The Wall You Keep Hitting Is the Way Forward

You ever stand over your bed at 10pm (midnight for some of you), exhausted… and pick up your phone anyway?
You know you need sleep. You know it’s good for you. But somehow, you’re still scrolling.

That’s resistance.
And most of us are at war with it every day.

In Grow or Die, we talk a lot about the journey of growth. And one thing I’ve seen again and again—both in myself and in others—is how naturally we take the path of least resistance. Like water flowing downhill, we reach for whatever feels easiest. But the habit of avoiding resistance quietly holds us back from becoming who we say we want to be.

Growth isn’t about finding more motivation. It’s about building the muscle to keep going without it.

The Cost of Avoiding Resistance

Every time we dodge resistance, we widen the gap between what we say we want and what we actually do.

I’ve seen it too often: people set big goals, start strong, and then quietly slip away the moment it stops being convenient. Not because they’re weak, but because they never built the muscle to push through.

Data backs it up. Studies show that people who avoid small challenges over time feel more stuck, less motivated, and more misaligned with their values.

So let’s just call it:
You will not grow if you avoid resistance.
Resistance isn’t the enemy. It’s an invitation.

And the only way to accept that invitation is to take action.

Starting with the “What,” Even If You’re Not Ready

In Grow or Die, we’re big on reps.
You won’t always have clarity before you take action. And that’s okay. Sometimes the rep comes first. You do what you know is good for you, even if you don’t fully understand it yet. And over time, the meaning starts to take shape.

The “what” is that first rep.
Go to the gym. Turn off your phone. Write one page. Take the step—even if you’re unsure.

That first movement matters more than you think.
Clarity doesn’t always come before action.
But action can spark clarity.
And over time, consistency shapes conviction.

So what happens when that action meets resistance?

That’s where things get real.

Asking “Why” Changes Everything

Eventually, resistance gets louder.
You hit a wall and ask, “Why am I doing this?”

Don’t ignore that moment. Lean into it.

Most people stop there. They hit the discomfort and back off. But real leaders dig. Not just once. Over and over again.

Ask “why” until you find something that actually moves you.

Sometimes that digging reveals a misalignment. You realize you’re chasing something that doesn’t match who you want to be. And that’s okay. Letting go of something that no longer fits is part of growth too.

But other times, we walk away too soon.
Not because it’s wrong, but because our “why” wasn’t anchored deep enough. That’s the danger. If you never push far enough to build conviction, you’ll keep abandoning the things you actually need most.

3 REASONS WE STOP AT THE WALL

• We mistake resistance for a sign to quit

• We confuse discomfort with misalignment

• We never take the time to anchor a real “Why”

When you avoid resistance, you don’t just rob yourself.
You rob the people who needed you to push through it.

Your “why” is what grounds you when everything else gets hard. It turns resistance into a compass, and repetition into transformation.

And no, it doesn’t always show up quickly.
Sometimes it takes months.
Sometimes it takes years.

But if you keep showing up, the “why” will meet you there.

A Quick Story From My Life

For me, this showed up in something as simple as sleep.
I used to stay up late even though I knew I needed rest. I’d wake up tired, foggy, and frustrated. People around me noticed. I noticed. But I kept doing it.

I was showing up tired to meetings, crashing midday, and convincing myself I could lead others while quietly running on fumes.

Eventually, I started asking myself why I kept avoiding rest. And I realized: if I want to be a healthy leader—the kind of person others can count on—I have to take care of the one body I’ve been given.

That was back in August 2023. And I’m still working on it.

Though I’ve made a lot of progress (averaging 7+ hours of sleep most months) I’m not there yet. I’m still anchoring into my “why.” It might take me a couple more years. But I’m okay with that.

Because the “why” I’m building is worth it.

From a Strong “Why” to a Powerful “How”

Once your “why” is strong, your “how” gets clearer.

You stop copying other people’s plans and start building rhythms that fit your life. You enjoy the process more. You stay consistent longer. And you stop needing external motivation because your internal conviction is strong enough to carry you.

This next part—this is what fires me up the most.

Once you’ve walked through resistance, you’re in a position to lead others through it.

That’s what leadership really is.
Not just doing hard things for yourself.
But becoming the kind of person others can follow through their own resistance too.

Face the Resistance You’ve Been Avoiding

Here’s your challenge:

Pick one area where you’ve been avoiding resistance.
Just one.

Then ask why.
Not once. Keep going. Until it hurts. Until it humbles you. Until it moves you.

Then share it—with someone you trust or inside the Growdie community.

Because if you can’t name one area you’re avoiding…
that’s the area.

And if you keep skipping this work,
don’t be surprised when your growth plateaus.

This isn’t about proving something.
It’s about becoming someone.

Don’t wait for clarity to show up.
Show up and let clarity meet you there.

Let’s stop avoiding the hard stuff.
Let’s grow through it.

One rep at a time. 💯

You’ve Already Mastered One Life-Changing Habit (You Just Don’t Think About It)

Every person reading this has already mastered one habit that changed their life. You just don’t think about it anymore.

