Take hits

Monday, February 10

Chasing your full potential will confuse people. Last week, I mentioned that those who truly care and want to unlock their best are a threat to those who settle for comfort. But there’s more to it than that.

Most people have been conditioned to follow the status quo—to do what’s safe, reliable, and predictable. They’ve been told to avoid risk, to not question the system, to not wonder what could be.

So when they see someone break that pattern, it shakes them. It’s hard for them to understand why you’d choose a different path.

I experienced this firsthand when I left the corporate world 15 years ago. I had a steady job. I was climbing the corporate ladder. By most standards, I was living the American Dream. And while it wasn’t bad, it wasn’t it. I felt something different calling me. I knew there was more.

But others couldn’t understand why I’d walk away from stability. They called it crazy, irresponsible, too risky. Ironically, most of the people I worked with back then have since been laid off. What appears stable is always one day away from being unstable.

Now? The same people who questioned my decision ask how I got here. What choices I made. How I knew it was the “right” time. What was once criticized is now celebrated.

This is what pursuing your best looks like.

You will be questioned. You will be criticized. Some people will look down on you. You might even be pushed out of certain circles. That’s okay.

As I’ve said before, others aren’t on your path—so why conform to theirs?

And one day, those same people will see how fulfilled you are (even through the hard days, of which there will be plenty) and ask, “How can I have that?”

Running your race gives others permission to run theirs.

Be willing to take the hits that come with going first. Chase your potential.
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Keep chopping wood. 🪵🪓

-Kevin