WTF Wednesday: Our First Newsletter

When I sat down for three days in December to plan my 2025, it felt different from years past. Setting big goals and lofty dreams just didn’t feel right this year. What really scares me? I’ve done big, crazy things in my life. In fact, that’s what I’m constantly drawn to. I love accomplishing epic things, whether for the accomplishment itself or to have amazing stories to share on stage.

But my pattern has been to run sprints—going on streaks and accomplishing big things. Where I can improve is with day-to-day persistence and sticking with things over the long haul. Am I diligent when no one is watching? I’m great at rationalizing my behavior and making excuses for why it’s okay to skip a day or not be at 100% all the time.

This became really clear to me in November after completing my book. It was a huge project that I frankly underestimated in terms of time, energy, and emotion required. The last two months of the project involved a major push to get it done and have a successful launch. But after I released the book, I took my foot off the pedal. I went into an energetic slump. I kicked my feet up as if the job was done when, in reality, it was just a milestone in a lifelong journey.

I knew 2025 would test my personal commitment. To level up, I realized I need the small, unseen actions to become part of my identity. I need to build habits that are ingrained in who I am—not just part of the show or a sprint. I need to make things happen no matter what, and bring the “small, simple, personal” actions into the spotlight.

In the book Atomic Habits, James Clear teaches, “Goals are about the results you want to achieve. Systems are about the processes that lead to those results.”

So rather than focusing on big goals, I decided to take a different approach this year: focus on my systems.

I made three commitments that I promised to uphold with 100% diligence, no excuses, no matter what.

1. Weekly Planning – I refined my process for this essential habit and committed to 52 weeks of it without exception. Tracking my progress in key areas of my life and setting goals for the upcoming week.

2. A Daily Mindfulness Practice – Meditation, journaling, and prayer have been a huge part of my growth over the last several years, but I can’t say I’ve done it every day. This year, that changes. I committed to spending at least 10 minutes in quiet, focused on listening and sitting still, rather than always “figuring it out” and taking action.

3. 100 Pushups a Day – Is this my only fitness goal for the year? No, but I committed to doing 100 pushups every day. If my head hits the pillow without completing them, I get up and finish them.

That commitment scared me. I knew there was nowhere to hide and consistency would be required.

I encourage you to not only look at your big goals but also see what little things (especially the unsexy and unseen) you can do with total diligence to prove to yourself that you will show up—no matter what. Feel your identity shift as you keep commitments to yourself, and watch that internal confidence show up externally.

I’m adding a new commitment: “Worth the Follow Wednesdays”, where once a week, I’ll share an insight that may help you, a lesson learned from working with a client, or a principle of communication to help you connect.

So, welcome to the first WTF Wednesday. See you next week.

Rather watch than read? We got you!

Watch Video