It’s something you’ve done tens of thousands of times, and you probably did it this morning without thinking.

Let’s talk about brushing your teeth.

It sounds almost too simple, right? But stick with me. There’s a whole world of growth lessons hidden in this everyday habit.

I’ll let you in on a little secret: I actually hated brushing my teeth as a kid. (Yep, my parents can definitely vouch for this!) I’d avoid it whenever I could, and it took a lot of nudging before it finally stuck. But eventually, it did. And I’m so glad they pushed me because now it’s automatic, effortless, and essential.

When a Chore Becomes a Habit

Believe it or not, brushing your teeth wasn’t always a given. There was a time when people didn’t see it as necessary, and the results showed: tooth decay, yellow teeth, bad breath, and even losing teeth early.

Health advocates realized the solution wasn’t more information, it was behavior change. Even when people knew the consequences, they didn’t care enough to act. It just felt like a chore with no immediate reward.

So they added a cue and a payoff — the minty fresh feeling. Suddenly brushing didn’t just clean your mouth, it felt good. That simple reward helped millions of people turn a task into a lifelong habit.

That’s the turning point — when something stops being what you do and starts becoming who you are.

Once adults got hooked, they passed it on to their kids. And sure, kids resisted (I know I did), but after thousands of reminders, something clicked. Over time, brushing became automatic, a habit we rarely think about but always do.

If you started brushing your teeth twice a day around age four or five, first with help, then on your own, by the time you’re thirty, you’ve put in nearly 20,000 reps.

That’s twenty thousand intentional actions you barely even think about anymore.

When Nothing Can Stop You

Here’s what blows my mind about brushing your teeth — it’s failure proof.

We brush when we’re sick, tired, scared, frustrated, or overwhelmed. Whatever emotion or challenge tries to stop you, you still brush your teeth.

If you lose your toothbrush, you buy a new one.

If your toothpaste runs out, you replace it.

Even when you’re sick or exhausted, you still find a way. That’s what a deeply built habit looks like.

It’s so deeply ingrained that nothing can stop it. You don’t debate it. You don’t overthink it. You just do it.

And that’s what’s possible with any growth habit you want to build.

When something becomes part of who you are, you’ll tackle any resistance that tries to get in your way. You’ll push through bad days, bad moods, and even bad experiences because it’s no longer a decision.

It’s a rhythm.

It’s who you’ve become.

Consistency doesn’t need motivation; it needs identity.

The Reps That Build You And The Ones That Break You

Now, let’s flip the script.

Just like you’ve built thousands of reps brushing your teeth, think about the habits that might not be serving you — like picking up your phone.

The average person picks up their phone 80 to 100 times a day.

That doesn’t even count the 2,600 touches we make once it’s in our hands.

Over a decade, that’s hundreds of thousands of mindless actions. Each one gives your brain a small dopamine hit, training it to crave quick relief and constant stimulation.

By your 20s or 30s, that habit is just as automatic as brushing, but instead of health, it builds distraction and restlessness. The reps are there either way.

One habit keeps your mouth healthy. The other chips away at your focus.

The habits that shape your life aren’t the loud ones; they're the quiet ones you build on purpose.

Small Wins That Compound

Take Paul from Growdie. He used to hate flossing — never did it. But on January 19th, 2025, he decided to start. In that first month, he flossed 12 times. By February, 27. And from March through mid-October, he’s been flossing almost every single day — 265 times this year.

His wife even started a group text between the three of us: “Thank you, Growdie, for helping Paul become a daily flosser!” 😂

It’s those small, consistent wins that add up, not just for you, but for the people around you. That’s what real growth looks like: one simple action, repeated enough times to become part of who you are.

Your 300-Rep Challenge

We’ve seen how brushing your teeth became a habit that serves you, and how picking up your phone became one that doesn’t.

So here’s the real question: what habits are you putting reps into every day?

If you want to strengthen your relationship with God, spend time reading Scripture and praying.

If you want to grow in self-awareness, journal daily or take a moment to reflect before bed.

If you want to learn faster, read or listen to something that stretches your thinking.

Every habit compounds. Every rep counts. And over time, those small actions shape who you become.

So here’s my challenge to you:

Pick one habit you can see yourself building 300 reps in. Just 300.

Imagine how different your life could be if you showed up that consistently.

If you can do it for your teeth, you can do it for your growth. You just have to decide it matters that much.

Make your growth as automatic as brushing your teeth.

We’ll be there to cheer you on every rep of the way.

I’m Too Distracted to Be Present

I can’t remember the last time I forgot about my phone.
Even when I set it down, part of my mind stays tethered to it, waiting for the next vibration, alert, or reminder.

I sat down to read for half an hour — just thirty minutes of focus.
By minute seven, I had checked my phone twice, added a reminder to my calendar, and started thinking about what I’d do once I finished reading.
Nothing urgent happened. My brain just couldn’t stay.
I wish I was exaggerating, but that’s my real scorecard for focus lately.

I knew I wanted to write about presence this week because it’s something I’m working on as a leader, but honestly, I felt underprepared.
So I did some research, and what I found blew me away.

