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№ 28

12 Uncomfortable Truths from This Year

Reading time 4 minutes read
The year taught me more than I expected—lessons I couldn’t ignore, even if I tried. These aren’t your typical feel-good lessons or calendar-worthy quotes. They’re the kind of truths that sneak up on you—sometimes inconvenient, often uncomfortable, but impossible to unlearn. Consider this my backstage pass to what actually stuck during this year.

1. Your Biggest Strengths Are What Make You “Too Much”—and Exactly Right.

The same traits that make you too intense, too driven, or too bold for some are exactly what fuel your best work. You can’t build something extraordinary by playing small. Stop toning yourself down—start building a career that needs everything you’ve got. The right people will see your intensity for what it really is: your edge.

2. Failure isn’t what kills creative ambition—low standards do

Failure pushes you to reflect, learn, and improve. But half-hearted work and undeserved recognition spark complacency faster than any setback ever could.
We all hate perfectionism—until we see what lack of care creates. Excellence isn’t about being perfect—it’s about giving a damn when it counts. If there’s nothing at stake, there’s nothing to care about—and creative ambition dies where mediocrity is rewarded.
No stakes, no fire.

3. People-Pleasers Make Terrible Consultants.

Harsh but true. Excellence in consulting demands the guts to challenge, say no, and have uncomfortable conversations. People-pleasers? They dilute value.

4. Give Them What They Want” Is the Fastest Way to Blend In.

In saturated markets and the creative industry, delivering exactly what clients ask for is a direct route to irrelevance. It’s not about playing it safe or being predictable—it’s about outsmarting expectations with fresh perspectives they didn’t see coming. Safe work fits in. Great work stands out.

5. Strategy Needs Decisions—Not Endless Adaptation Talk.

Most “adaptive” and “agile” methods have become excuses for avoiding decisions. Strategy isn’t about infinite options or iterative loops—it’s about making clear, bold calls that move the needle. Revising decisions is necessary—but for that, you need to have taken one first. Stop hiding behind frameworks. Decide, commit, and deal with the consequences—that’s real strategy.

Being decisive isn't ruthless, it's responsible.

6. Compromise at Critical Moments Leads to a Waterfall of Bullshit.

Leadership is knowing when not to compromise. Especially when the compromise is for the sake of harmony or sparing people’s feelings. Tough calls today prevent operational chaos tomorrow. Being decisive isn’t ruthless—it’s responsible. Watered-down decisions lead to watered-down outcomes. Fact.

7. Self-Reflection Is the Most Underrated Business Skill.

Especially for men. Hire a coach, book a therapist—do the work. Stop outsourcing your emotional clutter to your colleagues.

8. Cynicism Is a Slow Poison.

Nothing kills transformation faster than unchecked cynicism. It’s not “realism”; it’s laziness disguised as wisdom. Leaders: call it out or let it rot your culture.

Excellence isn't about being perfect. It's about giving a damn when it counts.

9. Culture Is What You’re Willing to Commit to—Not Just What You Value.

Real culture isn’t about listing feel-good values; it’s about what people are willing to show up for. The biggest upgrade came when I chose to surround myself with people who commit fully—cutting ties with those running on half-energy not only liberated me but also made life easier for them. Sometimes, letting go is the most respectful thing you can do—for everyone.

10. Energy Is the Real Currency—Spend It Wisely.

Time isn’t your scarcest resource—energy is. You can’t buy, borrow, or fake it. It fuels every decision, project, and connection. Guard it fiercely. Stop wasting energy on things that drain you or people who only take. Invest it where it multiplies—where it sparks momentum, creativity, and results that matter.

11. Change Always Creates Resistance—Be Smart, Not Lazy.

Resistance isn’t a sign to back down—it’s a signal to step up your game. Change triggers pushback by default. If your ideas aren’t landing, it’s not time to quit—it’s time to get sharper. Reframe, rethink, and find the angle that breaks through. Smart moves beat stubborn resistance every time.

12. Muses Are Essential for Great Work.

Muses aren’t about admiration or fantasy—they’re about ignition. They inspire, provoke, and challenge you to reach beyond yourself. Surround yourself with people who fuel your creativity and raise the stakes of your work.

Here’s to learning, unlearning, and rewriting the script. And endless gratitude to the muses who sparked ideas when the well ran dry, stirred still waters with electric possibility, and became the storm I needed. You shook things up and I’m better for it.