From Goo to Growth: The Courage to Transform in College and Life
College is often described as a time of change—but rarely do we talk about what that change actually feels like. The truth? It can feel sticky, uncomfortable, and downright disorienting.
Stephanie Simpson uses a bold metaphor to describe personal growth: the “goo” stage—the messy, uncertain in-between that happens before transformation takes shape. Just like a caterpillar dissolves into goo before becoming a butterfly, we too go through moments in life where we feel like we’re falling apart.
And that’s not only normal—it’s necessary.
The Goo Stage: Discomfort as a Sign of Growth
When students hit those hard moments—when they’re overwhelmed, uncertain, or doubting everything they thought they knew—it’s tempting to think something is wrong. But Stephanie flips that narrative.
“If you feel like you’re dissolving and questioning everything, you’re not broken. You’re transforming.”
Whether you’re adjusting to campus life, navigating identity, rethinking a major, or facing your first real failure—those “goo” moments are a sign that you’re in motion. Growth doesn’t happen on the mountaintop. It happens in the tension.
Emotional Awareness as the First Step
Stephanie shares that the key to navigating the goo is emotional awareness. Being able to ask:
- What am I feeling right now?
- What story am I telling myself?
- What else might be true?
This self-inquiry creates space—space to choose a different perspective, a different energy, a different outcome.
One of her favorite tools?
Name it to tame it.
Say to yourself: “Right now, I’m feeling ____ and that makes sense because ____.”
This simple phrase can calm your nervous system and help you feel grounded—even when nothing around you is.
Building Your Chrysalis: Safe Containers for Change
During transformation, the caterpillar doesn’t just fall apart in the open. It builds a chrysalis—a container for change. In life, our chrysalis is made of the people, practices, and boundaries that hold us while we grow.
Ask yourself:
- Who are the people that reflect back my strength and encourage my evolution?
- What rituals (journaling, breathwork, spiritual practice, creative expression) keep me grounded during uncertainty?
- What boundaries protect my peace while I’m in transition?
Creating this container is an act of self-leadership. It’s the foundation that supports you as you become more of who you’re meant to be.
Growth Means Letting Go
One of Stephanie’s most poignant reflections is this:
“You don’t lose yourself in the process. You gain more of yourself.”
Letting go of old identities, relationships, or habits doesn’t mean you’re moving backward. It means you’re shedding what no longer fits to make space for what does.
Yes, it’s scary. Yes, it’s vulnerable. And yes—it’s worth it.
The Courage to Be in the Goo
Growth isn’t glamorous in real time. It’s messy, nonlinear, and often invisible to others. But every time you stay present in the process instead of running from it, you build the courage and capacity for deeper transformation.
So if you’re in the goo right now—take heart.
You’re not behind.
You’re not lost.
You’re becoming.
Want to Bring This Message to Your Campus?
Stephanie Simpson helps students and leaders alike reframe discomfort as a powerful signal for growth. Through dynamic keynotes and workshops, she gives audiences the tools to navigate change with awareness, emotional resilience, and authenticity.
She has a new keynote on just this topic, titled “The Goo Stage: Leading Yourself Through the Messy Middle of Change”. You can learn more about Stephanie and her other keynote programs here.
Book Stephanie and empower your students to lead themselves through life’s messiest (and most meaningful) transitions.