Why You Need a ‘Size Bigger’ in Skills

I once went to buy a raincoat.

The design I liked, the shopkeeper said, wasn’t available in my size.

It looked fine to me, so I asked why he was insisting on a bigger one.

He replied: "You tend to wear a raincoat on the street, in a hurry. You need a size bigger to fit comfortably, rather than struggle to get into it."

That stuck with me.

Skills Work the Same Way

If you just barely manage to fit a role or responsibility with your current skills, you will struggle when things get tight.

You’ll wrestle with pressure.

You’ll fumble in emergencies.

You’ll be too busy “getting in” to start performing.

But when your skills are a size bigger than the job demands, you operate with ease.

You’re ready for surprises.

You handle pressure with poise.

And most importantly — you have space to grow further.

"Competence isn’t about meeting the standard — it’s about exceeding it comfortably."

The Takeaway

Don’t just prepare for the average day.

Equip yourself for the storm.

Because in life, you rarely get time to “adjust” — you either fit in comfortably or you struggle through.

So… grow into a size bigger.

Not just in raincoats, but in skills, abilities, and mindset.

"If your skills are just enough, you’ll struggle in tight situations. If they’re a size bigger, you’ll thrive."