🤯 “Why Is This So Hard?” — A Student Intern’s Take on Why Struggle Means You’re on the Right Path

When I started my internship with Redmond, I expected to feel challenged—but I didn’t expect to feel like I was constantly being challenged. Despite preparing, keeping an open mind, and putting in the work, I still found myself questioning if I was really cut out for the job.

It turns out, I’m not alone—and neither are you if you’ve ever felt this way.

 

🧗‍The Workplace Learning Curve Isn’t Linear

In college, learning is structured. There’s a syllabus, clear expectations, and scheduled feedback. But in the workplace—especially as a student or intern—you’re thrown into real problems without guaranteed answers. It’s a shift that can feel overwhelming at first.

Early in my internship, I was tasked with interviewing clients to better understand recruitment needs. I didn’t have a script, I didn’t know exactly what I was doing, and I kept wondering whether I was “doing it wrong.” But slowly, I started to realize something important: Feeling overwhelmed doesn’t mean you’re unqualified. It means you’re learning something meaningful.

That tension between what you can currently do and what the role requires is something psychologists call the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)—the space where learning is most effective. You’re outside your comfort zone, but not completely on your own. With support and repetition, those once-difficult tasks become second nature.

 

⚖️ When Expectations Don’t Match Reality

Another challenge I noticed was the gap between how I thought I’d perform and how I actually felt. In academic settings, we often get instant feedback and results. In a professional environment, progress is slower and less obvious. That mismatch created what psychologists refer to as cognitive dissonance—a mental discomfort that happens when our expectations and reality don’t align.

In these moments, people tend to either withdraw or adapt.

I chose to adapt. And over time, the discomfort gave way to confidence—not because I stopped making mistakes, but because I stopped seeing them as signs of failure.

 

🎭 The Confidence Illusion (aka: You’re Not the Only One Faking It)

There were times I felt like I was the only person unsure of themselves. I’d sit silently in meetings, worrying that asking questions would reveal how much I didn’t know. It’s a feeling many of us carry without realizing there’s a name for it: imposter syndrome.

Imposter syndrome is the internal experience of believing you’re not as competent as others think you are. Studies show that up to 70% of professionals experience it at some point in their careers (HBR, 2021). It’s especially common among students and early-career employees.

What helped me overcome it was realizing that everyone is learning—even the people who look like they have it all figured out.

 

📈 Growth Often Feels Like Struggle

The reality is, you’re not being hired to have all the answers. You’re being hired because of your potential—and the expectation that you’ll grow into the role.

A Gallup report found that 87% of millennials say professional development is a top priority when evaluating jobs (Gallup, 2021). But growth doesn’t come wrapped in confidence and clarity. It comes through trial, adjustment, and the willingness to sit with uncertainty until it starts making sense.

 

💬 What’s Helped Me Along the Way

Here are a few strategies that helped me feel more grounded when things felt too difficult:

  • Normalize asking questions. It’s better to ask once than to stay confused indefinitely. You’re not expected to know everything up front.
  • Track small wins. Reflecting on how far you’ve come—even within a week or two—builds momentum.
  • Talk to people. Nearly every mentor or professional I’ve spoken with has admitted to feeling unsure in their first job. You’re not alone.
  • Reframe difficulty as growth. Just because it’s hard doesn’t mean you’re failing—it often means you’re being stretched.

 

🌱 Final Thought: You’re Not Falling Behind, You’re Moving Forward

If you’re in a role that feels harder than expected, don’t let that convince you that you’re not good enough. The discomfort is often a signal that you’re growing, not failing.

Yes, it’s supposed to feel like work. But it’s also supposed to change you.

So if you find yourself thinking, “Shouldn’t I be better at this by now?” try reframing it to: “I’m better than I was last week—and that’s enough for today.”

Keep showing up. Keep learning. And remember: you’re not behind.
You’re becoming.