Uncomfortable Growth® Uncut. Season 3: Episode 2 – PJ Milani
'You really cannot know when your lucky break will be.'
In this episode of Uncomfortable Growth, Rowena sits down with PJ Milani — a high school teacher turned visual storyteller — whose simple hand-drawn metaphors have captured the internet’s attention, skyrocketing to over 179,000 LinkedIn followers.
After years of encouraging his students’ creativity while ignoring his own, PJ had a wake-up call: a journal entry that reminded him he’d been stuck in “someday” mode for over a decade.
So, he decided to take action – first starting small by blogging, then posting visuals to Twitter.
What began as a scattered creative outlet eventually turned into a daily practice.
On his 42nd birthday, a compilation of his favorite sketches went viral — overnight.
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But PJ’s biggest realization? It wasn’t the content, talent or potential that changed – it was him.
That moment, plus a surprise endorsement from Adam Grant, showed him that action and consistency, not luck, fuels creative growth.
Now, he’s helping others tap into their own creative dreams — not through perfect drawings, but through clear, meaningful thinking.
His story is a powerful reminder: it’s never too late to start, and taking a chance on yourself might just be the most creative act of all.
My three favourite quotes from PJ’s story are:
"You really cannot know when your lucky break will be.”
"There is no perfect time. There is only an imperfect now."
“The success that I had on that post was a byproduct of just showing up every day.”
If you're looking for inspiration to ignite your own creative journey or next chapter, this episode is a must-listen!
The world doesn’t need more stories of success; it needs honest conversations about hard challenges, vulnerability, and proof that trials can ultimately become triumphs.
That’s why the Uncomfortable Growth® Uncut podcast was born. It’s a reminder that struggle and success are intrinsically linked, that growth is rarely easy, and that the moments we feel most uncomfortable are where our greatest breakthroughs lie
