When was the last time you chose curiosity over comfort?
Chris Whitnall is the kind of person who plans everything – except his career. Chris has moved countries with no set plan, pivoted industries, and stepped into roles where he could only do 70% of the job—learning the rest on the fly.
Why? Because he believes that in the 30% discomfort zone is where the real growth happens.
In this conversation, Chris talks openly about the inner dialogue that comes with stretching yourself—the tug-of-war between staying comfortable and following the pull of something more. He doesn’t pretend to have mastered it. Instead, he shares how he keeps choosing forward motion, even when it’s hard. His guiding question? “What are you curious about, and what lights you up?”
Chris’s journey is less about big leaps and more about what he calls “micro-leaps”—small, intentional shifts guided by curiosity and alignment with his values. He’s a believer in learning on the job, experimenting, and staying open to opportunities you didn’t plan for. As he puts it, you don’t need a rigid map, just a loose vision and the willingness to grow into it.
It’s about progress over perfection and unlocking growth through experience.
Throughout it all, Chris stays grounded in gratitude and a strong sense of self. He’s learned to focus on what he can control—his mindset, effort, and presence—and to value alignment over ambition. This is a refreshingly honest look at how we evolve, both in our careers and within ourselves.
My three favourite quotes from Chris’ story are:
“You can only control what you can control”
“If you don’t put yourself out there, you’re guaranteed of never moving forward.”
“If you want the thing that you say you want, well, you’ve got to make yourself probably feel uncomfortable in order to do that.”
You can listen to the whole chat here:
If you’re looking for inspiration to step out of your comfort zone and pursue your goals, this episode is a must-listen.
The world doesn’t need more stories of success; it needs honest conversations about hard challenges, vulnerability, and proof that trials can ultimately become triumphs.
That’s why the Uncomfortable Growth® Uncut podcast was born. It’s a reminder that struggle and success are intrinsically linked, that growth is rarely easy, and that the moments we feel most uncomfortable are where our greatest breakthroughs lie