The Benefits of Challenging Yourself at Work

Are you comfortable at work? Do your days look the same – busy, but consistent? You grab some coffee, check email, ping some coworkers, make progress on a few projects, have a few Zoom calls, and then it’s time to log off for the day. There’s nothing wrong with that – for now.

Today, I’d like to encourage you to try something new: to challenge yourself. Break out of your comfort zone. You might be surprised at the personal and professional growth that can come from it. Yes, you might be hesitant to try something new, but I urge you to power through this phase. 

Growth Through Taking Risks

In a previous role at a financial institution, I was asked to automate several file transfers. I’ve always been intrigued by coding, so this was an interesting opportunity. After working on the project, I was stuck and frustrated, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous to tell my supervisor that I couldn’t get it to work. Finally, I asked for help and my manager was able to explain where I went wrong. I knew this was a learning opportunity; I took advantage of it and asked as many questions as I could. 

This was a turning point. I was eventually able to automate more complex file transfers. Not only was I motivated by the satisfaction of conquering something that once felt impossible, but it showed that I was committed to professional development and process improvements. There is no such thing as failure if we use the opportunity to learn and grow! 

Breaking Out of Silos 

Challenging yourself in the workplace isn’t just self-serving. You have the chance to become a resource for your team. As I worked to improve my coding knowledge and developed more competency in the skill, I was able to share my learnings with a colleague, who in turn became someone with whom I could troubleshoot problems and bounce ideas.  

By challenging yourself at work, not only do you get to interact with other departments, but you also have an opportunity to build your network. For example, the credit union I work for started a laptop deployment project. From the beginning of this project, I knew I would be interacting with at least one person in every department throughout the organization. 

During this project, my team and I gained valuable knowledge of what a typical day looks like for other teams and how our technology impacts them. We built and nurtured dozens, if not hundreds, of new professional relationships, which helped strengthen our team’s communication and collaboration skills. 

Credit Where It’s Due

A crucial piece of challenging yourself in the workplace is ensuring those around you are acknowledged for their contributions. Your colleagues are your team, and while you may have scored the game-winning goal, it wouldn’t have been possible without teamwork. 

Complex projects can rarely be completed alone. When sending status emails on projects, I make sure to credit others’ contributions and recognize those who went above and beyond. On my laptop deployment project, a colleague noticed we were running low on monitor adapters. Without hesitation, she offered to source them from neighboring offices to replenish our supply. Her ability to take initiative allowed our team to stay on track and provide a better end-user experience. She deserved credit for the work she did to make sure the project was successful.

Raise Your Hand

My final recommendation for challenging yourself at work is to volunteer. While it can be nerve-wracking to work on something you’re not as familiar with, it’s an opportunity to learn and grow your skillset. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable and tackle something you have never done before. Put yourself out there! Not only will you learn and grow from the experience, but your supervisor will also notice that you are willing to go the extra mile.

If history has taught us anything, it’s that playing it safe won’t be rewarding or memorable. Take a risk. Grow your skills. You’ll find that challenging yourself at work removes barriers to what you can achieve and opens doors for you in your career.