When I started chasing success, I thought I knew what I was signing up for. I pictured hitting goals, achieving recognition, and celebrating wins. What I didn’t realize was how much discomfort and sacrifice would come with it. Those moments that push you to your limits, test your resilience, and make you question if the path is worth it.
Nobody tells you how uncomfortable success can be. It’s not just about working hard; it’s about facing situations that make you cringe, embarrass you, stretch you emotionally, and sometimes break your heart.
The Reality of Hard Choices
I’ve had to do some incredibly difficult things in the name of pursuing my goals. I’ve had to fire people, which felt awful, even when I knew it was necessary. I’ve had to hound people for things they promised but didn’t deliver, which always left me feeling drained and uncomfortable. On the flip side, I’ve also had to apologize when I was bogged down with so many responsibilities that I became delayed in delivering on my own promises.
I’ve wrestled with the weight of immense pressure—having to secure revenue, contracts, and funding to pay contractors and staff—while trying to keep everything afloat. I’ve had confrontations, faced resistance, and managed the guilt of projects sitting on a shelf—half-finished, nearly done—waiting for the time, focus, and energy to push them over the line. Those delays carry guilt because I feel like I’m letting others down, even when I’m doing my absolute best.
I’ve spent hours searching for the right support—people who believe in me, align with my vision, and truly want to help me succeed. That search hasn’t been easy, and there have been plenty of moments where I’ve felt completely alone.
There were days and nights where I worked so hard my eyes physically wouldn’t stay open, and still, it didn’t feel like enough. I’ve been constantly denied and rejected for funding that I knew my work deserved, forcing me to pick myself back up off the ground and keep advocating when nobody else would.
The Emotional Toll
It’s not just the workload that’s been tough—it’s the emotional toll. I’ve had to deal with people judging me, misunderstanding my intentions, or outright hating me for choosing myself and my goals.
I’ve been undervalued and discredited, with people failing to see my worth or even refusing to pay me for my work. There have been moments when not being known—when being a face people don’t recognize—meant being underestimated or dismissed entirely.
And then there’s the paradox of people's reactions to my success. Even now, I hear things like, “I’m amazed at what you’ve achieved. It’s so incredible what you’ve been able to do.” Yet in the same breath, when I share a new goal I’m working toward, their belief in me suddenly vanishes. There’s doubt in their tone, or they outright tell me they don’t think it’s possible. It’s as if they can’t reconcile the version of me they admire with the person still striving for more. That lack of belief can be one of the hardest things to face, but I’ve learned to push through it.
What I’m Learning
Through all of this, I’ve realized that these uncomfortable situations aren’t obstacles to success—they’re part of the journey. They’ve taught me lessons I never expected to learn:
1. Advocating for Myself Isn’t Selfish: No one else is going to fight for me the way I can. Learning to stand up for myself, even when it feels uncomfortable, has been essential.
2. Rejection Isn’t the End: Being rejected for funding, opportunities, or recognition has been painful, but it’s forced me to get creative and resourceful. It’s made me more determined to prove my value.
3. Not Everyone Will Like Me and That’s Okay: Choosing myself and my goals has upset some people, and that’s been hard to accept. But I’ve learned that I can’t please everyone, and I have to keep moving forward regardless.
4. Intent Isn’t the Same as Impact: This one has been a big lesson for me. I can have the best intentions, but if the impact of my words or actions causes harm or delay, I need to own that and do better.
5. Resilience Is Built in the Hard Moments: The nights where I’ve worked until I couldn’t keep my eyes open, the rejections, the uncomfortable conversations—they’ve made me stronger.
Embracing the Messy Journey
Success isn’t just about the big wins or the applause. It’s about pushing through the hard times when it feels like the world is against you. It’s about learning to handle judgment, rejection, and being underestimated.
There have been so many moments where I’ve felt like giving up. But every uncomfortable situation has taught me something—about myself, about others, and about what it takes to succeed.
Through all of this, I’m proud of what I’ve achieved so far:
I’ve toured the country with my show.
Delivered over 30 Events
I’ve started a production company and a charitable trust.
I’ve sold products and merchandise.
I’ve created online programs that continue to impact people.
I’ve hired people and built teams.
I’ve delivered over 40 children’s theatre productions.
I've worked In over 49 schools in Hawkes Bay
I’ve been in commercials.
I’ve written scripts, shared stories, and brought creative ideas to life.
These are the moments I hold on to when things get tough. They remind me why I started and what I’m capable of achieving.
If you’re chasing success and feeling the weight of these challenges, know that you’re not alone. This path isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. Because at the end of the day, success isn’t just about what you achieve—it’s about who you become in the process.
So here I am, still learning, still growing, and still showing up, even when it’s hard. Because the discomfort is what shapes me, and I’m choosing to embrace it, one hard moment at a time.
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