The average person can only focus on one screen for about 47 seconds before switching to something else.
Twenty years ago, it was two and a half minutes.
That’s insane.

We touch our phones over 2,600 times a day.
We’ve trained ourselves to live in constant motion.
Our brains are always on alert, waiting for the next text, the next email, the next notification.
Even when we’re still, our attention isn’t.

Dr. Gloria Mark, who has studied attention for over two decades, says this isn’t just distraction — it’s conditioning.
Every time we switch tasks, we leave behind what she calls attention residue.
Part of our mind stays stuck on what we just left.
So when we move on, we’re actually carrying clutter from everything before.

No wonder it feels hard to focus, pray, read, or even finish a conversation.
Our attention span has been stretched thin, quietly shaping how we grow, lead, and think.
Distraction doesn’t just make us less productive. It makes us less present with the people who matter.

We’ve mistaken motion for progress.

What Distraction Does to the Brain

Here’s what’s wild: every time you switch tasks, it takes your brain about 23 minutes to fully refocus. That’s a real number from researchers at the University of California.

So if you’re interrupted five or six times an hour (which is normal for most people), you’re never fully focused on anything.
Your brain is constantly rebooting.

This is why we feel so tired even when we haven’t done anything physical.
The mind burns energy trying to restart.
And every notification, every glance at the phone, sends a small hit of dopamine that trains your brain to love distraction.

We’ve trained our brains to chase the next thing, and it’s showing up everywhere.
If we can’t focus, we can’t lead.
The leaders who learn to slow down will be the ones who keep growing.

This is why rest doesn’t feel restful.
The mind doesn’t know how to be still anymore.

Presence is what happens when you stop rushing and start paying attention.

Why We Resist Being Present

This month I’ve been doing 30 minutes of focused reading every day. It sounds simple, but I’ll be honest — it’s hard.
By minute seven, I want to check my phone or think about what I need to do next.
It’s not because I don’t want to grow. It’s because stillness feels uncomfortable.

Our brains love easy rewards. Every scroll, every ping, every like gives a little burst of dopamine.
Presence doesn’t work like that. It’s slower. It’s quieter. But it’s deeper.

When I push through the urge to move, something happens.
The noise fades. My thoughts settle.
That’s when I actually learn. That’s when growth happens.

We don’t resist presence because we’re weak. We resist it because it makes us face ourselves.

But if you want to grow, you have to stay long enough to feel uncomfortable.
That’s where transformation begins.

Most people aren’t addicted to their phones. They’re addicted to avoiding themselves.

What Practicing Presence Looks Like for Me

Every morning, I’ve started sitting in silence for five minutes.
It’s one of the simplest things I do in Growdie, but also one of the hardest.

As I’m finishing this blog, I’m at 62 reps of morning silence.
After 62 reps, I should be great at it, right?
Wrong.

Just this morning, I made it 45 seconds before I was ready to quit.
I caught myself thinking about everything but the quiet I was supposed to be sitting in.

When I finally made it through all five minutes, I didn’t feel peaceful. I felt exposed.
I realized how loud my mind had become, how much noise I let in every day.

Most mornings, those five minutes feel like a mirror I don’t want to look into.
But there have also been mornings where five minutes felt like nothing. I actually enjoyed the stillness.
It gives me a glimpse of what’s possible, of what this could become after 300 reps or more.

Regardless of how I feel, I’m staying with it. The reward is presence, and it’s something I’ll continue to fight for.

That’s what this whole process is about.
It’s not about perfection.
It’s about showing up.

I’m not trying to master silence.
I’m trying to rewire my brain, one rep at a time.

And that’s what I want for every leader reading this: not control, not balance, but the ability to stay when your mind wants to run.

You can’t grow what you can’t stay with.

Why the World Needs Present Leaders

This is where leadership comes in.

Presence sits at the center of every leadership skill you have.
A single focused conversation can restore direction faster than a week of scattered meetings.

People don’t quit jobs as often as they quit distracted leaders.
When a leader listens, people open up.
When a leader is distracted, people shut down.
You can’t expect people to give their best attention if you never give them yours.

Gallup found that teams with engaged, attentive leaders are almost 60% more engaged themselves.
But only one in three employees believe their manager actually listens.
That gap is huge. It’s the difference between a team that’s alive and a team that’s just showing up.

Presence rebuilds what distraction breaks down.
It turns communication into connection, and connection into commitment.
A leader who listens builds culture faster than one who just talks.
And organizations that prioritize deep work outperform those addicted to busy work, not because they work harder, but because they think longer.

Presence has always marked great leaders. Now, it’s their competitive edge.

What’s Hurting Our Focus

Our attention is under attack.
Here are the biggest culprits:

1. Constant social media — your brain learns that scrolling = reward.

2. Multitasking — every switch burns focus.

3. Notifications — even when you ignore them, your brain doesn’t.

4. Short-form content — quick hits train you to crave speed.

5. Exhaustion — a tired brain can’t focus, no matter how hard you try.

Every one of these trains your brain to expect interruption.

