When I launched my podcast, “Pick Now,” I thought it was about founders.
Leadership.
Better decisions.
After 14 long-form conversations, it’s becoming even more clear:
Every episode circles the same critical moment in a person’s life:
After the old way stops working—and before the new way feels safe.
Here are the five themes that keep repeating, no matter the industry, background, or success level.
Fear is the Signal You’re Ready
No guest waited until fear disappeared. Fear showed up with the decision. The ones who moved forward didn’t fix fear—they listened to what it was pointing at and committed, one small step at a time.
Waiting Costs More Than Acting
Every story has a quiet place where things get stuck: keeping options open, seeking more clarity, delaying the hard conversation. In hindsight, no one regrets acting too soon. They regret waiting too long.
Identity First, Then Strategy
Leaders don’t plateau because they lack tactics. They stall because the leader is still coming from an identity that no longer works—expert, achiever, safe pair of hands. Until that identity loosens (and expands), nothing new sticks.
Success Scripts Work—Until They Don’t
Wall Street. Military. Law. Tech. Entrepreneurship.
These scripts deliver results—until they start extracting more than they give. The breakdown isn’t personal failure. It’s expiration.
Freedom Comes from Commitment, Not Optimization
The people who look most “free” didn’t find better answers. They made cleaner commitments to a “just cause” that drove them. They picked, moved, learned, and adjusted. Analyzing feels useful. Hesitation feels practical. Optionality feels safe. But only commitment actually creates the freedom you’ve been looking for.
What Will You Create in 2026?
What can you learn from these founders that you can apply right now?
That’s what the podcast is really about.
Not being fearless.
Not getting it right.
It’s about acting before certainty shows up—and trusting that clarity follows movement.
After 14 founder interviews, that pattern is undeniable. And if you’re in that in-between moment right now…you’re not behind.
You’re right on time.
Let me know what you want to create in 2026. Let me know the version of you that’s no longer working.
And maybe you’ll be one of the interviews I’ll be talking about at this time next year.
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