Beyond Work: Why Personal Growth Comes First
- Stefan Jurgens
- Oct 14
- 3 min read
Have you ever felt that no matter how hard you work, progress never quite feels like fulfillment? You tick off tasks, meet deadlines, and put in the hours, yet something feels off.
I overheard a conversation recently that captured this perfectly. One person said, “I’ve been pushing so hard at work, but I feel completely stuck.” The reply was simple but powerful:
“Maybe it’s because you’re working harder on your job than on yourself.”
That statement stayed with me. It highlighted something we often forget: the energy we devote to our jobs can easily overshadow the care we give ourselves.
Personal growth, not just professional output, is what allows our lives to truly expand.
Why Working on Yourself Matters More Than Your Job
Jobs are designed to feel urgent. Emails, deadlines, and performance reviews demand immediate attention. Personal growth, however, rarely comes with reminders.
It is easy to push aside reflection, learning, or rest because they do not demand attention. When we neglect these areas for too long, we often end up exhausted, disconnected, and unfulfilled, even if our career appears successful on paper.
Early in my career, I was determined to prove myself. I worked late, checked emails over dinner, and took pride in always being available. From the outside it looked like commitment. In reality, I was drained. My relationships suffered, my creativity stalled, and I rarely felt rested.
Things began to improve when I made space for journaling my thoughts, exercise, and spending time with the people I cared about.
My work did not suffer. It improved because I was no longer running on empty.
Urgent Versus Important: Finding Time for Yourself
The demands of work can make it feel like everything is urgent. Deadlines, meetings, and client requests pull our attention constantly.
Personal growth rarely makes itself heard, which is why it’s so easy to overlook.
Setting aside time for self-care, reflection, and skill-building may seem secondary, but these are the activities that sustain long-term energy, creativity, and resilience.
When we attend to ourselves first, everything else benefits.
Building a Life, Not Just a Living
It is easy to see work as the ultimate measure of success A career pays the bills and creates a living, but your values and mindset build a life. Habits, values, and mindset are what create a meaningful life.
Achievement is no longer defined by promotions alone. Growth can mean being more patient with yourself, setting boundaries that protect your energy, or replacing self-criticism with curiosity.
These changes ripple outward, shaping how you approach work and how others experience you.
The Best Investment is You
Prioritizing yourself is not selfish; it is practical.
Rest, learning, creativity, and compassion strengthen the foundation that supports every part of your life, including your work.
Think of yourself as the soil and your job as a plant growing in it. Depleted soil cannot sustain growth, no matter how much water or sunlight the plant receives. Nurture the soil and everything it supports grows stronger.
Where to Begin: Small Steps for Personal Growth
You do not need a major overhaul to start working on yourself. Small, steady changes matter most:
Stillness: Spend ten quiet minutes focusing on your breath.
Boundaries: Close your laptop at a set time or decline new commitments when you need rest.
Curiosity: Read beyond your field or observe your inner dialogue with patience and kindness.
Over time, these simple practices build momentum. You may find your energy returning, your relationships strengthening, and your creativity sparking again.
A Different Kind of Hard Work
Hard work is often seen as sacrifice, but investing in yourself is about focus and attention.
When you prioritize personal growth, you provide the foundation for everything else in your life. Your job can benefit, but more importantly, your life gains balance, energy, and resilience.
Working harder on yourself is not indulgence. It is the foundation for a more balanced, fulfilling, and resilient life.
I’m Stefan Jürgens, RP (Qualifying), a Toronto-based psychotherapist and founder of Inner Counsel Psychotherapy. I help adults navigate life transitions, anxiety, and burnout while cultivating self-compassion and balance. I offer online therapy across Ontario and a free 20-minute consultation when you’re ready to get started.
© 2025 Stefan Jurgens. All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise noted, all content on this blog is the copyright of Stefan Jurgens.
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