And yes, addiction plays a role.
Every ping becomes a loop: cue → anticipation → response → relief.
But even without addiction, our environment keeps us overstimulated and under-recovered.

The reality is, distraction feels normal now.
But normal isn’t the goal. Growth is.

Distraction doesn’t just steal focus. It steals purpose.

How to Rebuild Your Focus

The good news is, attention is trainable.
Here’s what helps me and the leaders I interact with:

1. Deep reading — one page at a time, no phone nearby.

2. Prayer and reflection — stillness strengthens awareness.

3. Exercise — move your body, clear your mind.

4. Nature — walk outside, fresh air resets attention.

5. Focused reps — track your growth in Growdie. Each rep trains your mind to stay.

6. Rest — sleep is your reset button. Don’t skip it.

Focus doesn’t return overnight. It’s rebuilt through repetition.

Every one of these habits does the same thing — they force you to stay.
Stay with the thought. Stay with the task. Stay with the person in front of you.

Each time you stay, you grow stronger.

Presence isn’t something you achieve. It’s something you practice every day.

Why I Love Growdie

I’ve been using Growdie every single day since the beginning of the year.
And I can honestly say this: I like social growth more than social media.

Growdie is growing slowly — and I’m good with that.
Because the people I get to grow with have changed me this year.

I’ve built habits I used to only talk about.
I’ve broken ones I used to make excuses for.
Not because of willpower, but because I see the reps people are putting in every day.

It’s encouraging.
I love opening Growdie and seeing what others are building.
It’s slowly giving me my attention back — something social media never could.
The more I use it, the more focused I’ve become.
Growdie has made me more effective in my day-to-day life, and I mean that.
I’d rather watch the journey of someone quietly building than another highlight reel.
Show me the boring stuff over the quick hits.

This isn’t a community about looking impressive.
It’s a place for people who are done living distracted, people showing up, putting in the reps, and choosing the long game over the quick fix.

Growdie is for people who are done scrolling and ready to start growing.

That’s what Growdie is about: healthy, sustainable growth that lasts.

Your Challenge

If this hit home, try this:
Take five minutes of silence each morning for the next five days.
No music. No phone. Just you.

Log it in Growdie.
See what happens when you replace distraction with presence, and choose to stay instead of scroll.
Watch what it does to your focus, your mood, and your leadership.

Don’t do it to be productive.
Do it to remember what focus feels like.

You don’t need to master presence.
You just need to practice it.

The Takeaway

Presence isn’t optional anymore.
If you don’t build it, the world will take it from you.

Every scroll steals focus.
Every notification rewires your brain to crave noise.
Every time you avoid silence, you’re choosing comfort over clarity.

Most people will live distracted and call it normal.
Leaders can’t afford to.

You can’t grow what you can’t stay with.
You can’t lead what you can’t focus on.
You can’t build anything that lasts if your attention’s always somewhere else.

That’s why presence matters — because distraction destroys everything faster than failure ever could.

Start small.
Five minutes of silence.
One focused rep.
One decision to stay.

That’s where growth begins — one focused moment at a time.
And the leaders who learn to stay will be the ones who build what lasts. 💯

Your First 300 Reps: What Happens After the Excitement Fades.

Most people stop before 100 reps.

Not because they can’t keep going, but because they don’t understand what’s really happening when growth starts to get hard.

We’ll use working out as the example, but this isn’t about workouts.

It’s about what it feels like to build anything that lasts.

Every habit follows a familiar path: excitement, resistance, rhythm, identity, and overflow. The reps you put in, and the intention behind them, are what shape you.

Let’s walk through what your first 300 reps will feel like.

Phase 1: The Spark (1-10 Reps)

You’re fired up. It’s new. You feel unstoppable.

The first workouts are fun. You leave the gym sweaty, proud, and sore — a good kind of sore that convinces you change is already taking shape.

Insight: This isn’t transformation yet. It’s adrenaline. You’re in love with the idea of growth.

Tip: Start small. Build consistency before intensity.

Phase 2: The Dip (11-30 Reps)

The soreness lingers. You miss a day. You start to wonder if it’s even working.

You compare yourself to others or to where you thought you’d be by now.

Insight: You’re building roots, not rewards. Most people quit here because they don’t feel results yet.

Tip: Lower the bar. A short, imperfect workout beats none at all. Showing up matters more than showing off.

Phase 3: The Disruption (31-60 Reps)

Life gets messy. Work piles up. You get sick. You miss a few days and start hearing that voice again. “Maybe I’ll restart next week.”

Insight: This is the real test. Life is testing whether your commitment is optional or essential.

Tip: Don’t start over. Start again. The power is in how fast you return.

Phase 4: The Shift (61-100 Reps)

Something clicks. You start to feel off when you skip.

The gym becomes your reset button, not your obligation.

Insight: You’re crossing from emotion to identity. You still resist it some days, but now you expect that feeling and move through it anyway.

Tip: Reflect daily/weekly. Notice what’s changing in your energy, focus, and confidence.

Phase 5: The Integration (101-200 Reps)

Your workouts start fitting naturally into your day.

You plan around them instead of trying to squeeze them in.

