This morning, I read a post that said:
“I’ve grown. I just say no to anything that disrupts my peace — unapologetically.”

(Unfortunately or Fortunately, I know the person who wrote this.)

Yes, healing matters. Boundaries matter.
But when these become slogans to escape discomfort?
That’s not growth. That’s branding.

Here’s what people call growth today. Let’s translate the BS:

– “I created boundaries.”
(Translation: I ghosted instead of facing conflict like an adult.)

– “I cut off toxic people.”
(Translation: They told me the truth, and I didn’t like it.)

– “I healed.”
(Translation: I avoided the pain long enough to forget it.)

– “I don’t tolerate negativity.”
(Translation: I block anyone who challenges my ego.)

– “I do what feels right.”
(Translation: I only do what’s easy and call it self-love.)

That’s not growth. That’s running dressed up as healing.

This is what real growth looks like:
** Founders going unpaid for months to protect their team. Silently.
→ That’s leadership rooted in responsibility, not recognition.

** Leaders owning public failures and fixing them quietly at night.
→ That’s integrity when nobody’s watching.

** Partners choosing hard conversations over ego-driven silence.
→ That’s progress while protecting the relationship.

** Parents staying calm and loving when they’re mentally wrecked.
→ That’s love over emotional convenience.

** Friends calling you out, not to hurt you, but to help you grow.
→ That’s courage in service of your evolution.

No applause.
No content.
No dopamine.
Just Repetition. Responsibility. Reality.

And no, it’s not sacrifice.
It’s not being “too nice.”

It’s what real growth demands:
Discipline. Self-awareness. Humility. Grit.

If your growth doesn’t hurt, humble you or change your behaviour, it’s not growth. It’s marketing.

Ask yourself:
When was the last time you did something hard that no one saw and didn’t clap for?

That’s your metric.

Stop running from work. Start becoming someone who earns the word “grown.”