I’ve always been curious why some of the most successful business owners seem to have one thing in common: they went through a tough time before everything changed for the better.
At first, it felt like a coincidence. But the more stories I read, the more people I spoke to, and the more experience I gained in my journey, I realized something powerful:
Real growth often begins when we hit a wall and decide to do things differently.
### The Comfort Trap of Success
When we first experience success, we tend to repeat the same behaviors that got us there. And why not? It worked once. But success has a way of creating comfort zones.
You get good at something. You keep doing it. And for a while, things go well. Until they don’t.
Over time, the market shifts. Customer behavior changes. Technology evolves. Without realizing it, what once worked started holding us back.
This is when many founders hit that frustrating plateau—or worse, start to decline.
A Real Story: Howard Schultz and the Reinvention of Starbucks
Take Howard Schultz, the man behind the global growth of Starbucks. After years of massive expansion, Starbucks hit a rough patch in the mid-2000s. Profits declined. Customer experience suffered. And the brand began losing its identity.
Schultz stepped back in as CEO and did something bold. He closed over 7,000 stores for a day to retrain baristas on how to make the perfect espresso.
He halted rapid expansion and shifted focus to quality, innovation, and digital transformation.
He did things differently.
The result? Starbucks bounced back—stronger, more focused, and more profitable than ever.
Why We Struggle to Change
The human brain loves routine. We’re wired to stick to what we know. But when we operate on autopilot for too long, growth stalls.
When we finally experience a setback—a loss in revenue, a failed campaign, or even burnout—we’re forced to pause and reflect.
That’s often when the breakthrough happens. We start observing others. We learn from mentors. We analyze what truly matters.
And we begin to change.
How to Train Yourself to Think (and Act) Differently
Here are a few strategies that can help you break out of old habits and step into a new version of growth:
1. Question: What’s Working—And Why
Even if something is delivering results, ask: Is this sustainable? Is it scalable? Can it be improved?
2. Study What the Top 1% Are Doing
Instead of competing with peers at your level, study those 5 steps ahead. What systems do they use? What habits do they follow? Learn from their success.
3. Embrace Temporary Discomfort
Growth requires getting uncomfortable. Whether it’s learning a new skill, pivoting your strategy, or letting go of outdated systems—lean into the discomfort.
4. Create a Feedback Loop
Surround yourself with people who aren’t afraid to challenge your thinking. Regular reflection and honest feedback spark transformation.
5. Permit Yourself to Experiment
Not every change needs to be permanent. Try something new. Measure it. Learn. Iterate. The act of trying unlocks insights that comfort zones never reveal.
The results you’re seeing today are the outcome of what you’ve done in the past.
If you keep doing the same things, you’ll likely keep getting the same results.
But if you want something new—something greater—you need to try something different.
Change isn’t easy. But it’s the foundation of every comeback story.
“If you want to achieve something you’ve never achieved before, you need to do something you’ve never done before.”
And sometimes, all it takes is one new habit, one bold decision, or one different approach to completely change your future.
Are you ready to think differently?
