necessary. Jump ponds frequently, never allow yourself to outgrow your current place.
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