The Truth We Don't Always Want to Admit
Apr 25, 2026
You can have all the awareness in the world. You can build incredible skills. But if your choices don’t align with growth you’ll stay exactly where you are.
This is where leadership separates itself…not in what we know, but in what we consistently choose.
Lately I’ve been spending a lot of time prepping to lead a retreat for a school district in Ohio. Every industry, including education, is dealing with how to do more with less which brought me back to one of my favorite John Maxwell Books NO LIMITS: BLOW THE CAP OFF YOUR CAPACITY. Maxwell outlines 10 powerful choices in the book, but as I was reflecting on my own leadership (and the leaders I coach), three kept rising to the top:
Responsibility. Discipline. Risk.
Let’s talk about them.
1. Responsibility: The moment everything shifts
There’s a point in every leader’s journey where things stop being “someone else’s fault.” It’s a pivotal moment that I have to thank my first PBS boss James Baum for teaching me. Well, he actually helped me see if I wanted to lead at a higher level, I needed to own everything related to television….directing, lighting, fundraising…everything. At the time I was just the head of editorial and a host. I don’t think I’d be where I am today without James. He was a hard driving military style leader that wasn’t easy to work for but I learned soooo much from him and when I didn’t work for him anymore, I realized how important he was to my professional growth.
If we’re honest, ownership isn’t always a comfortable place to live.
Responsibility sounds good in theory…until:
- Results aren’t there
- The team isn’t performing
- The culture isn’t what you want
Taking responsibility means asking a harder question:
“What is my role in this?”
Not all of it. But your part in it. Because the moment you take responsibility, you gain power. That may sound crazy if you haven’t done it yet but it’s true.
Power to change it.
Power to influence it.
Power to lead differently.
Without responsibility, you’re stuck reacting. With it, you start leading.
2. Discipline: The bridge between intention and results
We all have good intentions as leaders.
We want to:
- Communicate better
- Develop our people
- Think more strategically
But intention without discipline is just wishful thinking and it gets you nowhere.
Discipline is what shows up when:
- You don’t feel like having the hard conversation, but you do it anyway
- You’d rather stay in your comfort zone, but you choose growth
- You’re tired but you follow through
It’s not glamorous. It’s not always fun. But it’s consistent. Here’s what I’ve seen over and over again:
The leaders who grow the most aren’t the most talented, they’re the most disciplined.
3. Risk: The choice most leaders avoid
This is the one that quietly limits capacity more than anything else.
Because risk requires:
- Uncertainty
- Vulnerability
- The possibility of failure
And let’s be real, most of us are wired to avoid that.
But here’s the tension:
You cannot grow your capacity without stepping into something that might not work.
Every meaningful step forward in leadership involves risk:
- Speaking up when it would be easier to stay quiet
- Trying a new approach that might fail
- Letting go of something you’ve mastered to learn something new
The question isn’t whether risk is comfortable. It’s whether staying where you are is costing you more. Yep, stew on that for a minute.
What do you do with this?
Maxwell defines capacity as Awareness + Ability + Choices…
The most immediate lever you have is your choices.
Start here:
- Where am I avoiding responsibility?
What would change if I owned this fully? - Where am I lacking discipline?
What do I know I should be doing consistently but I’m not? - Where am I playing it safe?
What’s one risk that could move me forward?
Here’s where people get it wrong, they overcomplicate it. You don’t need ten changes. You need one better choice repeated consistently.
Leadership growth isn’t about becoming someone entirely new. It’s about making better choices, more often. Every day whether we realize it or not we’re choosing:
- Growth or comfort
- Ownership or excuse
- Courage or safety
And over time…
Those choices define our capacity.
If you’re feeling stuck, stretched, or ready for more…
It might not be about what you need to learn next.
It might be about the choice you need to make.
Quick Leadership Self-Assessment: Are Your Choices Expanding Your Capacity?
Take a few minutes and rate yourself on each statement below:
Scale:
1 = Rarely true
2 = Sometimes true
3 = Often true
4 = Consistently true
Responsibility
- I take ownership for outcomes even when it would be easier to blame circumstances or others.
- When something isn’t working, I first ask, “What is my role in this?”
- I address issues directly instead of avoiding them or hoping they resolve themselves.
Discipline
- I consistently follow through on the leadership habits I know matter most.
- I have regular routines that support my growth (learning, reflection, planning).
- I do the hard things even when I don’t feel like it.
Risk
- I’m willing to step outside my comfort zone to grow as a leader.
- I take thoughtful risks, even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed.
- I view failure as feedback, not a reason to stop trying or become bitter.
Your Reflection
- Which area scored highest? What’s working there?
- Which area scored lowest? What’s one small shift you could make this week?
- What’s one choice you need to make right now that could expand your leadership capacity?
One Final Challenge
Don’t just reflect—act.
Pick one:
- One conversation you’ve been avoiding
- One habit you need to start (or restart)
- One risk you’ve been putting off
Commit to it this week. Because capacity doesn’t grow from intention… it grows from choice.