I write a lot about facing change and being ambitious about growth. There’s another side of the coin that’s equally important, one my business coach has been teaching me about. We are all human. We have limits. We get overwhelmed. We might even get burned out.

Growth in the real world, whether organizational or personal, is not a straight line shooting for the top of the chart. In comes in steps. There are times to push hard and feel the stretch, and there are times to take a breath, consolidate gains, and rest.

A good coach pushes her athletes beyond what they think can do, and also knows when to reduce the challenge before it becomes overwhelming and counterproductive.

There’s not one pace for everyone, but nobody can sustain pedal-to-the-metal for long. If you are the pedal-to-the-metal type, absolutely give yourself permission to stop and take a breath once in a while. It’s a long race.