12 Hard-Won Leadership Truths I’m Carrying Into 2026

12 ways to kick start your 2026

As we step into 2026, I’ve been reflecting on what actually moved the needle over the past year and what I want to carry forward.

Not hype.

Not resolutions.

Just truths earned through experience, mistakes, conversations, and showing up.

Here are 12 thoughts I’m grounding myself in as the year gets underway.

1. So much can change in a year

Consistency beats intensity every time.

Most progress doesn’t come from big swings or heroic bursts of effort. It comes from showing up when it’s boring, inconvenient, or uncomfortable. One year of steady, intentional action can completely change your life if you stay in motion.

2. Say the words. Do the things

Regret comes from inaction. Lessons come from movement.

The conversations we avoid.

The actions we delay.

That’s where regret lives.

Even when things don’t go as planned, movement gives us clarity. Silence and avoidance don’t protect us they just keep us stuck.

3. YOU are the differentiator

Authenticity scales better than strategy.

In business and in life, you don’t need to be louder you need to be real. The more you show up as yourself, the more people respond. The world doesn’t need another version of someone else. It responds to clarity and truth.

Right now, the world is craving truth and authenticity more than ever. 

4. Energy doesn’t lie

Protect what lights you up. Eliminate energy vampires.

You can feel when something is off. You can also feel when something fuels you. Pay attention to that signal. Protect your energy like it matters, because it does.

The right people and work create momentum. The wrong ones drain it.

5. Show up  mentally, emotionally, physically

That alone is a competitive advantage.

So many people are half-present. Distracted. Disengaged. Burned out.

Being fully there: focused, emotionally available, physically engaged, separates leaders faster than talent ever will.

6. When you’re with someone, be there

Presence is a gift.

Put the phone down. Slow it down. Make eye contact. Whether it’s with your kids, your partner, a client, or a teammate - own the moment.

Those are the things people remember long after the details fade.

7. Control the controllables

Simplify when life gets messy.

You don’t control outcomes. You control effort, attitude, preparation, and response. When things feel overwhelming, zoom in. Focus on the next best move. That’s how momentum is rebuilt.

As my Mom would always say “what is the next best thing you can do on this moment”. 

8. Keep the big picture in mind

Don’t let a pothole ruin the entire trip.

Flat tires happen. So do detours. The mistake is letting one bad moment define the whole journey. Play the long game.

Most things that feel catastrophic today won’t even register a year from now.

9. Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional

Use pain as fuel, don’t let it define you.

Pain is part of growth. Suffering is what happens when we refuse to learn from it. Reflect. Extract the lesson. Move forward wiser. That’s how resilience is built.

10. Your next move matters more than your last

Don’t spiral, respond.

Everyone takes losses. What separates people isn’t the mistake, it’s how quickly they reset.

Small, intentional wins stack faster than people realize.

11. No elephants in the room

Unsaid things are heavy.

Avoidance compounds tension. Tough conversations, handled with respect and clarity, create growth. Say the thing. Clear the air. It’s almost always lighter on the other side. Imagine a culture or a world where the heaviness is lifted with a willingness to hear truth and perspective. 

12. Chase moments, not money

Money follows purpose - but nothing replaces time and freedom.

Money matters. But it’s not the point. The moments with your kids. The people you love. The freedom to live life on your terms, that’s the real currency.

Build a life first. The rest tends to follow.

I’ll leave you with this….

You don’t need to overhaul your life to make 2026 meaningful.

You just need to stay honest, stay present, and stay in motion.

Quiet progress compounds.

Here’s to a year of growth, clarity, and a life that actually feels lived.