At the start of the year, a lot of us are reflecting on goals and fresh starts. But we might also be recalling years past when we started out strong … and our momentum quickly faded. What happened? In most cases, the work probably felt hard.

Let’s say you’re ready to start living your healthiest, most vibrant life. You’re excited to flip to a fresh page, and you go all in. You join the gym, you start meal planning, you reset your nighttime routine for sleep hygiene. In those first few days or weeks, you commit to doing it all and doing it exactly right.

You start with the best intentions, but then? You start to lose steam. You realize that a morning workout isn’t realistic, meal prep really is time-consuming, and it’s not so easy to eliminate screentime before bed. And because you took an all-or-nothing approach to kicking off the year, you simply decide to call it off and pack it in.

At this point, you might be wondering, “What does this have to do with leadership?” Well, your leadership practice—just like a New Year’s resolution—requires commitment beyond the initial burst of enthusiasm.

Committing to the Practice

We often talk about leadership as if it’s a destination: a title, a position, a set of mastered skills. We realize it takes work to get there, but at a certain point, we believe we’ll have arrived.

The truth is, leadership isn’t about checking a box. Just like healthful living, it’s about committing to the practice: showing up, learning, trying again, and growing.

The challenge is that leadership is full of moments that feel uncomfortable. Sometimes a team doesn’t engage the way we hoped, a conversation doesn’t land as we’d imagined, or change feels slow to take hold. In those moments, we can be quick to decide “it’s not working” and give up.

But “hard” doesn’t mean “wrong.” It often just means you’re in the messy middle of the learning curve.

Real Growth Takes Repetition

A little over a decade ago, I decided I was going to start running. I’d gone to cheer on a friend at a race she’d registered for, and as I looked around at the runners crossing the finish line, I thought, “If they can do it, I can do it.”

I was pumped to get started, but I quickly learned that even on the days I felt the most motivated, each step became a negotiation between stopping and pressing on. But I (literally) kept putting one foot in front of the other. And over the first six years, I ran more than 12 half marathons. If I’d quit after a few tough runs, I wouldn’t have experienced this sense of accomplishment that still surprises me.

That lesson applies just as much to leadership. If you want to grow as a leader, you have to keep showing up, even when it feels uncomfortable, awkward, or like you’re failing.

Keep Showing Up (even when it feels hard)

We recently heard an example from a participant in one of our emerging leader groups that perfectly illustrates this:

Two leaders from different plants were implementing a new, collective huddle between their teams. It felt awkward—no one was talking, even as they tried to engage the group with good questions. Our advice? “Don’t give up. Just keep trying.” Because sometimes persistence is the only path forward.

Like my early miles on the road and treadmill, the first few attempts might feel hard. But every repetition will build your strength and confidence.

The Power of Persistence

When you pause to think about it, showing up again and again is in itself an act of leadership.

• When the conversation feels flat, keep asking questions.
• When progress feels stalled, keep taking small steps.
• When a skill feels uncomfortable, keep practicing it.

The awkward stage isn’t the end of the story. Usually, it’s just the start. It’s something you—and those around you—can observe, reflect on, and learn from.

Your Leadership Practice Is Worth It

Committing to your leadership practice accelerates your personal development, but it also creates a ripple effect.

Your team, your peers, and others see how you show up, especially when things feel hard. When you keep at it, you signal resilience and build trust. But when you give up quickly, you model doubt and hesitation. If you quit, they probably will too.

Whether it’s leading a team or building new habits, practice is where internal transformation happens. Your willingness to learn, adjust, and try again will create an environment where growth becomes the norm.

You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to keep showing up. Even when it feels awkward, and especially when it feels hard.

At Transitions Coaching, we help leaders build the awareness, clarity, and confidence that drive real growth. If you’re ready to (re)commit to your leadership practice, we’d love to connect.