Change is the death of the way things used to be.

Once you look at things this way, it becomes easier to understand why many leaders reach a point at which they are unable to change as much as their situation demands.

Recently, for example, Chris Hoffman shared a post in which he said, “Transitioning from CEO of a $10 million business to CEO of a $100 million business was challenging for me.” At $10 million, he explained, his role entailed wearing many hats, but at $100 million, there were just three:

—capital allocation

—building and recruiting leaders

—company culture & strategy

Many leaders struggle to make such a transition. Comfortable in the role of problem-solver, they seem unwilling or unable to kill their role as top “jump-in-and-save-the-day” leader.

The hard reality of life—not just business—is that further growth often requires us to abandon the roles and habits that made us successful, so that we can rise to meet the next challenge or opportunity. But letting go of what made us successful can feel dangerous, misguided and even foolhardy.

This is why so many people get stuck. The leap feels too, well, crazy or impossible. 

(It’s actually not impossible, it just feels that way until you get to the other side.)