#324 Where are you getting frustrated?

A builder's frustration with a leaning wall reveals the importance of checking foundations before continuing to build, teaching us that frustration often signals deeper issues needing attention rather than failure. Frustration serves as a mirror showing us where growth opportunities exist, inviting us to recalibrate and transform irritation into valuable insight.

• Parable about a young builder who couldn't fix a leaning wall until he addressed the uneven foundation
• Frustration isn't failure but a signal that something fundamental needs attention
• Three perspectives on frustration: it's a mirror, an invitation to recalibrate, and an opportunity to grow
• Suggestion to reflect on recent frustrations and what they might be teaching you
• Question for listeners about how they're learning to listen to frustration rather than react to it

If your team is stuck in chronic frustration, I help leaders create healthier systems and rhythms that actually work. Visit growthinstigatorscom to schedule a discovery call. And if you enjoy these calls, please share this number with colleagues, friends, and teammates.

Chapters

• 0:00 Builder's Parable About Foundation

Transcript

Speaker 0: 0:00

A young builder was frustrated. No matter how carefully he laid the bricks, the wall kept leaning. Day after day he adjusted the stones, only to watch the structure tilt again. One morning an older mason stopped by and watched for a moment, then gently asked have you checked the foundation? The builder paused he hadn't. Beneath the frustration was a deeper issue. The ground itself was uneven. Once he leveled the base, the wall rose straight and strong Frustration, he realized, wasn't failure. It was the whisper that something below needed his attention.

Speaker 0: 0:38

Welcome to message 324 of the Growth Instigator Hotline, where we ignite your personal and professional development. I'm Aaron Havens, your host and growth coach. Thrive and Grow Thursday growing through frustration. What needs your attention? Where are you getting frustrated? Could your foundation be uneven? It's crazy that we would build walls that keep falling down over and over again, getting frustrated and not taking a minute to examine where adjustments should be made.

Speaker 0: 1:10

Frustration is a clue and if you're willing to look beneath it, it often reveals exactly where growth is waiting. Frustration is not the enemy, it's the mirror. It shows you where something deeper needs attention. Frustration invites recalibration. Your rhythm, your expectations, your yeses all fair game for realignment. And frustration is a chance to grow, not just vent. Don't waste it. Let it lead you to something better. Here's a suggestion for today Pause and ask yourself where have you felt frustrated this week and what might that frustration be trying to teach you?

Speaker 0: 1:48

Thank you for calling Growth Instigator Hotline. I'd love to hear from you. Leave a message after the beep or send an email to Aaron at growthinstigatorscom and let me know what's one recent frustration you've experienced and what insight came from it. Also, how are you leaning and learning to listen to your frustration instead of just reacting to it? And if your team is getting stuck in a cycle of chronic frustration, oh man, I can help that. I help leaders create healthier systems and rhythms that actually work. Visit growthinstigatorscom and let's schedulea discovery call. And, my friends, do you like these calls? I like them. I think they're pretty cool. If you do, would you share the love? Yeah, let someone know. Pass this number on to your teammates, your colleagues, your friends, your dog, whoever that'll call, because I like to see this thing grow. Thank you for calling and, as always, keep instigating growth in all you do.