Most people are far more fragile than they admit.

You can see it in the way a normal conversation turns into a defence case the second someone feels exposed. A small piece of feedback becomes an insult. A different opinion becomes disrespect. A correction becomes an attack on who they are as a person.
I think that’s why so many people stay stuck.
They don’t lack intelligence. They lack the ability to sit with that horrible little moment where their ego gets bruised and there’s nothing to do except be honest.
We all say we want growth, but growth usually starts with embarrassment. It starts with realising you were wrong, late, immature, insecure, selfish, scared or pretending to be more certain than you actually were.
That is a brutal mirror to look into. Being vulnerable is powerful.
Most people would rather argue with the mirror than change what it’s showing them.