The Leading Edge: What to Do when Everything Sucks

Imagine it’s your high school graduation. You’ve waited years for this moment. Family drove in. Grandparents brought tissues. Phones are out. Cameras ready.

And then the skies open.

It's not a light drizzle. It's a full-on biblical downpour. The only thing protecting you from the deluge is a cardboard mortar board and a healthy supply of thoughts and prayers.

The graduates in front of us were soaked. We were only in the P’s, and there was no escape, no backup plan, no magical weather delay coming to save the day.

And yet… nobody left.

Because some moments are worth enduring discomfort for.

Leadership is a lot like that. Sometimes conditions are terrible. Sometimes the process drags on longer than expected. Sometimes you’re cold, uncomfortable, frustrated, and wondering if the payoff is worth it.

That’s when you embrace the suck.

Not because suffering is the goal, but because meaningful things often sit on the other side of inconvenience, adversity, and perseverance. Remember... there’s still time for celebration, even in the middle of the storm. And sometimes the people who grow the most are the ones willing to stay in the rain long enough to reach the finish line.