Something To Think About

Today’s Topics

• Return of the Champion 🏆

• Impatiently Waiting 😤

  7 Mins Read Time

Return of the Champion 🏆
By Jo

Ever had food that was edible—but not great? It didn’t taste amazing, but it got the job done. It filled you up. It kept you moving.

That’s what a slice of humble pie is like.

Not the best taste. Not the meal you brag about. But necessary.

Before you can sit at the table and have the meal you prepared served properly in front of you, there’s learning that has to happen. Learning yourself. Learning the craft. Learning how to navigate people, pressure, and expectations. None of that comes without discomfort.

And here’s the part people don’t talk about enough: Every time you add someone—or something—new to your table, the dynamics change. Every. Single. Time.

New relationships. New responsibilities. New goals. New opportunities. What once worked suddenly doesn’t. Balance has to be recalibrated. Roles shift. Energy shifts. And sometimes you’re forced to eat another serving of that humble pie just to keep everything from falling apart.

That doesn’t mean you’re losing. It means you’re learning.

When I think about that process, I think about Muhammad Ali.

Ali didn’t just lose a title—he lost years of his career. His name was dragged. His legacy questioned. He stood firm in his beliefs, paid the price, and watched the world move on without him. Most people would’ve folded under that weight. Most people would’ve disappeared.

But Ali returned.

Not once—but more than once. He reclaimed his championship after being written off, buried by opposition, and counted out by critics. And he didn’t come back the same—he came back wiser, more patient, more strategic. He understood the cost of the table he was trying to sit at.

That’s what a true return looks like.

The “Return of the Champion” isn’t about dominance. It’s about endurance. It’s about accepting the lessons that don’t taste good but prepare you for what’s next.

Sometimes you don’t need a feast. You need the nutrients.

Because once you’ve learned how to balance the table—once you’ve endured the shifts, the losses, the humility—you don’t just get invited back.

You belong there.

And when you return, you’re not chasing validation. You’re reclaiming what was always yours—this time with wisdom.

That’s the difference between winning once and returning as a champion.

Impatiently Waiting 😤

By Marcus

Do you need it all right now? Everything?

I’ve been watching the show Mr. Robot recently, and there’s a character named Tyrell Wellick. He’s young, ambitious, talented, and successful at a major conglomerate. He’s clearly in a position most people would envy. Yet he’s consumed by climbing the ranks as fast as possible, no matter the cost. Tyrell’s “I want it now” mindset becomes his Achilles’ heel throughout the series.

Reaching a certain status, position of authority, or income level can come at a price. The grass isn’t always greener, depending on what you have to give up or who you have to become to reach the next level.

In some situations, is it better to wait strategically instead of going all in toward your personal mountaintop?

It’s About That Time

I think I mentioned in an earlier article that it took me almost seven years to graduate from college. I was passed up by many people along the way, and in the process I developed a fairly large chip on my shoulder. I wasn’t angry at any individual. It was simply a series of unfortunate events, paired with a strong desire to prove to myself that I was just as capable as those who graduated “on time.”

With a constant feeling of needing to catch up, I landed my first job in healthcare. It was entry-level work, but I approached it with urgency. I sacrificed my personal life, worked relentlessly, earned a few promotions, and eventually earned the position of Director.

That moment confirmed something important for me. Despite my delayed entry to the working world, I was capable. The title and responsibility I held were significant and respected within the organization and the field.

But in my ongoing pursuit of higher pay, bigger titles, and greater recognition, I burned out early in my career. There were factors outside my control, but once burnout sets in, it’s hard to recover.

After resigning from that role, I moved into another leadership role. Once again, I pushed urgently. I trained nonstop, sacrificed my personal life, and worked to prove my value so I could earn responsibility over my own location.

This time, I didn’t burn out. I delivered record profits and earned recognition. But I still found myself on the receiving end of a corporate acquisition that left me displaced and facing a relocation I didn’t want. I’ll share that story another time.

At the end of this stretch, I had to ask myself an uncomfortable question. Did my aggressive pursuit of the next level, the higher salary, and the recognition repeatedly put me in less-than-ideal situations? Would I have been better off moving at 60 or 70 miles per hour instead of 120mph every single day?

A Litmus Test

Depending on how you look at it, urgency has both upsides and downsides.

The same engine that drives you forward can also be the one that leaves you stranded far from where you intended to go.

This is a nuanced topic, and I don’t want to oversimplify it. But you can use a few simple question as a litmus test to evaluate whether urgency is serving you or working against you. Ask yourself:

1. What are the real risks of pursuing a promotion or next step quickly?

2. Have I made any decisions so far that could come back to hurt me?

3. Would I be okay staying i

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