Insight: You’ve built a rhythm that survives real life. It’s not fragile anymore.

Tip: Be flexible, not rigid. Swap time or location if you have to. Just keep the reps alive.

Phase 6: The Identity (201-300 Reps)

You rearrange your day to protect your workouts.

You don’t need motivation anymore. It’s just part of who you are.

Insight: This is what integrity looks like — doing what you said you would do, long after the feeling fades.

Tip: Help someone else start. Bringing others in strengthens your own consistency.

Phase 7: The Overflow (300+ Reps)

This is where it truly changes you.

You can be sick, tired, busy, or traveling, and you’ll still find a way to move.

You invite others into what you’re doing because it’s easy to share.

You adjust your schedule without stress.

Missing once is fine. Missing twice feels off. Not from guilt, but because you know how much better you are when you show up.

It’s not about the workout anymore.

It’s about how it shapes the way you live, lead, and serve others.

Imagine 1,000 Reps…

At 1,000 reps, you’re not forcing it. It flows.

You don’t lose your rhythm when life gets chaotic.

You bring people into your routines naturally.

You’re grounded, steady, and peaceful.

It’s not about personal progress anymore.

It’s about who you’ve become for the people around you.

The People You Don’t Want to Become (When It Comes to Growth)

When you start stacking real reps, you’ll notice something. Not everyone who looks disciplined is still growing.

Some people are experienced, but they’ve stopped evolving. Others look consistent, but they’ve stopped paying attention.

These aren’t bad people. They’re just stuck in old versions of themselves.

Here’s what it looks like when maturity turns into maintenance.

1. The “Used To” Person

They’ve done the work before. They built habits, achieved goals, and have stories to prove it. But a lot of their stories start with the same line.

What they say: “I used to…”

They talk about the season they used to be hungry, focused, or intentional, but not the one they’re living in now.

What’s missing: Hunger. They stopped pushing to become better.

2. The Talker

They know the language of growth. They can tell you exactly what to do and how to do it, but they aren’t doing it themselves.

What they say: “I’ve done it before. I know what works for me.”

They sound confident, but that confidence has turned into complacency.

What’s missing: Follow through. Their understanding outgrew their discipline.

3. The Specialist

They’ve built real skill in one lane — maybe fitness, business, or a specific area of life. But they’ve stopped expanding beyond it, repeating what works instead of growing into who they could become.

What they say: “I’ve been doing this the same way for years. It works.”

They mistake stability for progress, staying where they’re comfortable instead of reaching for more.

What’s missing: Adaptation. They’ve stayed loyal to what’s familiar instead of faithful to who they're becoming.

4. The Shortcut Seeker

They’re always looking for the easier route. A faster hack, a better tool, a new system.

What they say: “There’s a quicker way to do that.”

They want the results without the resistance.

What’s missing: Depth. They avoid the struggle that builds staying power.

5. The Maintainer

They still do the habit, but they’re just going through the motions.

What they say: “I still do it every day. It’s just part of my routine now.”

They sound steady, but there’s no stretch behind it.

What’s missing: Purpose. They’re consistent, but not connected to who they’re becoming through it.

The Person You Want to Become: The Builder

The Builder isn’t perfect. They’re just present.

They keep showing up, keep learning, and keep refining. They’re humble enough to grow again and honest enough to know they still need to.

What they say: “I’m still learning.”

What makes them different:

• They don’t just do reps. They do them with awareness.

• They evolve across every area of life, not just one.

• They stay teachable, even when they’re strong.

The Builder keeps becoming.
And that’s who you want to model your growth after.

Keep Building

Reps build rhythm. Intention turns rhythm into growth.

You can log hundreds of reps and still stay the same, or you can bring full attention to every one and never be the same again.

Don’t rush it. Every rep is building something deeper than progress. It’s shaping the foundation you’ll stand on later.

Keep going until it feels strange not to.

That’s where real growth starts to overflow. 💯

What Are You Really Doing With Your Time?

Our lives look a lot more alike than we think. It might seem like some people are living these wildly exciting lives, but when you look at the numbers, our routines look strikingly similar.

The American Time Use Survey (ATUS), run by the U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics, tracks how people in America actually spend their hours each day—on work, household tasks, leisure, and more.

Here’s what the data shows:

• In every age group—20s, 30s, 40s, 50s—there are blocks of time dedicated to work (or school), household responsibilities, and personal care.

• But one category stands out for how consistent it is: leisure and sports. Across almost every age bracket, people average 4 to 5+ hours a day on leisure activities.

• Work hours may rise and fall, family needs may shift, and even health demands change, but that block of unstructured free time shows up in every stage of life.

So yes, the details shift. But the overlap is undeniable: we all have leisure time. And that’s where the opportunity lies.

If we all have 4–5 hours of leisure every day, what are you really doing with yours?

What 14 Minutes Can Do

Now imagine if you took just 1% of that leisure time and made it intentional. One percent of your day is 14.4 minutes. Even that tiny slice could help you grow.

And before you roll your eyes at the whole “1% better” talk, let’s put it in perspective. The top leisure activity in America? *Drum roll.*

Watching TV and video—2.6 hours a day on average.

