Spencer Combs Article Bank

The one happening right now. The one in your head. The one you’ve been having since you were a child. The relentless, ever-present monologue. This is the most important conversation you will ever have. It's the one that determines your choices, shapes your worldview, and sets your limits. But what if someone else was listening in? What if a friend, a mentor, or a loved one heard you talk to yourself the way you sometimes do? The criticism, the doubt, the dismissal of your own ideas, the harsh judgments. Would you let them? We set a standard for how others should treat us, for the kindness and respect we expect from them. We have a line. But when it comes to ourselves, the line often disappears. We allow a level of discourse—a kind of verbal abuse—that we would never, ever tolerate from another person. Your inner voice is not just a passenger; it's the pilot. And if you wouldn't trust someone else to talk to you that way, why would you let yourself? The conversation you'...

We can make a list. We can plan the week. We can block out the calendar. But the question isn't just "What?" The real question is "Why?" The "what" is the task. It's the meeting, the email, the first draft, the phone call. It's the hard work. But the "why" is the feeling. It's the quiet satisfaction of a completed task. The rush of momentum. The relief of getting started. The sense of control. The lightness that comes from doing the work instead of just thinking about it. That feeling is the fuel. It's the reason we show up tomorrow. It’s the feedback loop that reinforces the behavior. So, don't just ask what you must focus on. Also, ask what it will feel like when it's done. Describe the feeling. In detail. The feeling of the inbox at zero. The feeling of seeing the first paragraph on the page. The feeling of the difficult conversation having been had. Focus on the feeling first. The rest will follow. Your Coach,  Spe...

 Your goals are not passive wishes. They are active demands. They demand a change. And every demand can be broken down into two essential, non-negotiable actions: What must begin? This isn't about grand gestures. It's about the single, focused, uncomfortable step. The one email. The five minutes of planning. The single conversation. The research. The quiet practice. What is the smallest possible ignition that your future self is begging you to light, starting this week? And then, the harder part: What must cease? Because capacity isn't infinite. Every "yes" to an old habit is a "no" to a new future. Every comfortable distraction is a veto of your dreams. What is the single, comfortable, familiar thing you are doing—or not doing—that your future self needs you to ruthlessly eliminate , starting this week? Your goals aren't waiting for perfection. They're waiting for the intentional, deliberate shift. The start. The stop. What are the two demand...

The gap is where we live. We tell ourselves a story. We believe in a better version of ourselves—a version who writes the book, starts the business, gets in shape, or has the difficult conversation. We believe we can do better. And yet... we don't. Belief is a powerful thing. It can move mountains. But it's also a convenient one. It allows us to feel good about the potential without doing the work. It's the difference between knowing the recipe and actually baking the cake. The belief that you can do better is not a free pass. It's a call to action. It’s an invitation to close the gap. Because the true measure of belief isn't what you say, it's what you do. So, if you believe you can do better, what are you waiting for? The gap isn't going to close itself. Your Coach,  Spencer Photo by Marcos Paulo Prado on Unsplash About Spencer Combs: Spencer Combs is a business leader and author of Momentum and Mastery: The Business Leader's Guide to Fastrack Unshak...

You, right now. Living your life, making your choices, facing your challenges. It's a singular, immersive experience. But what if a stranger walked into your week? Not a friend, not a critic, but an objective observer. Someone with no baggage, no history, no emotional investment. They're just watching. What would they see? More importantly, what would they advise? They don't know your fears. They don't hear your excuses. They simply see patterns. Points of friction. Missed opportunities. They see the path you're on, and perhaps, the one you're avoiding. That stranger in the mirror has a unique gift: clarity. They see what you're too close to observe. They'd likely point out the obvious, the things you've rationalized away. Maybe they'd suggest: "You're spending too much time on that." "Why are you tolerating that ?" "This is the moment to speak up." "That opportunity? It's right there." "You lo...