What if it’s just a matter of consistency?

After my first leadership role, a new opportunity came up. A totally different position.

Fear of the unknown

And even with experience, it still felt like a real step into the unknown.

And that’s exactly what held me back.

At the time, my son was still young. I saw the mountain ahead: the changes to implement, the teams to mobilize, the responsibilities, the pressure…

And even though I had the skills, I found myself hesitating.

Not because of a lack of motivation, but because I could see the whole road ahead. And that froze me.

New = a brain alert

It’s normal, neuroscience explains it simply: what’s unfamiliar is perceived as potentially dangerous. The brain doesn’t like what it can’t predict.

Even when a new project is exciting, aligned, and meaningful…your nervous system can still interpret it as a threat.

I remember very clearly a moment when this truth hit me, physically. On January 1st, 2025, I found myself swimming with sharks in the turquoise waters of the Bahamas. No cage. No set-up. Just me, the ocean, and them...well okay, my partner and my son too.

I’ve always been afraid of water, and even more afraid of sharks.

Every cell in my body was screaming danger. My senses were on high alert. And yet, objectively, there was nothing threatening. It was safe, my choice. But my brain had no reference point, only unknowns.

And in those moments, it’s not logic that takes the lead. It’s panic, but I chose to stay, to breathe. To trust.

That moment never left me. Because it made me feel, in my body, what the unknown actually does to us. Not in theory, not in coaching, but for real. Raw and instinctive.

And now, whenever I feel that internal alarm go off in front of something new, I think back to that dive. And I remind myself: it’s not reality that’s dangerous…It’s just that my brain doesn’t have reference points yet.

Real change starts with one small step

That memory followed me far beyond that day in the ocean. Because whether you’re facing turquoise water or a corporate challenge, the mechanism is the same: Our brain resists what it doesn’t know.

And that’s exactly what I experienced when I said yes to that new role.

I took a deep breath. I told myself: One day at a time, give your best. But one day at a time.

And I moved forward.

No need to reinvent everything. No need to become a different version of myself. Just the need to move forward with coherence.

And I was incredibly lucky, I had a manager who believed in me. Who gave me freedom, autonomy, and trust. Thanks to him and a supportive environment, I was able to reach my full potential, at my own pace, one step at a time.

Step by step, with the right support, with a clear vision. And most importantly… with consistency.

It’s not the summit that’s hard

Of course, everything depends on your personality. I’m sharing my story. Maybe this isn’t something you struggle with. Maybe the unknown excites you. If so, great.

But for me, and for many of the people I’ve supported, it’s not that simple.

Throughout my years in leadership, this was often the most exciting part, but also the most demanding: Always projecting into the future, anticipating, planning, seeing far ahead.

It’s a strength. A key leadership skill.

But it’s also a trap.

Because when you look too far ahead, you forget to live here. And yet, it’s the present moment that allows you to take perspective and to say: I know my long-term vision. But right now, I come back to what matters most.

One step at a time.

It’s the pressure we put on ourselves before we’ve even begun.

We picture step 5 when we haven’t even taken step 1. We anticipate the mountain, the obstacles, the detours. And yet…

The real challenge is just to move. Even slowly. But with intention.

And that’s exactly what I now do with my clients.

We don’t change everything all at once. We clarify. We practice. We repeat.

And little by little… what once felt uncomfortable becomes familiar.

So what’s your first step?

You don’t need a big strategic plan. You don’t need all the answers before you begin.

Sometimes, what you really need… is just one aligned step and the permission to take it again tomorrow.

Consistency is more powerful than courage. And growth rarely starts with a giant leap, it often begins with one small, repeated decision.

Need support to clarify your first step?