Hey Reader,
Let’s get real:
You don’t get better by practicing. You get better by performing.
I learned that the hard way—with golf.
Back in high school, I played casually with my dad and friends. Then college hit, and I walked away from it. Years passed. But during the pandemic, I had the honor of running my Focus of a Champion workshop for FootJoy/Titleist Golf’s entire sales team.
Eight sessions later, I was fired up—and honestly, a little embarrassed I wasn’t even playing the sport I was helping others get better at.
So, two years ago, I made a deal with myself. With my coach holding me accountable, I committed to playing at least 15 times in 2023. And I did it.
But this year?
Back to zero.
Sure, I could list the four charity tournaments that got rained out or rescheduled. I could explain how “busy” life got. But none of that really matters.
The truth is simple: I chose not to make time for 18 holes so I could work on other things.
Now that the Texas weather has finally turned, I’ve started easing back in - excited to return to the game I love and equally frustrated by how rusty I’ve gotten.
I’ve been hitting the range, training with a coach, and spending time in the studio trying to reclaim the swing I built two years ago. It’s been slow. It’s been humbling. It’s been a mental grind retraining my body and mind.
And that’s when I realized something important.
If I have free time, it’s easy to book another lesson or hit the range.
Because practice feels productive. It feels like progress.
But mostly—it feels safe.
It’s safe to be in a studio.
It’s safe to stand at the range and swing over and over again.
Because in practice, there’s no real pressure. No judgment. No scoreboard.
There’s also no accelerated growth.
You know when you really improve? When you step onto the course.
When you slice your shot 20 yards into the woods with a crowd watching. When you chunk a chip three feet in front of you and have to own it in real time.
That’s where the feedback lives.
That’s where the growth happens.
I could spend the rest of the year perfecting my form in a safe environment - and never actually get better at playing.
And it’s the same thing with leadership.
We can read every book, binge the best podcasts, attend fancy conferences, and convince ourselves we’re “getting ready” to lead. We keep saying we’ll try what we’ve learned...
...when we feel more confident, more skilled, more ready.
But let’s be honest: that day doesn’t come unless we decide it’s here.
We don’t improve as leaders by staying in learning mode.
We improve by stepping into the moments that challenge us.
- By scheduling the 1:1 where we share feedback we’ve been holding back.
- By applying for the promotion we secretly want but feel unqualified for.
- By speaking up and publicly praising a teammate when we usually stay quiet.
Maybe for you, it’s something else entirely.
Something you've heard me talk about. Something you know would make you better, but you’ve been putting it off because you're not sure you'll be good at it yet.
And you're right. You won't be - at first.
But that’s the point.
The only way you get better is by doing the thing. Testing. Failing. Adjusting. Repeating.
The same way I’ll improve at golf isn’t by watching another swing video. It’s by stepping onto the course, hitting the ball, and learning as I go.
It’ll be messy. But it’ll be real. And that’s how you get better.
Practice matters. It helps you prepare.
But performance is what sharpens you.
The only way to grow into the leader you want to be is to stop hiding in practice and start showing up for the game.
Because the course is where the real growth lives. And it’s waiting.
I'm cheering for you to get on it this week, Reader,
Say hi 👋 on Instagram or LinkedIn
PS: Want help sharpening those leadership performance skills?
We still have space in our spring Leadership Cohort. You can learn details and join us here.
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Yesterday
How Leaders Can Bridge Generational Divides in Their Teams
Wednesday
Balancing Priorities & Making Time with HYROX North American Ambassador Kayti Simonson
Friday
If You Have Time to Complain, You Have Time to Improve
