I want to set the tone for this episode.

to build next. This show is called Conversations on the Edge for areason.
It’s not about polished answers or highlight reels.
It’s about real conversations between people who are still figuring things out.

And I wanted you as the first guest back because you’re not just a peerto me.
You’re someone I trust.
Someone I respect.
And honestly, someone I’ve learned a lot from just by watching how you show up.

So this isn’t an interview.
This is two people sitting down, talking honestly about leadership, life, andwhat we’re trying

Why Most Years Are Lost Quietly

Most people don’t lose a year in December.

They lose it quietly in the first few months.

Not because they didn’t care. Not because they weren’t capable. Butbecause they assumed inspiration would carry them further than it ever does.

They felt motivated. They had good intentions. But they never slowed downlong enough to anchor change.

Leadership doesn’t fall apart loudly. It fades through drift.

And by the time most people realize they’re off course, the year alreadyhas a shape to it.

That’s why this moment matters.

Because leadership isn’t defined by what you start. It’s defined by whatyou sustain. And the first 90 days don’t just create momentum. They lockidentity. They reinforce habits. They reveal whether standards are real or justwords we like to say.

If you want 2026 to be different, the work doesn’t start with intensity.It starts with intention.

What This Series Was Really About

This series was never about fixing a calendar.

It was about alignment.

We started with standards because nothing changes if what’s acceptablestays the same. We moved into identity because standards don’t hold unless theleader does. We talked about mindset because pressure always exposes whatbelief hasn’t been cemented yet. And we grounded it all in habits becauseconsistency beats motivation every time.

This final step is about integration.

It’s about bringing all of that together in a way that lasts.

Insight without structure fades. Structure without belief collapses. Butwhen belief, behavior, and direction line up, leadership becomes steady. Andsteady leadership changes everything.

The world doesn’t change because of a few extraordinary people.

It changes because ordinary people decide to stop playing small.

Why Motivation Always Lets You Down

By this point in the series, we’ve talked about standards. We’ve talkedabout identity. We’ve talked about mindset.

This is where leadership stops being theoretical.

Because habits are where everything you say you believe either becomesreal or quietly falls apart.

Most people want change, but they rely on motivation to get them there.Motivation feels good. It shows up loud and confident. It convinces you thatthis time will be different.

And then it disappears.

That’s not a failure. That’s how motivation works.

Habits don’t disappear. They don’t care how you feel. They don’t ask forperfect conditions. They show up when energy is low, pressure is high, andexcuses feel reasonable.

That’s why habits win.

Not because they’re exciting, but because they’re dependable.

Why Big Change Is Usually the WrongGoal

One of the biggest lies we tell ourselves as leaders is that growthrequires some massive shift. A full reset. A complete overhaul.

So we try to change everything at once.

New routines. New systems. New expectations. New energy.

And then we wonder why it doesn’t last.

Leadership isn’t built through dramatic moments. It’s built through smallactions repeated until they become automatic. The leaders who grow sustainablyare not doing more than everyone else. They are doing fewer things with moreconsistency.

Real progress comes from narrowing your focus, not expanding it.

Habits Tell the Truth About Who YouAre Becoming

Habits don’t lie.

They reveal who you believe you are far more honestly than yourintentions ever will.

You can say you value follow through, but your habits will tell thetruth. You can say you value calm leadership, but your habits will exposewhether that’s real under pressure.

That’s not judgment. That’s clarity.

Habits are evidence. They show you who you are becoming in real time.

You don’t build habits to impress anyone. You build habits to reinforceidentity. To prove to yourself that the person you’re becoming is real.

Discipline Is Not Punishment It’sRespect

Discipline gets misunderstood.

People hear discipline and think restriction or pressure or rigidity. Butreal discipline is none of that.

Discipline is self respect.

It’s honoring the commitments you make to yourself. It’s doing what yousaid you would do even when no one is watching and especially when no one isholding you accountable.

Every time you follow through, confidence grows. Not the loud kind. Thequiet kind that comes from knowing you can trust yourself.

And leaders who trust themselves don’t hesitate the same way. They don’tsecond guess every decision. They move with clarity.

Why Habits Matter Most on the HardDays

When things are going well, habits feel easy.

It’s when things are heavy that habits matter.

On the days you’re tired. On the days you’re frustrated. On the days whenit would be easier to avoid the conversation or push the task to tomorrow.

That’s when habits protect you.

They remove the decision. They steady you. They keep you aligned whenemotions are loud.

Simple habits create stability when everything else feels uncertain. Andstability is one of the greatest gifts a leader can offer their team.

