My journey has been one of ambition, determination, and pursuit of reaching my maximum potential. For years, my focus was solely on building, creating, and growing.  While this drive served me well, I quickly learned how anticlimactic reaching goals was, and being so one-dimensional left a void in other areas of my life, particularly when it came to friendships.

It's easy to become consumed by meetings, deadlines, and bottom lines. As I poured all my energy into growing my company, I neglected the importance of nurturing personal connections outside of work.
Despite my professional success, I found myself feeling isolated and disconnected, I longed for meaningful relationships.  Leadership IS inherently lonely, and as humans, we crave connection, we have not been designed to go at it alone. 

I am a big believer of the statement “Don’t fall into friendships,” we need to choose our friends wisely, we are the sum of the 5 people we spend the most time with!  So, I started intentionally investing in friendships.  Friends were there to celebrate my victories, offer guidance during setbacks, and remind me of what truly matters.

Moreover, I discovered that authentically cultivating friendships outside of work had unexpected benefits for my career. Networking events and industry conferences suddenly became opportunities to connect with old friends and forge new relationships. These genuine connections often led to valuable business opportunities, partnerships, and collaborations that I never would have encountered otherwise.

As I prioritized investing in friendships, I noticed a positive shift in both my personal and professional life. I felt happier, more fulfilled, and more resilient in the face of challenges. I became a better leader, as I learned to empathize, communicate, and collaborate more effectively with others.

Today, I make it a point to carve out time for my friends, whether it's grabbing coffee, attending a yoga class together, or simply catching up over the phone. I've come to realize that these moments of connection are not distractions from my work but rather essential components of a well-rounded and successful life.

This last week was such a blessing to me!  I flew in early to an industry leadership conference to spend time with two close friends of mine (Carey Wallace and Michelle O’Connor), we headed up to a beautiful place (Seven Devils) in the mountains of NC and after that stay headed to our hotel early the day before the conference started to have a spa day – my heart felt like I was at home.  Conversation flowed, we idea shared, confided in each other, and lifted each other up and ate amazing food.  It was beyond great!

To my fellow ambitious leaders, I urge you not to overlook the importance of investing in friendships. We have the power to shape our companies and industries, but we must also remember to nurture our relationships outside of work. After all, true success is not measured solely by professional achievements but by the depth of our connections and the impact we have on those around us.

​B.

As luck would have it, one of the first books I read when I started Aspire Insurance Group was Traction by Gina Wickman.  Given the fact that it was just Adam and I to begin with, I self-implemented the system (Entrepreneurial Operating System = EOS) this book teaches.

This book for me is more like a handbook, it’s implementable.  The fun part is that since I startedusing this system from the beginning, I can see how it’s helped us to grow and stay organized as we have scaled.  It works!

 Here is a list of the tools that I use from Traction within Aspire:

1. Identifying our Core Values
2. The people analyzer
3. Accountability chart
4. Three strike rule
5. Delegate and elevate tool
6. Level 10 meeting

Within Aspire I use the delegate and elevate tool a LOT.   This helps us shape positions around people and know what to hire for next.  We build positions around people.

There are coaches you can hire to implement the EOS system in your organization, or they also have a bunch of online tools HERE with downloadables that you can use as a resource to self-implament.

A challenge for businesses owners is having a tried and true operating system within your business, this book provides a system you can just plug into and go.  It’s simple, makes common sense and it’s just copy and repeat – any industry can use it, totally a transferable model.  If you are struggling with what your internal operations and communication looks like, I’d dare to say that this is your answer.

Here is a link to the book – TRACTION

Have you read Traction?  What were your key take aways?
B.

Your habits are shaped by the systems in your life!  This one sentence in the book, Atomic Habits, sums up a lot of the book.   To reach goals > create systems! 

After reading Atomic Habits I have changed my approach to how I set up my schedule and how I approach incorporating or removing habits. 

I chose small wins now, repeated over time…this concept is also something that Darren Hardy talks about in his book, The Compound Effect.    In other words, eat an elephant one bite at a time.    Over time, your identity emerges out of your habits, good or bad alike!

Some simple examples of how I have used this book to create systems:
I already have a habit of coffee every morning, so now I habit stack that and my supplements are by my coffee so I can take supplements when my coffee is brewing, this is a simple way for me to make sure I am consistent in taking my supplements.  How many times have you heard someone say they have a hard time remembering to take their supplements/ vitamins?  This is an oh-so-simple fix!

I use the concept of a “commitment device” to work out – I am naturally very social, so I use that tendency paired with a commitment device and I coordinate all my workouts with friends through the week, so I make sure I get my movement in.  Because I committed to my friend, I will show up.  Then, because I am creating evidence that I show up for my workouts, it also helps me to identify as the person who prioritizes my workouts and that further drills down my habit. 

Accountability partners, this is a powerful one for me because I don’t want to let others down.  I have a few accountability partners, for different areas in my life.  This needs to be a person who is willing to call you out and will ask questions and be consistent with you.  

One of the last take-aways from this book that was freeing for me was the idea that boredom is the villain on the quest of self-improvement – so freshening up our routines and continuing to advance and refine and grow our habits is important.  Don’t get stale!   I needed to hear that because I get bored easy. 

Here is a link to the book if you are interested in reading for yourself: ATOMIC HABITS 
Cheers, B.