🎙️ INTRO
“Growth… We hear this word all the time. ‘Push yourself, get out of your comfort zone, no pain no gain.’
But what if I told you that real, sustainable growth doesn’t feel like a painful leap off a cliff — but more like walking, steadily, with your eyes open, and your heart grounded?
Let me share a story where I did it the hard way — and paid the price.”
🧠 PART 1: My Story — A Reckless Leap
(Personal, emotionally open, spoken slowly in the beginning to show vulnerability)
“I started my career in software engineering in Ireland after may master degree. It was a fairly stable job — good salary, decent hours. But something inside me kept nagging: ‘I’m not made for this.’
Why? Because I never truly enjoyed coding. What I really wanted was to manage, communicate, lead rather than fixing my bugs, yes, I did write many bugs.
But instead of doing a proper gap analysis and build proper intention — you know, actually identifying the steps between where I was and where I wanted to go — I just wanted. No roadmap. No strategy. Just a vague desire.
Then came this funny thought: ‘I don’t like coding… but I like teaching. Maybe I could teach people how to code instead?’
Sounds logical, right? But here’s the twist… I didn’t want to just teach. I wanted to go back to China, yes, cross the continent and teach coding to kids — because I thought my English plus my tech background was this rare superpower that kids’ parents would love.
So, I packed up my dreams — and my family — and moved back to China. No groundwork. No proper planning and deep thinking. Just ambition… and ego.
And what happened?
I failed. Miserably.
Not many students didn’t come. The schools didn’t care and so as the parents. I lost money.
My wife was on the edge of divorce. And my kid… I forced him to leave his childhood friends behind. I still remember one of his friends crying, shouting, ‘China is so far!’
Looking back, I wasn’t expanding my comfort zone — I was shattering it. Not only mine, but my family’s too.
And yet… they stood by me. Quietly, painfully, but they stood by me. For that, I’m forever in their debt.”
📘 PART 2: The Theory — Expanding vs. Leaping
“If I had known what I know now — from books like Atomic Habits by James Clear, Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg, or The Comfort Book by Matt Haig — I might’ve done it all very differently.
These books flipped a major switch in my mind. They taught me this powerful truth:
✨ Comfort isn’t weakness. It’s the soil where peace, healing, and sustainable change can actually grow. Just think about a seed in plant, would it grow faster when its environment is friendly? It is the same theory.
Let’s look at a quick table to compare these two different mindsets:”
📊 Table: Growth Through Expansion vs. Sudden Leaps
| Criteria | Expanding Comfort Zone | Jumping Out of Comfort Zone |
| Emotional Response | Safety, confidence, gradual engagement | Anxiety, panic, risk of avoidance |
| Sustainability | High — builds habits that stick | Low — relies on hype, novelty, willpower |
| Psychological Basis | Behavioral psychology, self-compassion | Heroic mindset, “shock therapy” ideals |
| Examples | Start with 1 push-up, write 1 line per day | Run 5K without training, write 50 pages |
| Endorsed By | Clear, Fogg, Haig | Traditional motivational speakers |
| Risk of Burnout | Low | High |
| Identity Alignment | Gradually reinforces self-image | Can trigger identity crisis |
“When I jumped, I wasn’t ready. I didn’t build the skills. I didn’t grow the identity. I didn’t pace myself. And that’s why it broke me.”
🎯 PART 3: How I’m Doing It Differently Now (5:30 – 7:30)
“So now, I’m starting this YouTube journey. Again — with a vision, a passion, a desire to create and share. But this time, I’m doing it differently. Why? Because I know, desiring something will not get me anywhere, I have to become that, the identity, if I am a successful YouTuber, What should I be doing every day?
Not by quitting my job or forcing outcomes — but by designing small, manageable steps that help me build consistency, so that I can become a a successful YouTuber in a year, or two, or three, I do not mind the number, because I know it is just matter of time, i will get there.
James Clear reckons one way … Let’s imagine…
6 months from now, I’ve failed again. Why might that happen? Here’s the list I made when I asked myself this question honestly:
- My full-time job burns out all my free time
- I give up because I don’t see enough views or subscribers
- I become lazy and lose motivation
- I run out of content ideas
- I get cyberbullied or discouraged
- My partner leaves the project
- I get sick or emotionally drained
Now, instead of hoping none of this happens, I ask: What can I do now to prevent each of these?
So here’s what I’m doing for example:
- I calculate my free time and maintain a sustainable hours per week for video planning and filming — no pressure.
- I commit to one video a week, no matter what — even if it’s imperfect.
- I build a content idea bank every time inspiration hits.
- I create support systems — like co-planning with a partner, or joining online communities.
- I protect my mental health and have boundaries about when I read comments.
- I track my tiny wins, not just views — like filming on time, or improving scriptwriting.
- And most importantly, I remind myself: this isn’t a race. It’s a long-term relationship with creativity that will draw true friends globally.”
🧭 OUTRO: The Takeaway
“If you’re standing on the edge of change, ask yourself — do you really need to leap…
or is it enough to just take a step?
Don’t let the world rush you. Growth that lasts doesn’t scream. It whispers.
So if this spoke to you, maybe subscribe. Leave a comment. Or just come back next time.
We’re walking this road slowly — together.”
Leave a Reply