I recently heard a story about an older woman who had never learned to swim.

Determined to change that, she hired a coach and started at the shallow end of the pool.

The first lesson? Learning to float.

When she finally got the hang of it, she beamed with excitement and said, “I can float in shallow water!”

Her instructor smiled and gently corrected her: “If you can float, you can float. The depth of the water has nothing to do with it.”

How often do we limit ourselves like this?

We master a skill but believe it only applies in comfortable, familiar situations—never realizing it’s just as effective in deeper, more challenging waters.

• That resilience you built in one area? It’s transferable.

• That confidence you gained? It’s yours to carry forward.

• That success you achieved? It wasn’t a fluke—it was you.

Want proof?

Julia Child didn’t start her career as a chef.

She worked in intelligence during WWII, decoding classified communications. That job required precision, patience, and perseverance.

Later in life, she brought those very same qualities into a completely different realm, French cuisine, and became a global icon because of it.

Her ability to thrive didn’t change based on the “depth” of the water she stepped into. She simply knew how to float—and then swim—no matter where she was.

Let The Dragon Whisperer remind you today:

You are more capable than you think. The depth of the challenge doesn’t change your ability.

Confidence isn’t context-specific. Discover how to carry yours into new and more meaningful opportunities.

So, I have a great question for you:

What’s one skill you’ve mastered in “shallow water” that you’re ready to bring into deeper, more meaningful arenas?