If we can give more than two hours a day to screens, we can give 14 minutes to growth.

Let’s break it down:

• If you spent 14 minutes reading every day and hit it 80% of the time, you’d finish 10–12 books in a year.

• If you used that time to encourage someone every day, that’s over 200 encouragements in a year.

• If you used it to reflect, journal, or practice a new skill, you’d build a consistent habit that reshapes your life.

Over a year, 14 minutes a day adds up to nearly 90 hours. That’s the equivalent of a college course or training for and running multiple marathons. What could you do with 90 hours?

It’s not about massive overhauls. It’s about small, mindful shifts that compound. Over time, that 1% becomes a steady force that changes your relationships, your mindset, and your actions.

Fifteen Minutes That Changed Everything

A habit that has completely changed my life is stretching for 10–15 minutes a day. For years, I made excuses. I knew I needed to stretch, but I never stuck with it. Then in 2019, I read Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins. One of his running stories freaked me out enough to finally take stretching seriously.

I made myself a deal: I wouldn’t work out until I stretched. That one boundary shifted everything. I found a solid stretching routine and I’ve been consistent ever since. For over six years now, those 10-15 minutes a day have improved my workouts, increased my mobility, and saved me from injuries.

That’s what 15 minutes has done for me. Now imagine what 15 minutes could do for you.

And stretching is just one habit. Over time, small 15-minute choices like this have stacked into a morning routine that now fuels my entire day. It didn’t happen overnight. It started with 1%.

That’s the compounding power of time invested well.

The Choice Is Yours

Here’s what I know: growth doesn’t just happen. You have to own the process. You have to make the intentional choice every single day.

So what’s holding you back from giving 1%? We know the time is there. Now it’s up to you to be intentional with it.

Don’t waste the time you already have. 💯

The Power of Reps

For years, I lived on autopilot. I wasn’t being intentional, I was just reacting to whatever came my way. Then one day, it hit me like a ton of bricks: if I don’t take ownership of my days, someone else will.

That’s when I started thinking about growth differently. It wasn’t about waiting for the perfect moment or relying on bursts of motivation. It was about stacking reps day after day, week after week.

Growth is rarely convenient. If you try to make it convenient, you will stall your growth.

That’s why I live by this: I want to grow every day. Not one or two, not when it’s easy, not when I feel like it—every day. It’s exactly what Grow or Die means.

When I say Grow Every Day, it isn’t just an inspirational phrase. It’s a framework built on three parts:

Action + Consistency + Self-Awareness

• Action — What am I doing?

• Consistency — Is it sustainable?

• Self-Awareness — What kind of growth am I experiencing from doing it?

But here’s the key: none of this works without intentionality.

Without intentionality, you’ll only grow when it feels easy or when you’re motivated. Motivation fades, and convenience in growth is rare. Intentionality is what keeps you consistent—even when it’s hard.

Think of it like this:

• Convenience — 7 reps this month. Feels good in the moment, but no real progress.

• Intensity — 30 days straight, then back to old patterns. A quick high, no lasting change.

• Intentionality — 28 reps this month, carried into the next. A streak doesn’t matter. What matters is building a rhythm you can sustain.

Ron’s Story

Ron has been tracking his reps in Growdie since January 2025. So far this year, he has logged over 404 reps in People Development—404 intentional actions to grow in his relationships.

His top two activities?

• Quality time with his kids — 187 reps

• Quality time with his spouse — 159 reps

If you sat down with Ron, you’d quickly hear his love for his family. He would also tell you that not every rep is easy. But one of his core values is to be Famous at Home—and for him, that value isn’t abstract, it’s tangible. He prioritizes his family daily. He gets reps daily.

Ask him why, and he’ll tell you he needs the accountability. He wants to be held accountable to who he says he wants to be.

That’s the power of reps. They don’t just stack actions; they shape identity. Because of his reps, Ron is a better listener. He communicates better. He asks better questions. He’s more supportive. He’s more present.

The Bigger Picture

Ron’s story shows what intentional reps look like in practice. Intentional reps don’t just build habits, they build who you become.

Growth isn’t seen in action alone. It’s the combination of action, consistency, and self-awareness:

• Action → Building habits and setting priorities.

• Consistency → Sustaining your habits and completing your priorities 80% of the time.

• Self-Awareness → Knowing who you are and who you are becoming in every season and having the language to articulate it.

Here’s what happens when you commit to reps:

• Reps reveal patterns — You start to see what’s working and what’s not.

• Reps compound — One builds on another, momentum takes over.

• Reps normalize difficulty — What was once hard becomes second nature.

• Reps build identity — You don’t just do the action, you become the kind of person who does it.

• Reps create opportunity — With enough practice, you’re ready when bigger doors open.

At the end of the day, I don’t just want to look back and see moments of growth here and there. I want to know I grew every day. That only happens when I show up, stack my reps, and let them shape who I become.

Growth isn’t built on convenience. It’s built on intentional reps, every day.

