Don’t be like me!

A couple of years ago, a mentor kindly and gently got through to me that I was too stubborn or too stupid to quit. 

I had been grinding persistently, exhaustingly, almost maniacally for years in pursuit of building up one aspect of our business. I had tried everything I could think of and put significant investment into that effort. 

But we were still stuck, and I just kept my head down and took a perverse pride in my relentless persistence, scrappiness, and stick-to-it-iveness. 

There is not a particle of my being that is wired to quit or give up. 

It took some time, but he helped me see that something had to change, or I was going to burn up and splinter into a bazillion pieces. Worse, because Julie and I are in this effort together, I was likely putting our relationship in peril. 

It was that more than anything that got me to look up and see things for what they were. 

He got me to think in terms of a strategic pivot rather than surrender. He succeeded in persuading me that more of the same, only harder, wasn’t a solution. It was madness. 

That insight is what led to Old Grad Strong. 

And that has been an explosion of fulfilling, gratifying, and invigorating work and momentum. 

I see this same thing going on in the lives of so many good people with respect to their physical health and mental wellness. 

They think they have the answers and just need to be more disciplined, or try harder, be more consistent, etc. 

But more of the same, only harder, is seldom a solution. Doing the same thing repeatedly but expecting different outcomes is the definition of madness. And a recipe for exhaustion. 

So, maybe you’d benefit from an honest and objective supporter, a coach in your corner, someone who’s been through some sh*t and gets you, who will encourage, guide, and support you, but who will also be there to kick your &ss when you don’t show up for yourself, which we know is going to happen at some point.

You are stronger than your excuses. We will help you live up to that.