Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters – Colossians 3:23
Happy Friday, Brew Nation!
Last week, we hammered home the difference between the amateur and the professional (Chapter 3: I Don’t Care How You Feel—The Discipline of the Pro 🎯 – Growing Champions), noting that the pro shows up regardless of how they feel. But showing up isn’t enough; we have to show up to do the work that is uniquely ours to do.
Today, we dive into Chapter 4 of my ‘book’: Write the Scary Book. This is about finding the uncomfortable mission that only you can accomplish.
The Gift of the Three ‘No’s
In 2019, I was desperately searching for comfort. I wanted to return to my area of expertise: high-level manufacturing operations. I interviewed for no fewer than three senior positions with major companies.
All three times, I was met with the same answer: ‘No.’
The rejection was consistently followed by the same form of constructive feedback: “John, we would hire you to be our coach or consultant, but we just don’t feel you are the right fit for this operational role.”
It was after that third “No” that I realized the nudge that God was giving me the same message over and over again: I was right where I was supposed to be.
The idea that I should be a coach and consultant full-time was the scary book I didn’t want to write. I wanted the certainty of a large corporation. But when I was let go from a comfortable consulting position in August 2020 and made the definitive decision to venture out on my own, that was the leap into the uncomfortable book.
I can’t believe that was over five years ago, and I am just now beginning to realize the incredible gift those three “No’s” were.
The Courage to Write the Book
Kary Oberbrunner shared a powerful insight at the conference: If you find there is a question that at least three people ask you because they see you as the expert in that area, you probably have something valuable to write about.
You may not be comfortable, but we have to learn to be uncomfortable and be okay with writing something or doing something that scares us. That discomfort is where your unique impact lies.
Set SMAHT Goals: Beyond Realistic
To write the scary book, you have to set scary goals. I have heard them referred to as BHAGs (Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals), but I like to set goals that are SMAHT (Say it in the back row like you are from Boston!).
SMAHT goals differ greatly from SMART goals, which I am sure many of you have heard before. Of course, your goals should still be Specific, Measurable, Action-Oriented, and Time-Based.
But in the world of Uncommon Leadership, goals cannot be Realistic. When I think of the H, I think “Heaven Help me” because I am going to need more than I can do on my own to achieve that goal.
The author of Demolish Your Comfort Zones refers to the H as Heartfelt. These are the goals that pull you out of your comfort zone and into your learning zone. Nobody writes a scary book about mediocre or average performance.
Here are a few trigger questions to conceive heartfelt yet uncomfortable goals:
- What is a performance breakthrough that significantly surpasses your all-time best result?
- What is a long-standing bad habit that you’ve wanted to replace with a more effective habit?
- What is a top-priority goal that requires you to be resilient to master a formidable obstacle? (Spartan Trifecta, anyone?!)
- What is an activity or relationship you must end or redefine as a priority?
- What is a goal you’ve given up on and feel regret now or will later in life?
- What unprecedented goal requires you to transform your current process/system in order to accomplish it?
The most recent SMAHT goal I have set is to reach 1 million downloads for the Uncommon Leader Podcast. That is a Heaven Help Me goal, and guess what? I need your help, too!
- Quote of the Week
“I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.” – Bronnie Ware, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying
Being effective as a leader means consistently choosing discipline over distraction. It’s about deeply reflecting on what’s working, humbly learning from what hasn’t, and courageously course-correcting in relentless pursuit of uncommon growth.
Email me at coachjohngallagher@gmail.com with the subject line “SMAHT” and share the Heaven Help Me goal you are setting for next year!
What you need to do:
Your Call to Action: Design Your Legacy
As we move closer to the New Year and you prepare to set new goals, how can you use these questions to set goals that require transformation, not just incremental improvement?
What is the uncomfortable goal that reveals your true mission?
Email me at coachjohngallagher@gmail.com with the subject line “SMAHT” and share the Heaven Help Me goal you are setting for next year!
It’s an honor to be your trusted Friday Coffee Guy. Each week, I bring what I’m learning and living in the trenches of leadership. If this edition challenged or encouraged you, share it with someone who leads, stays faithful, or learns alongside you, then click subscribe. Let’s grow Brew Nation together!
Until next time—stay focused, stay faithful, and keep growing, Champions! 💪