That’s what we’re doing inside Growdie. We are showing up every single day to grow. If you’re ready to take your growth to the next level, there is no better high-accountability tool out there. If you can put your ego aside and commit to showing up and doing the work, just like Ron, you can experience growth in ways you’ve never experienced before. 💯

From Living in Your Head to Using Your Brain: A Guide to Being More Present

In our busy world, it’s easy to find ourselves living in our heads. We replay conversations, worry about what might happen tomorrow, and lose touch with the present moment. But what if we could shift from just living in our brain to truly using it? The difference is the gap between feeling stuck and actually moving forward.

Definitions

Living in Your Brain — Getting caught in endless loops of rumination, worry, and self-doubt. You feel like you’re busy, but you’re not actually moving forward.

Using Your Brain — Being present, reflective, and intentional. You think to learn, talk with others to connect, and take action with purpose.

Why People Live in Their Brain

Why do so many people stay trapped in their head? Honestly, it feels easier. It feels safe. Thinking about every scenario gives us the illusion of control. It can even feel productive, like we’re working on something by running it over in our mind. But the truth is, it’s often a form of avoidance. It keeps us from actually engaging with life, people, and growth in front of us.

Everyday Scenarios

Thinking

Imagine you make a mistake in a meeting. If you’re living in your brain, you leave replaying every word you said. On the drive home, you’re stuck in a spiral of “I should’ve said this” or “They probably think I’m incompetent.” By the time you walk in the door, you’re exhausted, and nothing has actually changed.

If you’re using your brain, you acknowledge the mistake, reflect on how to handle it better next time, and maybe even draft a quick follow-up email to clarify. You turn a mistake into growth instead of into anxiety.

Talking with Others

Picture yourself catching up with a friend. Living in your brain, you dominate the conversation. You’re talking, but not really listening, because in your head you’re rehearsing what you’ll say next. They leave feeling unseen.

Using your brain looks different: you ask questions, pay attention to their tone and words, and respond thoughtfully. The conversation becomes a connection, not just an exchange of words.

Taking Action

You decide you want to start running. If you’re living in your brain, you spend weeks researching the perfect shoes, debating the best training program, and imagining how great it will feel. But when the alarm goes off at 6 a.m., you hit snooze.

Using your brain means you pick a simple plan, put on whatever shoes you have, and start moving. No overthinking. Just steady action that builds momentum.

What the Science Says

Research shows that rumination is strongly linked to anxiety and depression (Nolen-Hoeksema, 2000). Reflection, however, helps regulate emotions and improves problem-solving. Studies on mindfulness reveal that staying in the present moment improves relationships, sharpens decision-making, and reduces stress (Keng, Smoski, & Robins, 2011).

In other words: the science confirms what we feel. Living in your brain drains you. Using your brain builds resilience, clarity, and stronger connections.

Long-Term Impact Across Seven Focus Areas

If you continue living in your brain, you limit your growth potential and miss out on the man or woman you could become. Over time, this choice seeps into every area of life. But when you learn to use your brain with presence and purpose, the same areas open up with opportunity.

Personal Development

Living in your brain stalls growth as you replay mistakes instead of learning.

Using your brain fuels lifelong learning, wisdom, and steady growth.

Professional Development

Living in your brain leads to hesitation and missed opportunities.

Using your brain builds confidence, sharper decision-making, and stronger leadership.

People Development

Living in your brain keeps you distant, present in body but not in spirit.

Using your brain deepens relationships through real listening and connection.

Play and Experiential

Living in your brain steals joy from the moment.

Using your brain helps you fully savor experiences and create lasting memories.

Health and Fitness

Living in your brain leads to excuses and inconsistency.

Using your brain drives intentional care for your body and sustainable health.

Financial Health

Living in your brain delays or avoids money decisions.

Using your brain brings clarity, discipline, and alignment with values.

Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual Health

Living in your brain erodes purpose and leaves you disconnected.

Using your brain grounds you in meaning and strengthens resilience.

My heart for every leader is healthy, sustainable growth. When you use your brain, you don’t just get by, you move forward with consistency across every area of life. Over a lifetime, that’s the difference between being stuck and becoming who you were meant to be.

Closing

Shifting from living in your brain to using it is about awareness and presence. With practice, you can break free from mental loops and step into clarity. You’ll think to learn, talk with others to connect, and take action with purpose. And that shift will touch every part of your life. 💯

The Stubborn Grip of Unhealthy Habits

The Reality of Stubborn Habits

Some habits feel unshakable. You win for a week, a month, even a year, then the old pattern pulls you back in. Science tells us this isn’t weakness, it’s wiring.

Habits form because your brain carves a neural pathway, making the behavior automatic. The longer you’ve repeated it, the deeper the pathway. Undoing that process takes time and repeated effort, because your brain is used to following the grooves it knows best.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

• Research shows it takes an average of 66 days to form a new habit, but for deeply ingrained ones it can take much longer—sometimes six months to a year of consistent effort.

• Studies on relapse reveal that 40–60% of people trying to change a behavior slip back within the first six months. That shows how much persistence it really takes to rewire old patterns.

