You Can't Grow If You're Not Willing to Leave Something Behind

Parshas Lech Lecha | Personal Development

There is something fascinating about the way a lobster grows. Unlike humans, a lobster has a hard outer shell that cannot expand with its body. Eventually, the shell that once provided protection becomes too restrictive. In order to grow, the lobster must shed its old shell and develop a new, larger one. During this process, it becomes particularly vulnerable. Yet without going through this uncomfortable experience, it simply cannot continue growing. Perhaps the same is true for us. Sometimes the very things that make us feel safe and comfortable are the things preventing us from growing.

We all have our comfort zones. Our routines, relationships and familiar environments provide security. We know what to expect and how to navigate our daily lives. Yet how often do we find ourselves wanting something more? Perhaps a new opportunity, better health, greater success or simply becoming a better version of ourselves. We want change, but somehow never quite get around to making it happen. The problem is often uncertainty. What if things don't work out? Why should I risk what I already have for something I might never achieve? Perhaps life is perfectly fine the way it is. Do I really need to do more? These are reasonable questions. Not every change is worthwhile. But there is an important difference between choosing to remain where we are because it's the right place for us, and remaining there simply because we're afraid to leave.

In this week's Parsha, Lech Lecha, Hashem tells Avraham to leave his land, birthplace and father's home, and travel to a land that He will show him. Consider what Avraham was being asked to do. He had an established life, familiar surroundings, relationships and an entire infrastructure around him. In modern terms, he had his usual doctor, barber, friends and community. Everything that made life comfortable and predictable. Yet his future was somewhere else.

Avraham wasn't even told exactly where he was going. He simply had to trust, take the first step and begin the journey. And despite the many challenges that followed, his decision ultimately shaped the course of history. Thousands of years later, billions of people still look to Abraham as a foundational figure of their faith. What can we learn from this?

Perhaps you've been thinking about joining a gym, improving your health, learning a new skill, starting a business or pursuing an opportunity. But you keep waiting for the right time. Another week passes, another month, sometimes another year. The Talmud teaches, "B'derech she'adam rotzeh leilech, molichin oso", along the path a person wishes to travel, they assist him. We cannot expect things to happen simply because we wish for them. We need to choose a direction and make a genuine effort to move towards it. That doesn't guarantee success, but opportunities often emerge only once we begin taking action.

And taking the plunge doesn't necessarily mean making a dramatic or reckless change. Sometimes it simply means making that phone call, signing up for that course or committing to that first exercise session. Like Avraham, we don't need to see the entire journey before beginning.

So ask yourself: What is something you've wanted to do for a long time but have been putting off? And what's one practical step you could take this week to begin?

Because sometimes, to discover what we're capable of becoming, we first need the courage to move beyond what we already know.

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About the author: Elimelech Levy is a Rabbi, educator, and coach based in Sydney, Australia. He is the director of Chabad Youth NSW, where he develops programs that support Jewish identity, confidence, and community connection for young people and families.

Alongside his communal work, Elimelech holds an MBA from Macquarie University and is a member of the International Coaching Federation. His coaching focuses on helping individuals gain clarity, set meaningful goals, and take consistent action.

He is also the founder of the Knei Lecha Chover initiative, a global peer coaching network for rabbis, and is involved in property development projects that reflect his broader interest in building sustainable communities.

More at elilevy.com.au