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Talent might open the door.
But resilience is what keeps you in the room.

We all know people who seemed destined for success—brilliant, gifted, maybe even charismatic—but they never quite got there. Why? Because the world doesn’t reward potential. It rewards persistence.

I sat down with 15-year MLB veteran and Olympian Ryan Lavarnway, who was fired from his dream job 26 times. What kept him going wasn’t raw ability—it was mindset. A mission. A clear vision of the kind of person he was becoming.

This is a conversation about playing the long game.
It’s about finding the fuel to keep going, even when the scoreboard says you’re losing. And it’s a reminder that the best leaders stay grounded in purpose and build for the climb.

Lead Yourself – Get Clear on Your “Why”

Resilience is fueled by clarity, not just grit.

“Just tough it out” might get you through one rough week.
But it won’t carry you through a 10-year journey, a career pivot, or the emotional rollercoaster of leadership.

To play the long game, you need more than toughness—you need clarity.
Clarity about your goal. Clarity about who you want to become.
And most importantly, clarity about why it matters to you.

If your goal is just about chasing a title, a number, or external validation—you’ll burn out. Because outcomes aren’t guaranteed. You can do everything right and still lose the game, the sale, or the job.

True resilience is built on a powerful internal “why” and a deep commitment to the process of becoming. It’s about growth, iteration, and progress—not just results.

Action Steps

1. Ask yourself: What do I really want? Then ask: Why does it matter to me?

2. Reframe outcomes as data—not definitions. Let results inform your process, not your identity.

3. Build rituals that keep you aligned with your purpose, even when motivation fades.

Lead Others – Not Everyone Wants to Be a CEO

Alignment unlocks performance—and retention.

One of the most common leadership mistakes?
Assuming your team wants what you want.

Not everyone is chasing the C-suite. Not everyone wants to climb the same ladder you did. And that’s not a flaw—it’s a feature.

As Ryan shared, “If everyone’s trying to hit home runs, you’ll strike out too much.”
Great teams need balance. You need the heavy hitters—but also the role players:
The base stealers. The defenders. The ones who quietly deliver consistent results.

Your job as a leader is to have the conversations that reveal what drives each person—and then ensure that their personal goals align with your team’s mission.

That takes honesty, curiosity, and trust.
When people feel seen, they show up fully.

Action Steps

1. Sit down with each team member and ask, What does success look like for you here?

2. Clarify roles. Make sure the right people are in the right seats—and want to be there.

3. Celebrate contribution, not just ambition. A team full of aligned role players will outperform a team full of ego.

Becoming a No Limit Leader

Resilience is not about perfection. It’s about becoming.
It’s about knowing who you are, what you stand for, and why it matters.

The best leaders don’t push others to follow their path—they help them discover their own.
And they commit to becoming the kind of person who inspires others to rise.

Because long-term leadership isn’t built on talent.
It’s built on identity, purpose, and process.

And that’s how you become a No Limit Leader.

ORDER RYAN LAVARNWAY’S “WHY NOT JOURNAL”!

UNLEASH LEADERSHIP, UNLOCK POTENTIAL

-Sean Patton

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