You don’t “build resilience”. You survive.

Strength isn’t always a mindset. It’s often a necessity.

“Behind every strong person, there is a story that gave them no choice.”

This applies in business, life, leadership.

Here’s what real strength often looks like

Waking up and showing up
↳ Even when no one claps

Learning how to figure it out
↳ Not because you want to, but because you must

Staying kind
↳ Even after being mistreated

Staying consistent
↳ Even when results are slow

You don’t always choose the hard path.

Sometimes the hard path chooses you.

But strength? That part is earned.

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90% of the companies fail to execute their strategy:

Want to know how the remaining 10% manage to do it?

I want to introduce an extremely useful concept:

The Strategy Pyramid.

This is the concept shared by Wendy McGuiness (2011).

It summarizes the 9 key pillars of successful strategy and its execution, divided into 3 main categories: purpose, strategy and execution.

A) Purpose:

1. Mission:

Defines the fundamental purpose or reason for the existence of the corporation, answering questions like "Why do we exist?" and "What is our core reason for being in business?"

2. Values:

Sets out the guiding principles and beliefs that shape the corporate culture and decision-making processes, reflecting the organization's ethical standards and desired behaviors.

3. Vision:

Paints a clear picture of the desired future state of the company, providing direction and inspiration by answering the question "Where do we want to be in the future?"

B) Strategy:

4. Strategic Intent:

Outlines the overarching goals and objectives of the organization, defining the desired outcomes and the path to achieve them.

5. Drivers:

Identifies the key factors or strategic priorities that will drive the company's success, such as market expansion, product innovation, cost leadership, or customer experience.

6. Enablers:

Represents the resources, capabilities, and infrastructure needed to execute the strategy effectively, including technology, human capital, financial resources, etc.

C) Execution:

7. Targets and Initiatives:

Sets specific, measurable targets and initiatives aligned with the strategic objectives, providing actionable steps to move the organization forward.

8. Performance Indicators:

Establishes metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress toward goals and assess the effectiveness of strategic initiatives.

9. Strategy Map:

Communicates the corporate strategy in a clear manner and ensures alignment across the organization.

These categories provide a framework for corporate leaders to:

1) Articulate the purpose of the organization,
2) Develop a clear strategy to achieve its goals,
3) Execute it effectively

Make sure you address all the points:

As they are equally important.

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90% of failing businesses have the same problem.

They're building a house without a foundation.

I've worked with 500+ CEOs in the last 5 years.

The pattern is clear:

The ones who scale past $10M revenue all do 4 things well.

The ones who plateau or crash? They ignore at least 2 of these.

Here's the framework that separates the winners:

→ PILLAR 1: Growth Strategy

• Map your next 3 revenue streams with launch dates
• Pick one new market to test with a 90-day deadline
• Kill anything consuming resources without delivering growth

→ PILLAR 2: Financial Health

• Cut your cash conversion cycle by 20% (invoice earlier, collect sooner, pay smarter)
• Build a 13-week rolling cash flow forecast you update weekly
• Set a 15% minimum ROI threshold for any investment over $X

→ PILLAR 3: Team Strength

• Document your top 10 processes so others can run them without you
• Identify your 5 most critical roles - name who could step in if needed tomorrow
• Start weekly 1-on-1s with your direct reports (30 minutes each)

→ PILLAR 4: Market Position

• Survey customers to find the 2-3 things they value most about working with you
• Double investment in whatever makes you uniquely valuable
• Create partnerships where you share customers and both sides win

The companies hitting all 4 pillars consistently?

They're not just growing.
They're scaling without breaking.

Their teams aren't burning out.
Their cash flow stays healthy.

Their market position gets stronger.

Most CEOs focus on one pillar and wonder why growth stalls.

The best CEOs know growth is a system, not a strategy.

P.S. Want a PDF of my Pillars of Profitable Growth Cheat Sheet?

Get it free: https://t.ly/GD_KJ

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"Smart Choices Begin with Smart Learning"

Informed decisions stem from understanding — not assumptions. Without the right knowledge, we may waste energy chasing distant solutions while ignoring better options right in front of us.

Knowledge isn't just power — it's direction. The more you know, the more accurately you can evaluate your options and avoid costly missteps.

Lack of awareness often leads to poor choices, even with the best intentions. Education and critical thinking help bridge the gap between effort and effective action.

Learning equips you to distinguish between appearance and reality. Just like in the image, knowing the difference between “Water” and “H2O” could be the key to survival — or success.

The right information, at the right time, can completely change your outcome. Investing in learning and staying curious gives you an edge in both personal and professional decision-making.

In life and in business, direction is more valuable than speed. A knowledgeable choice can save time, effort, and resources that might otherwise be wasted.

Life doesn’t always go to plan. Careers stall. Motivation dips. Confidence takes a hit.

And in those moments, it’s easy to be your own worst critic.


But here's what you need to remember

It’s okay to have a bad day It’s okay to ask for help It’s okay to take a break Setback is not failure Nothing is perfect Mistakes happen

These don’t mean you’re falling behind. They mean you’re human.

Progress is messy. And sometimes, just getting through the day is an achievement.

Here are 4 simple truths to hold on to:

Small steps are still progress
You’re stronger than you think
You are enough
Keep going—especially when it’s hard

Whether you're building a business, leading a team, or looking for direction—Be kind to yourself on the journey.

Call to Action: Save this post and come back to it on the days you need it most.


Credit to: Luiza Coker on Pinterest

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Your best asset is your Emotional Intelligence.

Repost for someone in your network who needs it.