The “deep end” — an unfinished metaphor

I am hoping you can help me finish the advice framed as a metaphor. Someone recently vented to me about their struggles at work. Here’s their prompt:

“I’m so tired of getting thrown into the deep end. If anything it’s soul crushing. I can’t even bring myself to get on the computer after work. And I’m loathing my day tomorrow. I keep wanting to throw the towel in… But I’m not a quitter. So I’ll probably just keep suffering.”

The first part that stood out to me was the use of the phrase “deep end”. I like to extend metaphors/analogies whenever possible because the speaker’s mind has already gone to that place. “Deep end” literally means the side of the pool/lake where your feet can’t touch the bottom so you have no choice but to swim. In this context, the speaker is referring to their responsibilities in their new role at work. The “deep end” is a duty at work that is difficult, unclear how to be performed, and probably performed by the speaker alone.

My mind went to 2 different responses. Which do you prefer? Or is there a third that’s better?

Response 1: The good thing about the deep end is once you learn how to swim in the deep end, it doesn’t matter if the water is 10 feet deep or 100 feet deep. The hardest part is learning how to swim without touching the bottom. That’s where you are right now. Let’s focus on swim lessons instead of trying to get you back to the shallow end.

Response 2: How deep the water is doesn’t matter; it is how far from land that matters. Here your team at work is the land. If you know you can get back to land when you need to, you will be okay. Standing in a sandbar a mile from shore is more dangerous than 10 feet of water when you can reach the side of the pool. Let’s take a look at your support structure to see if it is safe for you to keep swimming.

I like Response 1 because it empowers the individual to tackle the current challenge and carry that confidence into any challenge in the future. I like Response 2 because it reveals the importance of being in a healthy environment in order to grow. I’m curious to see where you take the metaphor. What are the flaws in these responses? Is one superior? Would you suggest a third way to extend the metaphor?

Are you ready to start something?

I hope you found this article helpful to you on your entrepreneurial journey. If you would like to talk more about this overview or the practical application of it, let’s talk. You can find me here on medium or you can connect with me over on LinkedIn.