Another week in the books. This one kept circling back to the same idea: execution beats intention every time.

Not the flashy stuff. Not the breakthrough moments that look good in a screenshot. Just the unglamorous work of showing up, doing the thing, and repeating it long enough for compounding to kick in.

Here’s what stood out this week.

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Build The Habit

This week reinforced a simple but uncomfortable truth: most execution problems are not caused by lack of knowledge. They are caused by avoidance.

Avoiding the hard conversation you know you need to have.
Avoiding the metric that might confirm what you already suspect.
Avoiding the decision that creates short-term friction but long-term clarity.

People say they want momentum. What they usually want is reassurance. Momentum only shows up after action. Not before it.

Execution does not require intensity. It requires honesty.

The Dichotomy of Leadership by: Jocko Willink & Leif Babin

If you’ve read Extreme Ownership, you know the tone. This follow-up digs into something more subtle: leadership is not about choosing a single principle and applying it blindly. The core idea is balance. Be aggressive, but not reckless. Be confident, but not arrogant. Hold people accountable, but don’t suffocate them.

What makes this book valuable is that it acknowledges reality. Every leadership strength becomes a weakness when pushed too far. Execution breaks when leaders cling to absolutes.

The biggest takeaway is that leadership is contextual. The right move depends on timing, people, and environment. Your job is not to be consistent in style. It is to be consistent in judgment.

Four pieces this week that all point to the same conclusion: focus, consistency, and follow-through beat everything else.

Strategic Planning & Execution Stats: 2026 Report Insights

Only 12.5% of strategic initiatives are ever completed, which should immediately reframe how you think about planning. The data shows that plans with fewer than 20 priorities dramatically outperform complex, bloated strategies. More planning does not increase execution. Clarity does.
If your strategy needs a deck to explain it, it is probably too complicated to execute.

The real lesson: execution fails not because teams lack effort, but because leadership lacks focus.

The Compound Effect in Business

This article is a reminder that the biggest advantages are built quietly. Daily huddles, consistent follow-ups, and routine KPI reviews feel insignificant in isolation. Over the years, those small actions create organizations that move faster, communicate better, and make fewer mistakes.

The key insight is that compounding favors discipline, not brilliance. Success is rarely about doing one thing exceptionally once. It is about doing the right things reliably.

Consistency: The Secret Growth Strategy Every Business Leader Needs

This piece reinforces why perfection is overrated and consistency wins. Most leaders stall because they overthink instead of acting. Showing up weekly beats showing up perfectly once a quarter. Systems remove decision fatigue and make progress inevitable.

The takeaway is simple: momentum is a byproduct of repetition, not inspiration.

Boards Prioritize Strategic Execution, Technology and People Heading into 2026
PR Newswire

Boards are shifting their focus away from vision statements and toward disciplined delivery. The emphasis is on execution, workforce agility, and real operational capability. This reflects a broader truth: strategy without follow-through is worthless. The gap between intent and execution is where companies lose momentum.

Organizations that survive 2026 will be the ones that actually ship.

Who I Was by NF & mgk

This track hits on identity, growth, and the cost of staying the same. It’s reflective without being soft and intense without being chaotic. Perfect background music for deep work or end-of-week reflection.

Sometimes the work isn’t about motivation. It’s about remembering why you started.

The Resilience Shift: Why Entrepreneurs Need to Manage Their Energy, Not Just Their Time

This episode reframes productivity through the lens of energy instead of time. You can optimize your calendar and still underperform if you are depleted. Execution requires recovery, boundaries, and intentional pacing.

Burnout is not proof of commitment. It is proof of mismanagement.

The Last of Us

If you haven’t watched this series yet, do yourself a favor and check it out. At its core, this show is not about the apocalypse or survival. It is about trust and decision-making under pressure. Every episode highlights how small choices compound over time.

The pacing is deliberate, the performances are grounded, and nothing feels wasted.

It’s a reminder that execution, not spectacle, is what makes something endure.

The Bottom Line

Execution isn’t sexy.
Consistency isn’t exciting.
Compounding doesn’t give instant feedback.

But it works.

Pick one thing. One system. One habit.
Commit to it for the next 90 days.

Six months from now, you’ll either be glad you started or wish you had.

See you tomorrow for The Things That I Am Thinking About

- Dan

One step. One day. Grace over guilt.

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