• Brain research shows that even after we stop a habit, the old pathways remain. That’s why urges can resurface years later when stress or triggers hit.

Change is possible, but it’s never instant.

The Grip That Holds You Back

Unhealthy habits don’t just hurt you in the moment, they rob you of what could be. Every time you fall back into the pattern, you lose time and energy that could have been used for something better.

The grip of an unhealthy habit takes up the very mental, emotional, and physical space where a healthy habit should live.

Think about it:

• The hours you spend scrolling late at night are the hours that could’ve been filled with rest, clarity, and energy for the next day.

• The money spent on impulse buys could have been invested in your future or your family’s future.

• The energy drained by procrastination could have fueled a dream, a discipline, or a relationship.

Unhealthy habits block the space where greatness, discipline, and purpose are meant to grow.

Why We Quit Too Soon

Many people stop before they see lasting change because their reasons for starting are too shallow.

• “I want to look good this summer.”

• “Everyone else is doing it.”

• “I just want to get ahead in my career.”

Shallow reasons create shallow roots. And shallow roots don’t last in the storm.

What Actually Holds You

The kind of change that lasts comes from identity.

• “I want to be a father who shapes a legacy of presence, not pass down distraction.”

• “I want to honor God with how I take care of my body.”

• “I want to lead with vision that lasts, not recycle patterns that hold people back.”

This is where transformation begins. When the “why” runs deep enough, the “how” becomes sustainable.

The Pain and the Hope

The pain of breaking a habit is real. It’s failure after failure, and you can feel like you’ll never escape. But failure isn’t the end, it’s part of the rewiring. Every time you choose differently, even if you fall again tomorrow, you’re digging a new groove.

Over time, that groove gets deeper. And the old one starts to fade.

It’s not overnight. It’s not easy. But it’s possible. 💯

Navigating the Messy Middle: Why We Stumble and How to Keep Going

It’s easy to start strong. The launch of a new habit, project, or goal comes with a surge of excitement. But there’s a phase in every journey where that initial spark dims: the messy middle. This is the part where motivation fades, distractions creep in, and the path forward feels less clear.

So why do we stumble here, and what can we do about it? Let’s break down the real challenges of the middle and how to keep your momentum alive.

1. Losing Sight of the ‘Why’

In the beginning, your purpose is front and center. But as you get into the daily flow, that vision can get a bit cloudy. When you forget why you started, the middle feels like a drag. The key is to regularly re-anchor yourself to your deeper reason. Even a quick reflection can pull you back on track.

2. The Dip in Novelty

What started as fresh and exciting eventually becomes routine. The middle is where the novelty wears off, and boredom can creep in. The solution isn’t to chase newness but to find meaning in the routine. This might be where tracking comes in, not as the main focus, but just as a tool to notice small wins and keep yourself engaged.

3. The Long Game vs. Quick Wins

In the messy middle, we often get impatient. We’re not seeing instant results anymore, and it’s tempting to think we’re not making progress. This is where you shift focus to the long game. The middle is where slow, steady progress actually happens, even if it’s not flashy.

4. Building Systems and Finding Support

When motivation dips, that’s your cue to rely on simple systems and community support. This isn’t about making things complicated, it’s about having a routine that keeps you anchored and a few people who can encourage you along the way.

5. Combating Distraction with Intention

Distraction is one of the biggest reasons the middle feels messy. As life gets busy, your goals can easily slip into the background. The antidote is intention—a small daily check-in to remind yourself what you’re working toward. Whether through tracking or a simple moment of reflection, that consistency keeps you aligned.

Embrace the Middle as Part of the Journey

The messy middle is where real growth happens. By understanding why we stumble and using simple tools to stay intentional, you can turn that middle into the place where you build true resilience. 🧱

A Lot Can Change in a Year

When people think about a year, it feels like a long time. But when it comes to growth, most of us waste it. We imagine our circumstances will magically look different in twelve months, and in the process we underestimate how much we could change in that same time.

Too often, we focus on our circumstances changing instead of us changing.

Circumstances changing: 

• Once I get promoted, I’ll finally feel fulfilled.

• If I move to a new city, things will fall into place.

• When I find the right relationship, then I’ll be happy.

• If the market shifts, my business will take off.

Us changing:

• I built daily discipline, so now results come consistently.

• I developed resilience—setbacks don’t knock me out like they used to.

• I grew in how I lead and listen, and my relationships deepened.

• I took ownership of my health, so I actually have the energy for opportunity.

Your circumstances may or may not change in a year, but you can always change. And the change in you is what prepares you to handle success when it comes. Because what’s the point of having all the success in the world if you’re dead on the inside?

The most meaningful changes often get overlooked because they don’t show up on a highlight reel:

• Learning to be present with your family.

• Building consistency in your habits.

• Developing emotional maturity instead of reacting to everything.

• Growing your faith and trusting God more than you did last year.

• Choosing courage over comfort when no one is watching.

A year can go by in the blink of an eye, or it can be the year that changes everything about you. Don’t just hope your circumstances get better. Decide who you want to become, and grow into it.

A lot can change in a year. And the best thing that can happen is that you don’t stay the same. 💯