How can we be so comfortable in our incompetence? I asked this question aloud one day, and someone said that’s a blog. It’s a question that has been sitting with me for about a week. Everywhere I turn, I see examples, big and small, of people settling into mediocrity like it’s a plush couch on a rainy day. We protect it. We defend it. We make excuses for it. And worse, we start to design entire systems and cultures around it.

I’m not talking about the absence of talent or opportunity. I’m talking about what we do after we realize we don’t know something, or we’re not doing something well. Instead of responding with curiosity, we deflect with arrogance. Instead of growing, we double down. Instead of learning, we start performing, and performative competence is one of the most dangerous things in our workplaces, our homes, and our own minds.

Here’s the truth: discomfort is the doorway to mastery. But we don’t like the way discomfort feels. We prefer a warm bath of “good enough” over the stretch and strain of becoming excellent. And that’s exactly how mediocrity becomes normalized.

Take a moment and think about your workplace. How often do you hear, “That’s just how we do it,” even when “how we do it” doesn’t work anymore? How many projects have been delayed because people are more interested in protecting their egos than admitting what they don’t know? How many leaders are more committed to appearing competent than actually being competent? Let me take it a step further. What about you? What about me?

What are the areas where we’re hiding behind experience instead of embracing growth? Where are we using the mask of confidence to avoid confronting our limitations? Because I’ve been guilty of this too. I’ve been the one who knew deep down something wasn’t working, but I kept doing it anyway because learning the new way seemed daunting. That’s why we have to have a growth mindset. Familiarity is a seductive thing. But the cost? The cost is high.

We delay transformation. We breed stagnation. And we send the message to those around us, especially our teams and our children, that it’s okay to stop evolving once we reach a certain level. We must disrupt this. If we stop learning, we die.

The real flex in this season of life isn’t pretending to know everything, it’s having the courage to say, “I’m not great at this… yet.” It’s asking questions that might reveal gaps. It’s hiring people who are better than us in certain areas. It’s reading the book, attending the workshop, watching the webinar, not because we’re behind, but because we are committed to never being stuck. This shows strength, not weakness.

And I say this with love: if you’re in leadership, whether that’s in business, in your community, or in your home, your growth is not optional. Your competence is not a luxury. It is your responsibility.

So no, we cannot be comfortable in our incompetence anymore. Not if we’re serious about legacy. Not if we’re serious about impact. Not if we’re serious about excellence.

Let’s normalize something else.

Let’s normalize asking for help.

Let’s normalize feedback.

Let’s normalize getting better.

Let’s normalize owning our growth gaps without shame.

Because we’re not here to just occupy space, we’re here to transform it.

Saturday coming will be seven years since I did my first blog. I can’t believe the time ran off so fast. It’s been eye-opening and fascinating. Thank you for continuing on this journey with me.

Let me know your thoughts; I genuinely want to know, and I’m sure others do too. Feel free to comment 👍🏽, but if you’re not comfortable, reach out to me through any medium. I’d be thrilled if you could share something, anything, and let others know. 🙏🏽 Your comments help me understand your perspective and often present a completely different view on the topic. They could even inspire another blog. 😉 And you never know how your comment might benefit others. Always remember, life is meant to be lived, and you should always strive to live your best life. #lifeisforliving #liveyourbestlife #gratefulforlife #faithgreaterthanfear

See you next Wednesday at 8:00 p.m., Bogotá time.