I Am Not A Magician

Throughout my forty-plus-year career leading, coaching, and serving on boards, I’ve come to a simple but profound realization: I am not a magician.

This truth has shaped how I mentor, make decisions, and lead. People often say they want success, growth, and change. But there’s a massive difference between saying and doing, between aspiration and effort.

In my experience, that gap is where most ambitions quietly fade.

The fact is, while many care about outcomes, few are willing to embrace the Work required to create them. And that’s where the hard truth settles in.

The Mirage of Aspiration

Across industries, teams, and leadership circles, I’ve watched this dynamic play out again and again. People lay out bold visions for their businesses, teams, and lives. They speak with conviction about what they want — a thriving company, a high-performing team, a healthier life, a more fulfilling career.

And yet, when it comes time to move from declaration to discipline, something shifts. The energy dips. From there, momentum stalls, and excuses pile up.

It’s not laziness or a lack of intelligence. It’s a misunderstanding:

Wanting something and committing to the work it requires are not the same thing.

Desire alone doesn’t build anything that lasts. It never has, and it never will.

Disciplined Effort Is the Price of Admission

Here’s an unyielding truth about meaningful achievement: You can’t outsource the work.

You can read every book on leadership, but if you don’t practice decisiveness, communication, and accountability, you won’t lead effectively. You can attend every conference, but if you don’t test, refine, and execute, your business won’t thrive. You can dream about transformation, but if you’re not willing to endure discomfort, sacrifice, and persistent iteration, it won’t happen.

Effort — directed, measured, and sustained — is the real price of admission.

And yet, effort is where most people hesitate. Because real effort means facing resistance, embracing failure, and continuing forward long after motivation has run dry.

Success doesn’t come from enthusiasm. It comes from what we’re willing to persist through when enthusiasm fades.

Leadership Is Not Magic

As leaders, we don’t grant success. We build the conditions in which it becomes inevitable for those who are willing to do the work.

We’re not here to carry people across the finish line. We’re here to equip them to carry themselves. That means:

• Clarifying the gap between aspiration and action
• Building a culture that celebrates persistence more than short-term wins
• Resisting the urge to rescue people from the discomfort of growth

Leadership isn’t magic. It’s a mirror. It reflects the work required and holds people accountable for what they say they want. And, when exercised with care, it can also expose blind spots and reveal what’s been getting in the way.

Embracing the Truth

Accepting that I’m not a magician has been one of the most liberating lessons of my career. It’s taught me:

• I can’t create commitment in others. They have to bring it themselves.
• Success isn’t something you’re given. It’s something you earn.
• Leadership isn’t about carrying people. It’s about helping them become strong enough to carry themselves.

It’s also forced me to be transparent about the agreements I make with myself and with those I coach or mentor.

I can share insights, provide frameworks, and offer support. But I can’t walk the path for them.

The Choice Is Ours

Here’s the most sobering leadership lesson I know:

We are each only as successful as our sustained effort allows us to be.

That truth isn’t harsh. It’s liberating because it means the work is ours. Our growth is within reach, and we don’t have to wait for magic. We just have to show up and do the work. Because success doesn’t come from wanting.

Success comes from proving — through disciplined action — that we’re willing to earn it.