In watching the amazing World Cup final on Sunday, I was struck by a couple of things—

First, what an incredible stage for athletes who are best in the world at their sport, who have spent countless hours creating themselves as the best that they can possibly be. I was in awe watching.

Second, how many people feel most alive watching others do things, rather than when they are doing things themselves.

We live in a world in which it is becoming easier and easier to feel something like being alive, through sports, through entertainment, through video games and virtual reality, without bearing the risks of actually being alive.

If you have no risk of losing, how can you truly enjoy the victory?

Kylian Mbappe will feel so much more alive coming back from this loss because he had to endure it in the first place.

Where do you stay in the stands in your life?

What’s keeping you from getting on the pitch?

What decisions do you have to make that involve other people?

How do you sleep at night, knowing that you have to make them?

One thing that has helped me is to see how often I am making up the worst case, and being afraid of that.

That the only thing I am actually afraid of is my thinking (happening now), not the future that hasn’t happened yet.

Make you best decision now, with the information that you have now.

No one can predict the future. But what we can do is know that when the situation changes, we can do what is required. Even if that’s different.

That’s what you’ve always done. And it’s already gotten you here.

My coach said something to me on a recent call that stuck with me.

He said, “You seem like the type of person who isn’t going to hesitate, once you see something.”

Yes.

When I see something is true, I do tend to take action.

If I see I want something, I move toward it.

If I see I am unhappy, I take steps to change things.

But sometimes it takes me a long time to be willing to admit something to myself.

In 2016, I had a good job. I was really well paid. I loved a lot of my coworkers and I enjoyed a lot of the work. I was willing to keep doing it, even though I really wanted to do something else.

I was in the curse of good enough. I was afraid to admit to myself that I wasn’t doing what was really calling me. I wasn’t willing to quit. It felt risky and selfish, to go after what I really wanted.

To admit to myself that I was not actually happy.

But when I was laid off, things changed. Because I now had the choice between going back, and going forward.

I chose forward.

If you had to start over today, what would you do? If it’s helpful to you, write it in the comments. Decare it.

And know that you can still do that. Just like I did.

Declare it right here. Write a comment right now.

It doesn’t have to be all that specific. This is for you.

Put it out there. Begin to make it public. There is something powerful in declaring your truth. Let’s see where it takes us.

I’ll go first:

I noticed my coaching is much more powerful the less I talk and the more I listen.

The less I tell and the more I ask.

I want to do that here as well.

So, I’m asking–

What’s the most important thing for you right now? What are you looking to do, and be, in 2023?