Posted on February 26, 2026

The difference between potential and attainment is repetition through discomfort.

February has a way of exposing things.

Not the cute New Year motivation.

Not the vision boards.

Not the polished announcements.

February exposes the part of you that wants to run.

And if I'm honest, I have felt it.

The tightening in my chest before a meeting. 

The mental exhaustion after numbers and projections.

The negative self talk that whispers, "Psst...someone else should be doing this." "Hey! You are not built for this." "Hide."

It surprised me how familiar that feeling was.

It felt exactly like standing on the track before the final 4x400 relay in college. 

The last race of the meet.

Legs heavy.

Heart pounding.

Knowing everyone is watching.

Wanting desperately to disappear.

Not because I was unprepared. 

But because I cared. 

And that's the part we don't talk about. 

Potential Feels Safer Than Attainment

Potential is comfortable.

Potential lets you dream without being measured. 

Potential lets you say, "One day I will."

Potential protects you from exposure. 

Attainment requires repetition.

And repetition requires discomfort.

Showing up again after you doubted yourself.

Opening the spreadsheet after it overwhelmed you.

Submitting the proposal even when your hands shake.

Sending the email.

Pressing publish.

Presenting the in-service.

Applying for the grant.

Building the program.

Not once...but again and again. That is the difference. 

Discomfort is Not a Warning Sign

For a long time I misinterpreted discomfort as danger.

If my body reacted.

If my thoughts spiraled.

If I felt exposed.

I assumed it meant I was in the wrong place. 

But what if discomfort is not a stop sign.

What if it is evidence that you are stretching into attainment.

As a speech language pathologist, I see this daily.

Children repeat sounds that feel unnatural at first.

Adults relearn swallowing patterns that feel foreign.

Patients rebuild language pathways that once came automatically.

Neuroplasticity does not happen inside comfort.

It happens inside repetition.

And yet, when it comes to our own growth, we want ease. 

Language Lounge is Growing

Language Lounge is no longer just an idea.

It is proposals.

It is budgets.

It is data systems.

It is school partnerships.

It is uncomfortable meetings.

It is ownership.

And ownership feels different than dreaming.

There are days I want someone else to take the lead.

To handle the numbers.

To finalize the document.

To make the decision.

But attainment requires me. 

Not a perfect version of me.

A willing one. 

Repetition Builds Capacity

Every uncomfortable meeting builds tolerance. 

Every proposal builds skill.

Every presentation builds confidence.

Every system builds structure.

Repetition through discomfort transforms potential into capacity. 

And capacity becomes attainment.

Not because fear disappeared.

But because I stayed. 

What This Means For You

Maybe you are:

Starting your own practice.

Launching a new program.

Submitting your first RFP.

Posting your expertise publicly.

Advocating for your role in a system that underutilizes you. 

The surge you feel does not mean you are incapable. 

It may mean you are on the edge of attainment. 

Do not quit in the discomfort phase. 

Repeat through it. 

That is where the shift happens. 

At Language Lounge, we believe communication growth happens through intentional practice inside meaningful environments.

The same is true for professional growth. 

The difference between potential and attainment is repetition through discomfort.

And this month, I am choosing repetition.