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The most annoying neighbor on my block just taught me the most important lesson about success.
This guy was blasting music with his speakers pointed OUT the window.
Not hosting a party.
Not entertaining friends.
Just him, alone, torturing the entire block with chopped-up Whitney Houston songs that cut off right before the good part of the chorus.
I complained to his building manager twice (I couldn’t figure out which apartment it was and didn’t want to call the cops over music).
He kept doing it.
I was gearing up for complaint number three when something shifted.
The music wasn’t trash anymore.
Instead, he was playing smooth Caribbean beats that actually enhanced the evening instead of destroying it.
My wife and I ended up doing a puzzle to his soundtrack instead of escaping to Netflix.
That’s when it hit me, the pressure forced him to get better.
He Could Have Stayed Mediocre
He could have kept playing garbage music and dealing with complaints forever.
From what I’ve observed, most people would have just turned the speakers around and kept the same mediocre playlist.
But this guy used the friction, the discomfort, to level up.
If he becomes a world-famous DJ, this might be his origin story; the neighbor complaints that made him choose between comfort and greatness.
I Learned This Lesson Too
Speaking of pressure forcing improvement, I’m currently leading a workshop series for Google, and they’re very particular about process.
I’m terrible at minute details. They keep catching errors and politely complaining. (At this point, I’m pretty sure they have a shared document titled “Terry’s Latest Mistake.”)
But it’s forcing me to get better at these nuanced tasks that I’d normally outsource. I can’t with Google because of security concerns.
The discomfort is real, but so is the growth.
Comfort Kills Greatness
That transformation got me thinking about how we all handle pressure in our careers and businesses.
Most of us run from discomfort the moment it shows up.
We avoid the hard conversations, skip the challenging projects, and dismiss the feedback that could actually sharpen our skills.
But the best performers?
They lean into the resistance.
They let the pressure teach them what excellence actually requires.
The difference between average and exceptional isn’t talent, it’s willingness to stay uncomfortable long enough to transform.
Your Turn: What Are You Avoiding?
What’s one uncomfortable conversation, skill, or challenge you’ve been avoiding that could transform your business or career?
Drop this into ChatGPT: “Here’s something I’ve been avoiding because it feels uncomfortable: [insert challenge]. What’s the simplest way to lean into this discomfort and use it for growth?”
Because the pressure you’re running from might be exactly what you need to break through to the next level.
You got this,
Terry
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