Lately, I’ve been feeling frustrated. Not burnt out. Not lost. Just…frustrated.
With certain parts of my business, I feel like I’m back in the training zone. You know the one—where you’re showing up, doing the work, but the progress feels painfully slow. It reminded me of a time years ago when I said yes to competing in a triathlon. Bold move, considering I hadn’t swum in 25 years, wasn’t a runner, and had only ever ridden a bike casually.
But I said yes anyway.
And so began the training.
In my head, I figured I could swim 50 metres—how hard could it be? Turns out, very. I couldn’t even make it to the end of the lane without grabbing the side and gasping for breath. When I went for a “run” with a friend, I was in so much pain I could barely walk the next day. My calves were on fire. My ego took a hit. But I kept showing up.
Slowly—very slowly—I got better. I adjusted my training, improved my nutrition, worked on my mindset. And race day came. I nailed the swim. The bike was solid. The run? Still not my strength, but I did it. I crossed that finish line with a full heart and legs like jelly.
And I did more races after that. It became addictive—that race against myself. The steady, gritty pursuit of something better.
Lately, I’ve realised that’s what leadership often feels like.
Whether you’re stepping up into a new role, building something of your own, or trying to shift ingrained habits—it’s all training. Leadership asks us to stretch in ways that aren’t always comfortable. To build empathy. To change our tone. To reflect when we want to react. To hold the mirror up and own what we see.
And that’s hard. That’s frustrating.
Because there’s no finish line. No crowd cheering. No medal. Just you, doing the work. Making the calls. Holding your boundaries. Having the hard conversations. Staying aligned to who you are and what you stand for—even when it would be easier not to.
But the gains? They are so worth it.
Because leadership is a race against yourself. It’s not about being the fastest or the best—it’s about being better than you were yesterday. And like any good training block, the results don’t show up overnight. But they do show up—especially if you stay consistent and keep going when it would be easier to quit.
And would you believe me if I told you this realisation came to me in the shower? Mid-rinse. No notebook. Just me, hot water, and one very clear thought:
You’re in training, Jules. Keep going.
So, if you’re feeling frustrated right now, maybe you’re not doing anything wrong. Maybe you’re just in the middle of your training block. And the growth you can’t yet see? It’s already happening.
Just keep showing up.