I want this to be the signal in the noise for you right now.

I don’t believe in resolutions as the evidence doesn’t support their effectiveness. I prefer rules. Because if you are serious about change you need a system.

These 26 rules break down into three interdependent systems:

• Your Hardware (physiology)

• Your Software (your psychology)

• The Application (how you lead and execute).

You need all three working together. Hence point 1… 

 1. Adopt An Integrated Approach 

To show up at your best you need to think about your psychology AND physiology. Everything is inter-connected. No amount of mindset work will compensate for poor sleep, bad nutrition and lack of exercise. You can’t perform at your best if you’re not a healthy human. End of. 

 2. Embrace an adaptive mindset 

Rigidity is the enemy of performance. Plan for the reality of your world, not a perfect idealized one. As a leader, curveballs are inevitable: you can’t control what happens. You can control how you respond.

 3. Consistency over intensity 

The most underrated value in leadership and life. All the research shows that small, consistent actions compound into remarkable results. Start small. Stay the course. 

 4. Evidence over fads 

Question everything. Especially the stuff that sounds too good to be true. The wellness industry is full of expensive, seductive products and treatments backed by pseudo-science. Nothing beats doing the fundamentals well. 

 5. There are no shortcuts 

High performance is built through consistent, deliberate practice over time. Stop looking for the hack. Keep doing the work.

 6. Progress is never linear 

You’ll have good weeks and bad weeks. Expecting linear progress sets you up for frustration. Expecting variability sets you up for resilience. Track trends over months, not days.

 7. Design your environment 

Willpower is a finite resource. Your environment is not. If you want to eat better, stop keeping junk food in the house. If you want to focus better, remove your phone from your workspace. Make the right choice the easy choice.

 8. Discipline over motivation 

Motivation is unreliable. It comes and goes based on mood, energy, and circumstance. Discipline is the decision to act regardless of how you feel.

 9. Practice progressive overload 

If you’ve never squatted before, you don’t suddenly put 200kg on the bar and go for it. The same principle applies to any desired transformation. Determine a pathway of progression for you that is challenging but realistic.

 10. Avoid the ‘simmering six’ 

Too many of you are running on fumes in a bid to be ‘always on’ and ending up in that 6-out-of-10 zone where you’re getting the job done, but falling short of your potential. Elite athletes and military operatives know they have to be intentional about rest and recovery if they want to be at their best when it matters most. Learn from them.

 11. Life is about trade-offs 

Trying to do everything, all at once, is a recipe for exhaustion and mediocrity. Every choice you make prioritizes one thing over another. Decide what matters most. Be at peace with what doesn’t. Keep moving. Keep evolving.

 12. Failure is progress 

If you’re not failing regularly, you’re not pushing hard enough. Failure is feedback. It tells you what doesn’t work so you can recalibrate and progress. The only real failure is giving up or refusing to adapt.

 13. Treat emotions as data 

Your feelings might not be facts, but they’re vital signals. Don’t suppress them or view them as something to fix. Explore them to better understand your patterns, triggers, and underlying meanings. 

 14. Understand the power of neuroplasticity 

Neuroplasticity is the brain and nervous system’s ability to change in response to experience and learning. In simple terms, it means your brain can reorganize its connections and even its structure throughout life. Embrace that knowledge as it slays self-limiting beliefs that change isn’t possible. Your behaviours aren’t permanent, they’re trainable.

 15. Cognitive performance is your secret superpower 

If you want to lead well, you need to think well. And thinking well requires caring for your brain. Sleep is critical for your brain health. Better sleep is linked to improved focus, cognition, mental health and lower risk for a host of brain diseases. Research also shows that exercise helps neuroplasticity and cognitive function, while nutrition also impacts your cognitive health. Your brain is your most valuable asset. Look after it. 

 16. Know your purpose 

When things get hard (and we know they will), purpose is your fuel. This isn’t just a throwaway comment, research proves that if you have a ‘why’ you are far more likely to persist through difficulty and maintain commitment when motivation fades. Clarity of purpose can be the difference between giving up and showing up. 

 17. Social connection is essential 

Leadership can be lonely. It’s critical you make a conscious effort to maintain those bonds – research proves that not only is it important for your sense of identity, it’s also a huge factor affecting your wellbeing. 

 18. Manage stress better  

Whether it’s learning an evidence-based technique such as the physiological sigh or training a better response to triggers, you need to build your stress management toolkit. Learn the fundamentals and practice them before you need them.

 19. Don’t bring your full self to work 

This sounds controversial, but hear me out. As a leader, you’re the emotional anchor for your team. If you’re having a terrible day at home, your job isn’t to dump that on your team, it’s to maintain composure and stability. That doesn’t mean being inauthentic. It means recognizing that leadership requires emotional regulation. You can process your feelings elsewhere. At work, you show up as the leader your team needs.

 20. Seek out adversity 

Growth comes from discomfort. Do hard things that challenge you, mentally and physically. The version of you on the other side of adversity is always stronger.

 21. Turn off your autopilot 

Autopilot prevents adaptation. When you’re lost in old habit loops, you miss important signals. Practice conscious awareness – notice how you’re feeling. Notice what your team is saying. Presence is a skill. Train it.

 22. Have high agency 

The one guarantee of a year in leadership? S**t is going to happen. It’s how you deal with it that will define you. Own your choices. Display radical responsibility. Your actions rather than your thoughts will determine who you are. 

 23. Fewer inputs. Higher impact 

Time is your most precious commodity. Don’t get seduced by the glamourisation of busy. Ruthlessly prioritize and strip away the superfluous so you can focus on those areas that will truly move the needle. 

 24. Start before you’re ready 

Perfectionism is procrastination in disguise. You’ll never feel fully prepared. The only way to learn is to act, fail, adjust, and repeat. Action creates clarity, not the other way around. Start messy. Refine as you go. Waiting for perfect conditions is a guarantee you’ll never start.

 25. Make time for play 

Don’t think of play as frivolous or unproductive. Play stimulates neuroplasticity, improves problem-solving and reduces stress. It also keeps you creative, curious, and adaptable, so protect it, whatever form it takes.

 26. Get A Team Around You 

The idea that successful people are self-made is a myth. Behind every high performer is a network of support – mentors, coaches, peers who hold them accountable. If you’re serious about showing up better in 2026, get the right people around you. On that note, we guarantee that any leaders working with us will supercharge their progress.