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SL15: What Makes Successful People Successful?
Last week I sat across from a prospect who needed swing stages for a new thermoelectric plant.
I nodded knowingly. Asked a few surface questions. Tried to look like I knew what I was talking about.
The truth? I knew absolutely nothing about swing stages or thermoelectric plants.
When he looked at me and asked, “Do you have any more questions?”
I had a dozen burning questions but said nothing.
I walked out feeling like a complete fraud.
Sound familiar?
The Lie I Was Telling Myself
I thought I needed to be the expert before I could help anyone. Like somehow having all the answers was the prerequisite to being successful.
But here’s what hit me this week.
I was watching my coworker Marcus drone on about diet and exercise. He knows everything about macro ratios, workout splits, supplementation science. He’s absolutely right about all of it.
He’s also 40 pounds overweight.
Meanwhile, I see people at my gym who know the basics of fitness and that’s it. But they’re strong, lean, confident.
That’s when it clicked: Knowledge isn’t the multiplier.
What Really Makes the Difference
Today I had a coaching session with Sofia. She was justifying her behavior with her past, lying to herself about why she couldn’t change.
Instead of nodding along or offering gentle advice, I called bullshit.
“Sofia, you’re saying you lie to yourself because that’s how you grew up, but you don’t live in the past. You live now. Right now is when you decide to be honest or dishonest. It’s a decision. It has nothing to do with your past.”
The breakthrough was immediate. Beautiful. Powerful.
What changed between last week’s swing stages disaster and today’s breakthrough?
I stopped hiding behind fake knowledge and owned who I actually am.
The internal shift was realizing the most powerful thing about me is me. Not what I know or what I say, but who I am.
The Formula That Changes Everything
Here’s what I learned:
Results = (Specific Skills) × (Who You Are)
Marcus has amazing fitness knowledge but mediocre results because his “being” doesn’t match his knowledge.
Those gym people have basic knowledge but great results because they show up authentically.
I bombed the swing stages meeting because I was being dishonest.
I created a breakthrough with Sofia because I was being brutally honest.
The Question That Matters
Instead of asking “What do I need to know to succeed?”
Ask this: “Who do I need to be to get the results I want?”
For me, it’s being shamefully honest with myself and others. Even when it’s uncomfortable. Especially then.
What’s your answer?
Because when you stop pretending to be someone you’re not and start being more of who you are, everything changes.
Your authentic self is your competitive advantage.
Use it.
Have a wonderful week! And God bless America.
Yours,
Diego (TBFCITW)
PS: Hit reply and tell me about a time you felt like a fraud. I read every response and would love to hear your story.