A “durable truth” is a simple idea that keeps proving itself, no matter the trend, tool, or season.
Here are three I come back to again and again, especially because we live in a time where our work can be made public. A pitch gets recorded. A meeting turns into a reel. A conversation becomes a Linkedin post.
Even when we do not mean for it to, our work can end up seen.
We cannot always escape that. So the private reps matter more than ever.
Durable truth #1: Preparation is the secret stage
Most people only see the performance. The pitch. The launch. The keynote. The big post that travels fast.
What they do not see is the work we do in private:
- the messy drafts
- the awkward first tries
- the practice calls that flop
- the rehearsals that feel clunky
That private space is where you earn confidence. Not by thinking about being good, but by doing the reps.
And because so much is public now, preparation is not just about being impressive. It is about being ready.
A few examples:
- If you want to negotiate well, practice your offer out loud and role play.
- If you want to speak well, join a Toastmasters group (that’s what I did) or record yourself and watch joe many filer words you have, even when it makes you cringe.
- If you want a stronger team, practice feedback conversations before you have them.
- If you want to show up live on TikTok, record yourself talking for one minute straight
Failing in private is not a problem. It’s the plan.
Durable truth #2: Consistency leads to capacity
Capacity is your ability to hold more without falling apart. More clients. More complexity. More visibility. More responsibility.
Capacity rarely shows up first. It is built.
Consistency is how you build it:
- one outreach a day becomes a pipeline
- one page a day becomes a book
- one workout at a time becomes strength
- one hard conversation at a time becomes leadership
- one post a week becomes a brand
So if you feel like you are “behind,” you might not need a new plan. You might just need a smaller plan you can keep.
Durable truth #3: The most important thing to do is choosing the most important thing to do
This one sounds obvious, but it is the one that changes everything.
The most important thing you need to do is figure out what the most important thing to do is.
These past two weeks I’ve been leading Best Year Planning sessions with entrepreneurs- helping them reflect on their wins, their challenges, their lessons. It’s been a game changer for creating a life that they want not only me but then.
Because we only have a finite amount of time to live. And a finite amount of energy each day. If you spend that energy on the wrong things, you can stay busy for years and still feel stuck.
Focus is a decision you make again and again.
A helpful way to think about it:
- If you don’t choose your priorities, your inbox will do it for you.
- If you don’t decide what matters, other people’s requests will fill your calendar.
- If you don’t protect your attention, your phone will take it.
A successful life, and a successful business, comes down to focused energy on what matters most.
A simple practice for this week
Step 1: Pick one skill to build with reps
Choose one skill that would make your business easier 90 days from now.
Examples: negotiating, writing, a reel, AI, public speaking.
Define the rep. Make it tiny and clear.
Examples:
- “Write 150 words”
- “Record a 45-second video”
- “Send one follow-up”
- “Practice my pitch once out loud”
Do it in private first. You are allowed to be bad here.
Do it 5 days in a row. Not perfect. Just done.
Step 2: Decide your “one thing” for the next 7 days
Answer this in one sentence:
If I only move one thing forward this week, it should be:
Then ask:
- What can I pause that is not helping that one thing?
- What can I say no to for seven days?
- What is the smallest daily action that keeps that one thing moving?
If you want, hit reply and tell me your rep and your one thing for the week.
