Real Growth Happens Outside of Your Comfort Zone

This New Year's Eve, I stood at the base of the highest mountain in Big Bend National Park with one mission: reach the Emory Peak summit and get back down before sunset.

The challenge was bold—thanks to a late start and my friend's gangly 11-year-old son determined to run up the mountain. At nearly 48, I aimed to keep pace with him (possibly delusional, but hey, goals).

Deadlines and competitive drive aside, I focused on why I was climbing:

1️⃣ To prove how fit and strong I’ve become after prioritizing my health.

2️⃣ To strengthen my mid-cingulate cortex (the brain’s grit center) for 2025 by tackling something really hard.

3️⃣ To share an exhilarating experience with friends who feed my soul.

Five miles in, 7,500 feet up, and struggling to breathe, my burning jelly legs begged me to stop. The coltish, long-legged kid had just vanished ahead. Did I mention that heights are NOT my amigo?

The urge to stop was loud.

But I repeated my reasons like a mantra, plus this simple phrase on repeat: one more step, one more step.

And then, I made it.

Reaching the peak wasn’t just the perfect culmination to a transformative year—it was a powerful reminder of what’s possible when I stay focused on my “why” and keep taking small steps, even when fear is my companion and the journey feels crushing.

A powerful reminder to push past my comfort zone (and fear of heights) because discomfort is where the real growth happens.

And yes, for you non-romantics, yet again neuroscience backs this up: pushing through challenges builds resilience and rewires the brain to embrace bold goals.

So, as I look to creating a phenomenal 2025, I’m holding onto the lessons of that climb:

💪 Keep building mental and physical strength.

🧠 Embrace challenges as growth opportunities.

❤️ Surround myself with people who uplift and inspire.

I can't wait to summit more and higher peaks in 2025—both metaphorical and literal—and keep helping others find their own strength, purpose, and joy along the way.

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Listen now to 🎧 The Legal Athlete Podcast: “Build Your 2025 Game Plan: The Art (and Craft) of Success” on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube. -------------------------------

I'm Jess Sargus. With 22+ years in law, business, and high-performance sports, I’ve battled, grown, and thrived in high-stakes environments, and mastered strategies for achieving peak performance just like champion athletes. Now, I bring those insights to help trial lawyers like you take your practice to the next level when it matters most, and feel great doing it. I help you become a Legal Athlete.

If you're ready for some extra clarity, support, and accountability to master your mindset and execute under pressure, or if you need a high-performance speaker for your group to inspire and energize your audience with high-impact, actionable tips they can start using immediately, DM me today on LinkedIn or grab a slot on my calendar to set up a free exploratory call to get started!