Tuesday, May 6, 2025
It’s easy to believe that growth is a solo act.
We attend the webinar. We read the article. We make the tough call. We sit quietly at the end of the day and wonder if we’re doing enough. From the outside, it can look like progress is all about individual hustle…digging deeper, working harder, figuring it out on our own.
But the truth is, we don’t grow alone.
We grow because someone challenged our thinking during a hallway conversation. Because a colleague asked a question we hadn’t thought to ask. Because we heard something in a panel discussion that stayed with us and made us see our work differently.
We grow because we’re surrounded by others who are also trying to do the next right thing — and their energy, insights, and mistakes ripple outward.
I’ve been reminded of this often lately. Whether it’s in conversations with industry leaders, planning meetings in preparation for NS3, or feedback from readers and listeners, I’m struck by how much wisdom lives in the room. Sometimes, the most valuable thing we get from a conference or an article isn’t just the headline or the hot take — it’s the sense that we’re not figuring this out in isolation. We are not alone. There’s a network here. A foundation.
In a time when it seems that everything feels fast, noisy, and occasionally overwhelming, that kind of connection isn’t just reassuring…it’s vital.
If you’re in a season of building, of shifting, of stretching toward what’s next… don’t go it alone.
Listen. Ask questions. Join the conversation.
Until Next Time,
Mary Schuster
Chief Knowledge Officer
October Research, LLC