When most people hear the word "stress," they immediately think of something negative.
They think about overwhelm, burnout, anxiety, pressure, and exhaustion. Because so much of the workplace wellbeing conversation focuses on reducing stress, it's easy to assume that all stress is harmful and should be avoided whenever possible.
But there is another side to the conversation that often gets overlooked.
It's called eustress, and understanding it can completely change how you think about growth, challenge, and performance.
Eustress is often described as "good stress." It occurs when you're pushed just beyond your comfort zone but not so far that you become overwhelmed. You feel challenged, engaged, and activated. There may be some nervousness, uncertainty, or discomfort, but the experience ultimately helps you grow rather than deplete you.
Think about learning a new skill, taking on a stretch project, speaking in front of a group, interviewing for a new role, or stepping into a leadership position for the first time. These situations can absolutely feel stressful. At the same time, they are often the experiences that help us develop new capabilities and expand what we believe we're capable of.
This is one reason I find the concept of eustress so valuable.
Many people have become conditioned to view any discomfort as a sign that something is wrong. If a situation feels challenging, the immediate assumption is often that it should be avoided. In reality, some level of challenge is necessary for growth.
The goal is not to eliminate stress entirely.
The goal is to understand the difference between stress that helps us grow and stress that pushes us beyond our capacity.
Eustress typically exists in that sweet spot between comfort and overwhelm. It is the feeling of being stretched but still supported. It is the energy that comes from taking on something meaningful, even when it feels a little intimidating.
This is often what people are referring to when they talk about a "growth edge."
Growth rarely happens when we stay completely comfortable. At the same time, meaningful growth also becomes difficult when we are operating in a constant state of burnout or chronic stress. The challenge is finding that middle ground where we are pushing ourselves enough to learn and develop without pushing so hard that we become depleted.
This perspective can be especially helpful in the workplace.
Not every stressful project is a sign of an unhealthy environment. Not every challenging conversation is something to avoid. Sometimes the discomfort we experience is a natural part of learning, adapting, and growing into new responsibilities.
The key is paying attention to how the experience affects you over time.
Does the challenge leave you feeling energized and more capable? Or does it leave you feeling consistently exhausted, overwhelmed, and unable to recover? One is often a sign of eustress. The other may be a sign that your stress load has moved beyond what is sustainable.
When we understand this distinction, we can stop viewing stress as something that is automatically bad. Instead, we can begin asking a more useful question:
Is this stress helping me grow, or is it draining my capacity?
That shift in perspective creates a healthier and more balanced relationship with stress. It allows us to pursue growth opportunities without fear while also recognizing when additional support, recovery, or boundaries are needed.
Not all stress is harmful.
Sometimes stress is simply a sign that you're stepping into something new, expanding your capabilities, and growing into the next version of yourself.
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