The Growth That Hides Behind the Fear

The Request That Made Me Sweat

The email arrived, innocent enough: “Hey Andreas, the university asked if we could provide a guest lecturer on REST APIs. You work with them constantly, would you be up for it?”

Queue the sweating hands, the suddenly shallow breathing, and the intrusive thoughts.

I mean, I work with APIs all day, every day, but do I truly understand them? I used to panic giving presentations during my engineering studies. There is no way I can do this.

The idea of lecturing at the very university I studied at was absolutely terrifying. I almost instantly drafted a polite rejection.

Saying “Yes” to Discomfort

It was my wife who urged me to challenge myself. She pointed out that I was a good communicator and that it was a unique opportunity. Reluctantly, I agreed.

The whole process was nerve-wracking. I was jittery right up until the moment I finished speaking, but then something incredible happened: I felt great. I had done something that scared me, and it unlocked an outlet that gave me a huge surge of energy and made me grow as a person.

I’ll confess, even though I worked with APIs constantly, writing that lecture forced me to study the fundamentals in a way my daily work never did. It taught me more than any on-the-job task had.

From Horror to Habit

The next time the university called, it was almost equally horrifying, but not quite. The third time? It became less “horror” and more “habit.” I knew standing there talking wouldn’t kill me. I had fully internalized the topic, and the growth was clear.

This shift didn’t stay confined to the university lecture hall.

In my daily work, I can now, with minimal preparation, step up to discuss specific topics with colleagues, take on mentoring roles for interns, or lead sessions for new recruits. These are prospects that would have been an instant “no” before I dared to put myself in that uncomfortable position.

As a result, I’m now a more valuable asset to my team and a stronger version of myself.

Give It a Go

The lesson here isn’t that you must become a public speaker. It’s that the greatest professional and personal growth often lies just outside your comfort zone.

No matter what challenge is presented to you, in whatever field you work in, give it a go.

Some of the things I have agreed to do since that first lecture didn’t turn out to be my thing at all. And guess what? Now I know for certain it wasn’t for me, and I am still one experience richer. It did not make me less.

Choose discomfort over stagnation. You might surprise yourself with the strength you find.

What is one small thing you’ve been avoiding out of fear that you can try this week? Share your thoughts!