I know because I’ve dealt with all of this myself.

You burn hot in the moments that matter: standing for your business, your family, your values. You act with integrity. You speak up when others stay quiet. You lead when others follow. You take risks when many won’t.

And in the heat of those moments, you feel strong. Clear. Purposeful.

But later—when the dust settles—you carry the weight. You replay conversations. You question yourself. You feel shame, doubt, loneliness. You wonder, Did I do the right thing? Did I just make things worse? Am I ruining the very things I care about most?

For me, in the past couple of years, I’ve really buckled down on tightening my circle—really sowing into the people that reciprocate the same energy and values I give out.
What I didn’t expect was the emotional hit that comes when you realize some of the people you thought were quality candidates to be in that circle… weren’t. It’s like a paddle boat—you pedal, pedal, pedal—and then one day you stop and realize the person next to you wasn’t pedaling the entire time.

That realization? It stings. It brings up those same old feelings of doubt and insecurity—Was I wrong about them? What does that say about me?

But here’s what I’ve come to believe: this does not make you weak. It does not make you a bad person. It makes you human. It makes you someone who feels, who cares, who is trying to live with integrity—not just in public, but in private, where it matters most.

You are not your mistakes. You are not your worst moments. You are a man in motion—learning, growing, refining.

:beers: So here’s to those of us who are out here fighting the unseen battle. Tightening our circles. Leading with heart.
We are not broken. We are not alone. And we are needed.
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Thank you to my ride or die, my beautiful woman, Sarah for helping me see this clearer. I love you.