Real success—all-encompassing success—never comes easily. But what if I told you there was a secret to achieving it? I learned about it firsthand from one of the most successful executives I’ve ever coached—a person who, by every measure, had it all.
This is a guy whose business was booming. He was a devoted husband and an engaged father who genuinely prioritized his family. He worked out four days a week. He served as an elder in his church.
In short, he was hitting on all cylinders—professionally, physically, spiritually, and personally.
During one of our coaching sessions, I asked him a straightforward, but revealing, question: “What do you attribute your success to—both in your career and in your personal life?”
He didn’t hesitate. There was no long pause. No rehearsed answer. He looked at me and said: “I do the things I don’t want to do.”
It sounds simple, but, of course, it is not.
The Discipline Most People Avoid
He went on to explain what that meant in real life. At work, he focuses on the hard things—the uncomfortable priorities, the decisions others procrastinate on, and the challenging conversations most leaders avoid until they become crises.
He doesn’t wait for perfect timing or ideal conditions. He leans into discomfort early—before it compounds.
At home, the same principle applies. He gets up at 4:30 a.m. to work out in his home gym—even on the days he’s exhausted and everything in him wants to hit snooze.
As he told me plainly, “Some mornings I have zero energy. I don’t feel like working out at all. I do it anyway.”
Success Isn’t About What You Know
We often assume successful people have access to better information or smarter strategies. Most don’t. What they do have is a higher tolerance for discomfort.
John C. Maxwell put it this way: “Successful people do daily what unsuccessful people do occasionally.”
That sentence perfectly captures what I saw in this executive. His success wasn’t the result of a breakthrough moment or luck or good timing—it was the accumulation of disciplined choices made over and over, day after day.
What We Can Learn from His Strategy
1. Do the hard work and do it first.
2. Stop relying on outside motivation—look within yourself for that.
3. Keep promises to yourself.
4. Align your habits with your values.
A Strong Finish
If you want better results, don’t start by adding more information. Start by changing your own behavior.
Leadership isn’t built in moments of convenience. It’s built in moments of discipline. Over time, those small, uncomfortable choices don’t just build successful careers—they build successful lives.