The hard thing about doing hard things

Here's what no one tells you about doing hard things

👋 Hey, it’s Wamide! Welcome to issue #45 of OnGrowth&, a newsletter on personal and career growth. If you're feeling stuck in your career, check out my website for free resources to find clarity on your next career move.

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Earlier this year, I wrote a post about challenging you to do hard things.

Pushing ourselves to do hard things is part of how we grow. The sacrifices, the late nights/early mornings, the intense focus on this “hard thing”.

But there’s something we rarely talk about—the aftermath.

The loneliness, burnout, and strange emptiness that can settle in once the grind stops.

You spend days, weeks, months pushing towards a goal. And when you finally cross that finish line, the high may not last.

For some, there’s a hollow pause - what’s next? For some others, they just want to disappear.

That was me. Intensely burnt out, I felt disconnected, unable to create, and not quite ready to “do more” right away.

What I’ve now learnt is that it’s not just the challenge itself that I should have kept top of mind, I should have been more mindful about what to do after this “hard thing.”

For anyone like me who pours their heart into everything they do, remember that recovery is essential. It’s not just resting; it’s about reconnecting with yourself, rebuilding energy, and making space for new rhythm.

It’s okay to not jump into another challenge, but to be okay with stillness and letting go of the need to constantly “do” (side-eyes myself).

As someone who’s meant to publish monthly, here I am, two months after my last post, only just writing again🤭

Sometimes, that’s just what it takes.

In the past months, I’ve taken some time off work, spent time with my extended family, reconnected with friends, traveled, binge-watched movies and even baked my first mini cake.

I’m in a much better place and I’m glad to be writing again. I’ve also been listening to a lotttt of podcasts.

🎧 Here are a few noteworthy ones I’ve listened to recently:

• Dealing with Loss with the Odukoyas

• Trevor Noah on Depression & ADHD

• Simon Sinek & Trevor Noah on Friendship, Loneliness, Vulnerability

• Women in Corporate: The Parenthood Penalty – special mention as it’s my first in-person guest podcast that just aired 💃🏾

So tell me, what hard thing have you done lately?

And remember—resting is part of the journey 💪💫

All my love 💗