Hi, Reader,

You don’t need another system.
Or a new routine.
Or a perfectly color-coded calendar.

Sometimes, what actually gets you to follow through on what matters is this:

You say it out loud.

The Principle

Behavioral scientists call this the Commitment & Consistency Principle:

Once we make a commitment—especially publicly—we’re far more likely to follow through.

Why?

Because we’re wired to act in ways that match our identity—especially the one we’ve just stated out loud to someone else.

You say you’re going to do it.
Now your brain starts looking for ways to be the kind of person who does it.

It’s not pressure.
It’s alignment.

A Quick Story

In last month’s newsletter, I wrote about bounce-back rate—the time between falling off track and getting back on. (You can read that one here.)

I also admitted something:
I hadn’t been to yoga in far too long.

So I booked a class.
And more importantly—I told all of you I booked it.
I even made a quiet goal: two classes a week.

And guess what?

I’ve done it.

Not because my calendar suddenly opened up.
Not because I unlocked more discipline.
But because I said it out loud.
To you.

And I didn’t want to let you down.
But more than that—I didn’t want to let me down.

There’s something about turning an intention into a visible commitment that makes it stick.

It’s almost a magic trick.

And it works.

What This Looks Like in Leadership

It’s the difference between…

Or…

Or even…

These aren’t grand declarations.
They’re quiet commitments, made visible.
And that’s what makes the difference.

Try This

Think of one behavior you want to show up with more consistently—at work or in your personal life.

Say it to someone.

Write it down and share it.

Ask someone to check in.

Or just make a move that shows, “This is who I am now.”

Then watch what changes.

Because once you say it—your brain starts backing it up.

The Bottom Line

We don’t change because we hope to.
We change when we make a move—and say it out loud.

To someone who matters.
In a way that sticks.
Even when we don’t feel 100% ready.

That’s not just leadership.
That’s behavior change.

And it works.

P.S. If you’re in HR or L&D—or you believe leadership should show up at every level—here’s something I’ve finally said out loud:

I’ve built the thing I’ve wanted to build for years.

It’s called The Leadership Lab—a plug-and-play system to help teams build real leadership habits, one conversation at a time.

It’s grounded in behavioral science.
Built to scale.
And designed for what actually changes behavior—not just what looks good on a slide.

I’m opening 10 Founding Member spots. Several are already taken.

If you want to scale leadership in a way that sticks, start here.

​