If It Feels Hard, You’re Probably Doing It Right: The First 90 Days

I’m 30 days into a new role at work, and...new is humbling.

Last year I prided myself on my mantra “I do hard things.” But there is something about new that tests that belief. The ambiguity, the feeling that I should know more than I do. The quiet fear that I won’t live up to expectations. It’s uncomfortable.

This past weekend, feeling a little stuck on what to do next, I reached for a familiar book on my shelf: The First 90 Days by Michael D. Watkins. I revisit that book every time I start a new job, almost hoping it will magically erase that early discomfort.

It never does. But it does remind me of something important.

There’s a concept in the book that always helps me: in your first 90 days, you’re expected to consume more value than you create. (Maybe let’s keep that between us!) In other words, you’re not behind, you’re learning.

As I flipped through the book, I jotted down a few reminders for myself:

• Accelerate your learning. Your first job isn’t to have all the answers. It’s to learn deeply and quickly.

• Match your strategy to the situation. Before you act, you have to understand what you’ve stepped into. For me, that looks like talking to as many people as possible to better understand my new environment.

• Secure early wins. Small progress builds momentum...and confidence.

• Accept the imbalance. You won’t contribute as much value as you want to right away, and that is OKAY. It’s a part of the process.

For me, the biggest shift is recognizing that this discomfort isn’t a warning sign, it’s actually a signal that I’m in a role where growth is possible.

Ugh, but also...good.

So the work now is to keep moving forward. To remind myself that I can figure this out. Just like I visualize crossing an IRONMAN finish line, I’m visualizing the point where I’m contributing real value and feeling good doing it!

I know I’m the right person for this challenge, even if I don’t feel like it yet.

If you’re in “new” and finding it harder than expected, you’re not alone. And more importantly, this is exactly how you’re supposed to be feeling.

Discomfort is part of growth. So I guarantee you’re doing it right.