Growth Is Scary—But So Is Being Stagnant

By Joraine Bunyi, Training & Development Supervisor, OLIVIA Professional Solutions

Picture of Joraine, Training & Development Supervisor at OLIVIA Professional Solutions

There’s a funny thing about growth—it’s often terrifying. The unknown, the discomfort, the risk of failure… they all creep in the moment we step outside our comfort zone. It’s why so many of us hesitate to take the leap, whether it’s changing careers, setting boundaries, learning a new skill, or even just saying, “I deserve more.”

But while growth is scary, let’s not pretend stagnation is any less frightening.

In fact, staying stuck—out of fear, convenience, or complacency—can slowly become its own kind of nightmare. It’s quieter, more subtle. You don’t notice it at first. But over time, you begin to feel it: the dullness, the restlessness, the slow erosion of purpose. It’s the feeling of watching the days blur together while you wait for something to change, even though deep down, you know that “something” has to start with you.

The Discomfort of Change vs. the Discomfort of Regret

When we grow, we face temporary discomfort. When we stagnate, we invite long-term regret.

One is active. The other is passive.

One is empowering. The other is depleting.

Sure, growth comes with challenges—setbacks, awkward learning curves, maybe even a few failures. But those are signs you’re moving. You’re alive. You’re becoming. Every mistake is a step forward. Every moment of doubt is a doorway to resilience.

Staying stagnant, on the other hand, might feel safer in the short term, but it costs us something precious: our potential.

Fear Is Part of the Process

If you’re scared of taking the next step, congratulations. That means you’re standing on the edge of something that matters.

Growth doesn’t require you to be fearless. It just asks you to be brave. To do the thing while your hands are shaking. To try again when it doesn’t work the first time. To stop waiting for perfect conditions—and start where you are, with what you have.

You Don’t Have to Leap—But You Do Have to Move

Growth doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes it’s a quiet decision to try. Sometimes it’s asking for help. Sometimes it’s saying no when you used to say yes. It’s the sum of small, deliberate steps that move you closer to who you want to be.

So, if you’re scared to grow, that’s okay. But be honest with yourself: Are you more scared of growing—or of waking up in five years wishing you had?

Because while growth is scary, being stagnant might just be scarier.

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