I don’t have this figured out. Not even close. There were a few moments today where I just stopped right in the middle of work, tools in my hand, and it hit me…am I actually doing enough, or am I just staying busy so I don’t have to answer that question? That one sticks if you sit with it long enough. Because most of us aren’t lacking effort. We’re lacking direction. We’re grinding, we’re providing, we’re showing up…but there’s still that voice in the back of your head saying you’ve got more in you than this. And no matter how much you try to ignore it, it doesn’t go away. I’m building this community in the middle of that. Not from the finish line. Not from some place where I’ve got it all dialed in. I’m in it. Trying things, second guessing things, adjusting as I go. Some days it feels solid. Other days it feels like I’m one bad decision away from wasting a lot of time. That’s the truth. And I’ll say something most guys won’t. I need this just as much as you do. Not because I need someone to carry me or give me answers, but because I need to be around men who aren’t pretending they’ve got it all handled. Men who are willing to look at their own life honestly and admit when something’s off, and still keep moving. Because it’s real easy to drift. It’s real easy to fall into a routine, tell yourself you’re doing enough, and wake up a few years later wondering where the hell the time went. Meanwhile, the people who look up to you are watching. Not what you say, but what you do. Your kids don’t care about your intentions. They watch your actions. They watch what you chase and what you avoid. Same with your partner. Same with the guys around you. So yeah, cheer them on. Support them. Be solid for them. But don’t disappear in the process. Don’t be the guy who builds everyone else up and slowly checks out of his own life. That voice in your head that says you could be doing more isn’t something to shut off. That’s the part of you that’s still alive. So do something with it, even if it’s messy, even if it’s slow, even if you don’t know exactly where it’s going yet.

Practicing breath work, gratitude, visualization, fitness, and consistent routines is used so we are able to utilize them in everyday life. When I say everyday life; I mean home with the kids, wife, girlfriend, partner, work, traffic jams, everywhere. Those sayings and statements of “practice what you preach”, and “in times of stress you default back to our lowest level of training”. It applies to the work we do each day to become our best we can today and our future selves. I slowly began to realize implementing the tools I mentioned above in everyday life. Fitness to keep up with my kids and be healthier. Breath work to be in control of my body and mind, visualization to help plan the day and work towards goals, gratitude to appreciate all the things I’ve have, had, lived, loved, lost, and what’s to come. Discipline to do it all over again each day I’m still living consistently. These tools have and are teaching me that when you continue to practice, use them in life events, and go back to practicing again, they become more valuable and meaningful to building as well as living everyday. I encourage everyone to continue to learn and grow with the tools we learn here, group, community, or reaching out to each other. What are some breakthroughs you have had over the past few days, weeks, month?

I love the example that Simon Sinek uses about anxiety. Athletes show up to the race with some naturally built in anxiety and a quick mindset shift can be to tell themselves they are "excited". Just saying excited takes the exact same feeling and renames it as a positive way. It doesn't eliminate the feelings. It doesn't remove fear. It doesn't guarantee an outcome. But it does give confidence in the fact that I chose to move in this direction. No matter how good or how bad of a situation it is - I am choosing to take action. And taking action is respectable.

I found a pomodoro-type tool on my laptop and it's useful with it's gentle nudges 4x per hour. I get an audible readout of the time every 15 minutes. You may even have heard it on the call today. The trick here is to just be reminded that my time is valuable. The clock timer gives me a mental visual to evaluate how I just spent the last 15 minutes or the last few sections of time - and adjust if need.

On this morning’s call, Hance dropped three book recommendations that have stood the test of time. Different styles, different stories, but all of them hit something important about resilience, purpose, and how we choose to live. Your challenge this week is simple. If you don’t already own one of these, grab a copy and start reading. Even 5–10 minutes a day. The goal isn’t to finish it this week, it’s just to start putting better thoughts in your head than the noise we usually scroll through. Meditations – Marcus Aurelius This is the private journal of a Roman emperor trying to be a better man. Short reflections on discipline, responsibility, dealing with difficult people, and controlling what you can control. It’s one of the foundations of Stoic thinking. Endurance – Alfred Lansing The true story of Ernest Shackleton and his crew after their ship was crushed in Antarctic ice in 1915. Stranded for nearly two years in brutal conditions, yet every man survived. One of the greatest stories of leadership and resilience ever told. The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho A short story about a shepherd chasing a dream that keeps calling him forward. It’s about purpose, courage, wrong turns, and learning to trust the path life puts in front of you. Your challenge: Pick one and start reading this week. Then come back and tell us which one you chose and why. If you’ve already read one, share what stuck with you.