The VP who called himself 'behind”' (plot twist inside)"

This taught me something profound about high-performers:

Here's what I know about high-performers: We love momentum. We crave the feeling of being "on track." We've been taught that consistency means never faltering, never restarting, never admitting we need to try a different approach.

But here's the truth I've discovered after coaching thousands of leaders through transitions: Starting over isn't a sign of failure—it's a sign of evolution.

Think about it this way: Every time you begin again, you're not going back to zero. You're bringing everything you've learned to a new starting line.

The leaders who thrive aren't the ones who never fall off track. They're the ones who master the art of the intentional restart.

Let me tell you about a client who perfectly illustrates this principle.

He came to me at 42, convinced he was "starting too late" because he'd switched career directions three times in 15 years. Each transition felt like proof that he couldn't commit, that he was somehow fundamentally flawed as a professional.

But when we looked at his pattern of career moves, something beautiful emerged: He wasn't failing. He was evolving.

The first career shift taught him that corporate strategy wasn't fulfilling without direct people impact. The second move revealed that he thrived in startup environments but needed more financial stability. The third transition showed him that his real strength was leading teams through uncertainty, not managing steady-state operations. His current role? He's been there two years and just got promoted to VP because he's applying everything he learned from those "false starts."

He's not behind—he's activated.

Here's what activated leaders do differently when they restart:

Anchor to what's already working - Don't build new habits in isolation. Stack them onto routines that are already solid.

Design for your reality - If you travel for work, your gym habit needs to work in hotel fitness centers, not just your home gym.

Track the feeling, not just the outcome - Yes, log your workouts. But also capture how you feel after. The energy. The clarity. That's your real reward.

Your Courage Action: Pick ONE habit that would transform how you show up as a leader. Now, stack it onto something you already do consistently.

Take it from my client who switched careers three times—he now stacks his networking conversations with his weekly coffee meetings. Instead of seeing relationship-building as separate work, he makes every coffee count by asking one strategic question about industry trends. That simple stack helped him build the connections that led to his VP promotion.

Here's what happens when you master the art of beginning again:

Clarity multiplies - Each restart brings sharper focus on what actually matters

Confidence compounds - You start to trust your ability to course-correct

Resilience strengthens - You stop seeing setbacks as stop signs and start seeing them as data

The Acceleration: Document your restarts. What did you learn? What will you do differently? This isn't failure analysis—it's intelligence gathering.

This week, I challenge you to reframe one area where you feel like you're "starting over again."

Instead of asking: "Why can't I stick to this?"

Ask: "What is this restart teaching me about what I really need?"

Then, take one courageous action based on that insight.

Beginning again isn't about being perfect. It's about being persistent. It's about showing up to your own life with the same strategic thinking you bring to your biggest business challenges.

You're not starting behind. You're starting better.

Because every time an activated leader begins again, they're not just changing habits—they're changing who they're becoming.

And that? That's always worth the journey