Growth in Court Reporting – Why Discomfort Is the Doorway to Your Next Level

Court reporting has never been an easy profession. From the long hours of training to the intense focus required in depositions and trials, every stage demands more than most people ever realize. Yet the truth is this: growth rarely feels good in the moment.

Progress often hides behind discomfort. Rewards are delayed, but the cost—fatigue, frustration, even fear—is immediate. For court reporters, this paradox shows up daily in the courtroom, in agencies, in student practice sessions, and in professional battles to preserve the future of stenography.

Let’s break this down, with four insights that every working reporter and student can take to heart.

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1. Growth Disguises Itself as Weakness, Failure, or Fear

Think back to your first year on the machine. Every stumble, every missed stroke, every failed test felt like evidence you weren’t cut out for the job. But what you didn’t see in the moment was how your brain was rewiring itself, building muscle memory.

• Example: A student practices jury charge and cries after failing at 180 wpm. That failure feels final—but in reality, it’s progress. The student’s brain is strengthening in the very places it feels weakest. Months later, that same jury charge speed becomes second nature.
• Professional Example: A reporter sitting in a medical-malpractice trial listens to a cardiologist rattle off terms at lightning speed. At first, every phrase feels overwhelming. But forcing yourself to stay in the hot seat, look words up later, and push through the intimidation—those moments transform “failure” into fluency.

Weakness isn’t proof you’re failing. It’s proof growth is happening.

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2. A “Bad” Feeling Doesn’t Always Mean Something Is Wrong

In depositions, attorneys sometimes rattle, bully, or attempt to intimidate reporters. That pit in your stomach can feel like a signal to retreat. But sometimes, those “bad” feelings are the disguise of transformation.

• Example: The first time you interrupt an attorney to clarify the record, your voice may shake. It feels wrong, like you’ve overstepped. But in reality, you’ve stepped into your authority as the guardian of the record. Each time you do it, it gets easier.
• Example from Small Agencies: Many reporter-owned firms are watching giant corporate agencies roll out AI summaries and delayed payment schemes. Fear says, You can’t compete. But the uncomfortable process of rethinking business models—specializing in niche cases, marketing ethical practices, or building direct attorney relationships—creates new opportunities. Discomfort here is not destruction; it’s reinvention.

What feels uncomfortable today is often tomorrow’s advantage.

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3. Investing in Yourself Feels Costly Now

The short-term cost of growth can feel unbearable.

• Students: Every hour spent at the keyboard instead of with friends feels like a sacrifice. But that sacrifice is an investment in a lifetime career with six-figure potential.
• Working Reporters: Buying software upgrades, attending conventions, or hiring scopists feels expensive. You look at the invoice and wince. But those investments free up your time, sharpen your skills, and expand your earning power.
• Agency Owners: Building websites, paying for compliance software, or joining bar association memberships can drain cashflow in the moment. Yet those very investments secure long-term survival by connecting you directly with clients who value quality over cut-rate gimmicks.

Your brain values short-term comfort. But the professionals who last in this field are those who reframe struggle as investment.

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4. Courage Compounds

Each time you confront fear in this profession, you don’t just get through that one situation—you rewire your relationship with fear itself.

• Example in Court: The first time you ask a judge to repeat a ruling, your pulse races. The second time, it’s easier. The third, you barely think about it. What once terrified you now becomes routine professionalism.
• Example in Business: When you walk into a law firm alone to pitch your services, the fear can be paralyzing. But do it once, then again, and eventually you’re not just comfortable—you’re confident. That courage spills over into depositions, conventions, and negotiations.

Courage builds on itself, creating a compounding effect. Reporters who once felt timid in professional settings become the ones leading associations, mentoring students, and testifying at legislative hearings.

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The Lens of Growth in Daily Practice

Let’s revisit the wisdom through the lens of court reporting:

• Working out feels like weakness, but it’s strength in disguise.
  Practicing at 20 wpm higher than your comfort zone feels like constant failure—but it’s how you pass the next test.
• Learning new things makes you feel dumb, but it’s actually building intelligence.
  Switching from one CAT system to another feels like starting over—but mastering it makes you faster, more versatile, and more employable.
• Investing in yourself makes you feel broke, but it’s actually laying the foundation for wealth.
  That $1,500 spent on a realtime seminar seems costly—until one realtime job pays it back in a single week.
• Facing your fears makes you feel terrified, but it’s actually training you to be braver.
  Speaking up in a room full of attorneys isn’t easy, but it’s the difference between shrinking back and standing in your role as the officer of the court.

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Why This Matters for the Future of Stenography

Court reporting is under fire. Digital recording, AI transcription, and legislative maneuvering are squeezing stenographers from every side. It’s easy to feel like the discomfort means the profession is dying. But the opposite may be true.

• Reporters standing up against unethical contracting may feel isolated now—but they are planting the seeds of a stronger, more transparent industry.
• Small firms investing in technology and ethical practices may feel broke now—but they are building the trust that will win clients long term.
• Students pushing through failed tests may feel like quitting—but they are tomorrow’s guardians of due process.

Growth, disguised as discomfort, is the through-line of the court reporting profession.

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A Call to Action

So the next time you feel fear before a high-stakes trial, or frustration while slogging through practice, or financial strain while investing in yourself, remember this:

Those emotions are poor short-term judges of growth.

The discomfort is not the enemy. It’s the evidence.

You are getting stronger. Smarter. Richer. Braver.

The record depends on you. The profession depends on you. And your future self will thank you for every uncomfortable step you take today.

StenoImperium
Court Reporting. Unfiltered. Unafraid.

Disclaimer

This article reflects my perspective and analysis as a court reporter and eyewitness. It is not legal advice, nor is it intended to substitute for the advice of an attorney.

This article includes analysis and commentary based on observed events, public records, and legal statutes.

The content of this post is intended for informational and discussion purposes only. All opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are based on publicly available information, industry standards, and good-faith concerns about nonprofit governance and professional ethics. No part of this article is intended to defame, accuse, or misrepresent any individual or organization. Readers are encouraged to verify facts independently and to engage constructively in dialogue about leadership, transparency, and accountability in the court reporting profession.

• The content on this blog represents the personal opinions, observations, and commentary of the author. It is intended for editorial and journalistic purposes and is protected under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
• Nothing here constitutes legal advice. Readers are encouraged to review the facts and form independent conclusions.

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