The Self-Led Path to Business Success

Comparison Sabotages Your Authentic Growth.

My life changed in 1998.

I was 10 years old the first time it happened.

I fell to my knees in pain when I walked out of Michael A. Kostek School wearing my green Willowby Wolfpack uniform after a routine basketball practice.

26 years later I still wake up in pain.

I have to brace myself to put my shoes on and every time I sneeze it’s a coin toss whether I’ll be calling my physiotherapist or not.

I’d become skeptical of ‘quick fix’ solutions after two decades of X-rays, MRIs, chiropractors, physiotherapists, personal trainers, athletic therapists, massage therapists, acupuncturists, books, and endless research…

None of which seemed to help.

Then, 6 months after following a back rehab expert on Instagram I made the hesitant decision to sign up for his program.

It wasn’t his 510,000 Instagram followers or even the 4,654 customers that sold me.

It was his philosophy on recovery.

Some people have been on the program for over a year. Others a few months.

You must trust your rate of progression, he outlines.

In fitness, a world I lived in for years, plans and calculations are industry standards in determining progression. It’s a science.

He writes “If only the back was that simple.”

That’s why he chose to make his program self-led and self-paced.

“You’re the only one that can listen, despite any form checks, advice, or personal testimony I am able to provide. Only you know how it FEELS to live and move in your body. That is the most valuable data point you have.” — Low Back Ability

I’m 3 months into my rehab journey following his program.

I’ve seen progress.

I’ve also wished it was faster.

But I’ve embraced that my journey cannot be compared to anyone else in his program.

I’ve experienced feeling good but also flare-ups where I had to regress or maintain for 2-3 weeks before I could make another micro improvement.

My journey is individual.

Just like in business, healing my back goes beyond spreadsheets and neatly planned 1% improvements.

Business is also a self-led and self-paced program.

Despite what the 5-step frameworks, courses, and masterminds say…

…Only you know how it feels to run your business. You and your intuition are some of the most important data points you have.

In 2017 I sat in a mastermind with a dozen other fitness coaches.

Many progressed far faster than I did. Even though we started our journey together I had friends who were quickly running 6-figure launches and some have gone on to create 7-figure businesses.

This wasn’t the first time I watched people I knew, running identical businesses as myself, progressing faster than me, and achieving the goals I set for myself.

It felt like I was a bystander watching from the sidelines.

Even now on Substack.

The first platform where I felt at home and the first time I’ve seen growth.

I’ve watched other writers come and grow over 3x faster in less than 1/3 the time I’ve been posting on Substack.

Just like my back rehab, my business journey is individual.

It took me years to learn this lesson.

At times I told myself I wasn’t cut out for it anymore. Journaled on why I was such a failure. And talked to my wife about the fact I haven’t been able to ‘figure it out’ in almost two decades.

Luckily, I never stopped.

As frustrated as I was at times, I kept going.

I slowly began to realize that the lessons I needed to learn and the answers I sought weren’t found in 5-step frameworks, courses, or masterminds.

They were within me the whole time.

My frustrations and judgments came from comparison with others…
…Then I began to learn my journey was my own.

I’ve come a long way and while these feelings still creep from time to time I understand them and they no longer influence the decisions I make.

I remind myself every day that I do not need to take the traditional path or do what others are doing in order to be successful.

My journey is my own.

It’s self-paced.

As is yours.

Landon

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