Squeezing down on the spout of my travel can of shaving cream—for the third time after I was ready to throw it away—I somehow collected enough for another shave.
I was sure it was empty.
It felt empty.
That’s why I had pulled it out of my travel bag in the first place.
But for some reason, instead of tossing it, I put it back in the cabinet.
That was three days ago.
Today, I’m shaving for the third time.
Now this isn’t about being a tightwad or trying to stretch shaving cream a few extra days. Although I will admit, I learned from the best growing up in rural North Mississippi, watching Pop Joe scrape a mayonnaise jar so clean the label peeled off (Ha!).
This is a lesson about people.
And honestly, it’s a lesson about me.
There have been many moments in my career when I was convinced I didn’t have one more squeeze left. I felt drained. Empty. Done.
I didn’t think I could learn one more thing.
Didn’t feel like reading another 15 minutes for personal growth.
Didn’t want to take one more client call because I didn’t feel like I had the energy to help someone else.
Looking back, there are two powerful insights from that little shaving-cream experiment that help us #beBetter.
First, it is healthy to recognize when we’re low on energy. Everyone needs to recharge. We cannot operate at our best without regular breaks, margin, and time to refill doing things that bring us joy.
There is nothing wrong with admitting you’re running low.
The danger arises when we ignore it and let ourselves run on empty for too long.
Second—and this one really hit me—there are times when we feel empty, but we aren’t. We’re just uncomfortable.
More than once, I’ve been overwhelmed or exhausted, yet I forced myself to give it one more squeeze. And with that small push forward, I discovered I had far more capacity left than I thought.
The truth is, growth often feels like depletion. Learning curves are steep. Progress demands effort. And comfort has a sneaky way of convincing us we’re finished when we’re really just being stretched.
Our full potential lies beyond our comfort zone.
That’s why my rally cry to #beBetter continues to serve me so well—it reminds me to keep learning, keep growing, and keep leaning in when it would be easier to coast.
I’ve wanted to quit my YouTube channel several times. The learning curve has been real. The process has been humbling. But in the last three weeks alone, by making that extra push—by practicing uncommon discipline—I’ve learned more than I expected and regained momentum I didn’t think I had.
Here’s the balance we all need to remember:
Sometimes the right answer is to refill.
Sometimes the right answer is to give it one more squeeze.
The wisdom is knowing the difference.
So yes, give that shaving cream can or mayonnaise jar one more squeeze.
Just don’t forget to refill often.
That’s how we truly #beBetter.
John O’Leary says: “Read it now! This journey in Leading with Significance to build a magnetic workplace reveals not only where God, faith and belonging intersect to create a magnetic culture but practical ideas and poignant stories to ensure you create it within your organization.”
Grab your copy of Leading with Significance to find more magnetic insights to help you on your unique journey.
For more information on my presentations or to access my beBetter blog library go to joeyhavens.com.
