Rubber bands are useless until they?re stretched. So are we.
That?s the heart of John Maxwell?s Law of the Rubber Band: Growth stops when you lose the tension between where you are and where you could be.
Comfort Feels Good?Until It Doesn?t
There?s a dangerous comfort in routine. When life?s predictable, it feels safe. But the same comfort that protects you can quietly hold you back.
Growth doesn?t live in comfort; it lives in the stretch. That moment when you take on something just beyond your current ability?when you feel a little uncertain, a little underqualified, maybe even a little scared.
That?s not failure?it?s feedback. It means you?re growing.
Stretch Beyond Your Circumstances
In 7 Life Lessons from the Trailer Park, I wrote that comfort is the enemy of change. Rubber bands?and people?are made to stretch.
When I was growing up, the boundaries around me were small. People thought small, dreamed small, and stayed small. It wasn?t because they lacked ability; it was because they stopped stretching.
And truth be told, I almost did too. It took time, failure, and some hard lessons to realize that the only way out of small thinking is to stretch beyond it.
Every major shift in my life came when I decided to stop settling and lean into tension: joining the Marines, starting over after setbacks, stepping into leadership roles I didn?t feel ready for.
Growth doesn?t happen when you?re ready?it happens when you?re willing.
The Tension That Builds Strength
Tension is uncomfortable, but it?s also necessary. It?s what builds muscle, resilience, and confidence. Lose that tension, and you lose momentum.
Think about it:
- No tension, no progress. If you?re never uncomfortable, you?re not growing.
- Too much tension, you snap. Growth takes balance?stretch without breaking.
- The right tension pulls you forward. It reminds you there?s always more in you than you?re using.
Tension isn?t the enemy?it?s the evidence that you?re still reaching.
How to Keep the Stretch Alive
Growth is intentional. Here?s how to stay stretched without snapping:
- Set a target that scares you a little. If your goals don?t make you uneasy, they?re too small.
- Say yes before you feel ready. Growth often happens in motion, not in preparation.
- Evaluate weekly. Ask: ?Where am I coasting? Where can I stretch??
- Surround yourself with people who challenge you. The right circle doesn?t let you stay small.
Comfort zones are where dreams go to sleep. Keep waking yours up.
Make It Count
Growth lives in the tension between your potential and your comfort. The moment you stop stretching, you start shrinking.
So today, check your stretch. Are you growing?or coasting?
Are you leaning forward?or pulling back?
Because your best self is still out there?but only if you?re willing to reach for it.
? Next week: Law #11 ? The Law of Trade-Offs: You Have to Give Up to Grow Up.