Habits Take Emotion Out of Execution

One of the most underrated benefits of habits is that they remove emotionfrom the process.

You stop asking yourself if you feel like doing the work. You’ve alreadydecided.

That decision frees up energy. It reduces friction. It keeps you fromnegotiating with yourself all day long.

Leaders who rely on habits don’t burn themselves out chasing motivation.They move forward regardless of it.

That’s why their leadership feels calm. Grounded. Consistent.

Most people think leadership is tested in visible moments. Meetings.Results. Big decisions. Public pressure.

But leadership rarely breaks there first.

It breaks quietly. Internally. In moments no one else sees.

Before performance slips, mindset slips. Before behavior changes, beliefstarts to wobble. And before leadership struggles publicly, it fracturesprivately.

If identity is who you are and habits are how you live it out, thenmindset is the battlefield where everything is decided. Every single day,whether you realize it or not, there is a quiet war happening between comfortand growth.

That war does not announce itself. It shows up as hesitation. As selftalk. As rationalization. As moments where it would be easier to pull back thanlean in.

Andhow you respond in those moments determines far more than any external

Identity Is What Holds the Standard in Place

If resetting the standard is the starting point, identity is what holds it in place.

This is where most people get stuck when the calendar turns. They change goals. They tweak routines. They rearrange schedules. For a while, it feels like progress. But when pressure shows up, everything snaps back to what’s familiar.

That’s not a motivation problem. It’s an identity problem.

New Year’s resolutions focus on behavior. Leadership focuses on who you believe you are. And behavior that isn’t rooted in identity will never last. You can want change badly. You can even work hard for a while. But if your actions are not aligned with how you see yourself, they will eventually collapse under pressure.

Real change does not start with doing more. It starts with deciding who you are becoming.

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Why Identity Is the Foundation Everything Else Stands On

Identity is not a soft concept. It is not abstract. It is the foundation everything else stands on.

If the foundation is weak, it does not matter how strong the structure above it looks. Under stress, it cracks. Under adversity, it shifts. Under pressure, it fails.

That is exactly why so many resolutions fade. People try to build new habits on top of an old identity. They ask themselves to act like someone they do not yet believe they are. Eventually, the mind pulls them back to what feels familiar, safe, and consistent with their self image.

That pull is powerful. And if identity is not addressed intentionally, it will always win.

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The Trap of Trying Instead of Deciding

Listen to the language people use this time of year.

People say they are trying to be more consistent. They say they are trying to be a better leader.

Trying sounds responsible. But trying leaves the door open. When things get hard, trying quietly turns into permission to stop.

Leaders do not live in the space of trying. They decide.

They decide who they are. And then they act in alignment with that decision, even when it is uncomfortable. Identity removes negotiation. It simplifies choices. When you know who you are, behavior follows without debate.

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Habits Reveal How You See Yourself

Every habit you keep is connected to how you see yourself.

If you see yourself as someone who avoids conflict, you will avoid the hard conversation. If you see yourself as inconsistent, your habits will reflect that. If you see yourself as disciplined, discipline becomes natural, not forced.

Habits are not about willpower. They are about self image.

That is why telling yourself you should do better rarely works. But telling yourself this is who I am changes everything. You do not rise to your goals. You fall to the level of your identity.

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Belief Is the Cement That Locks Identity in Place

Identity without belief is unstable.

You can say you want to be confident, consistent, or courageous. But if you do not truly believe that is who you are becoming, your actions will eventually betray those words.

Belief is the quiet agreement you make with yourself about what is true. Not what sounds good. Not what you hope is true. What you genuinely believe.

When belief and identity align, behavior becomes natural. When they do not, behavior becomes forced. And forced behavior never lasts.

rns keep showing up in my leadership

The next 30 will decide how the following 335 days play out!

I deeply value and respect people of every belief,background, and tradition. I fully understand that many people do not recognizeor celebrate Christmas, and I honor that. Our world is beautifully diverse, andwhen we choose understanding over judgment, we all grow stronger.

And at the same time—I won’t apologize for what I believe.

My faith leads me to recognize, celebrate, and believedeeply in the meaning of Christmas. For me, this season represents hope.Humility. Sacrifice. Grace. Unconditional love. These beliefs are not somethingI turn on and off—they shape who I am, how I lead, and how I try to show up forpeople every single day.

Respect does not require silence.
Inclusion does not mean erasing conviction.

We can stand firmly in what we believe and lead withlove toward those who believe differently. That balance—conviction withoutcondemnation, belief without judgment—is leadership.

And it’s from that place that I want to share why thisseason matters so deeply to me—and why its message feels more important nowthan ever.