Hey friends,
The other day, I went to the store to grab some fruit and veggies—trying to be responsible, make a healthy dinner. But what do I walk out with tucked between the squash and bell peppers?
An orange Hostess cupcake.
Yeah… those. The nostalgic kind that tastes like childhood and guilt wrapped in plastic.
It’s a small moment—but that tiny decision says a lot. It reminded me that so much of life isn’t about what we know… it’s about what we do. And more specifically, about who we’re becoming through the little things.
🚀 Personal Change = Professional Change
We all want to grow. To level up in our careers, finances, health, relationships. Naturally, we look outward:
- We chase promotions
- We polish our résumés
- We hustle and grind
But here’s the truth I’ve learned (and am still learning):
The fastest way to change your life is to change you.
If your personal habits are disorganized, your professional life eventually reflects that.
If your mindset is only reactive, your leadership can only go so far.
If your calendar is chaos, your goals will stay just out of reach.
Want your world to grow? Start with your self-management.
📊 Behavior Beats Knowledge
Dave Ramsey says:
“Personal finance is 80% behavior and only 20% head knowledge.”
He’s right. It’s not that we don’t know what to do—we just don’t do it.
It’s not so much a math problem—it’s a me problem.
We know we should:
- Save money
- Eat at home
- Exercise regularly
- Stop hitting snooze
But knowing isn’t enough. It’s our daily behavior that makes or breaks us.
Growth isn’t held back by lack of information. It’s held back by the small compromises we keep making.
🎯 The Jordan Peterson Principle & Your Circle of Influence
Jordan Peterson said on the Joe Rogan podcast:
“If you want to change the world, you start with yourself and work outward.”
That’s a game-changer.
Don’t start with politics. Or your boss. Or your broken systems.
Start with your room. Your calendar. Your spending. Your mood.
Start with the stuff that’s in your Circle of Influence—a concept Stephen Covey made famous:
✅ What You Can Control:
- Your attitude
- Your effort
- Your words
- Your health decisions
- Your habits
- Your time management
🚫 What You Can’t Control:
- Other people’s opinions
- Global events
- Social Events
- The economy
- The past
- Your boss’s personality
The more you focus on what you can control, the more your actual influence expands.
🧠 Self-Management Leads to Real Impact
Want to be a leader? Want a promotion? More influence?
Start by managing the one thing you’ll always have control over—you.
Be the person who:
- Shows up on time
- Prepares without being asked
- Follows through on small promises
- Doesn’t need a title to lead
You don’t need to network with CEOs or make viral posts.
You just need to become the kind of person others trust.
Self-management always beats self-promotion.
🧁 The Cupcake Test & Micro-Compromises
Back to that cupcake…
Every time I grab one, it’s a micro-compromise.
I’m telling myself:
- “I deserve this.”
- “This one won’t matter.”
But they do matter. Because they stack.
The same way compound interest grows your money, your tiny habits compound your identity.
Every skipped workout. Every time we procrastinate. Every impulse buy. It adds up.
And it becomes our character.
That character? It determines our direction.
🌱 The Multiplier Effect of Personal Growth
Here’s what’s amazing about all this:
When you change yourself, your world doesn’t just change—it starts changing around you.
You become a better spouse.
A more present parent.
A leader people seek out.
A person who starts to attract the opportunities you used to chase.
People start asking you for advice. You become the person who sets the tone in the room.
And that’s when doors start opening.
Not because you demanded attention…
But because you earned it from the inside out.
💡 Final Thoughts: Don’t Grind Harder—Grow Deeper
If you’re feeling stuck, here’s the challenge:
Don’t just grind harder. Grow deeper.
That dream job? That creative clarity? That promotion?
It’s not waiting in some distant opportunity—it’s waiting in your next choice.
“Sometimes life is like a dark tunnel. If you just keep moving… you’ll come to a better place.”
— Uncle Iroh
You don’t have to fix everything overnight.
Start with what you can control.
Start now.
And if you do grab a cupcake once in a while?
Don’t beat yourself up.
Just learn. And keep going.
Because the real growth isn’t in perfection—
It’s in your persistence.
📺 WATCH NEXT
If this resonated with you, I’d love for you to check out my latest video:
👉 How to Reset Your Dopamine & Get Motivated
Let’s keep growing—together.
—Colt
My Career Path Podcast 
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