The moment I realised I was the bottleneck
There’s a real hustle culture out there these days – fuelled heavily by the social media “gurus.”
Now, I’m not against hard work. I’ve been in the trenches for almost three decades running my own business. But after everything I’ve seen (and tried)… I can say with certainty:
Courage is more important than hustle.
What do I mean by that?
Let’s take the book 10x Is Easier Than 2x by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy.
The overarching theme – and why it’s worth reading – is this:
The real key to growth is letting go of what you’re doing now so you can step into something far more productive and profitable.
Here’s the thing:
Letting go means leaving your comfort zone.
And that requires courage.
Avoid that step – keep hustling, grinding, doubling down on what you already know – and you’ll go around in circles for years.
(I say that with authority because I’ve done it.)
There was a moment – after yet another late night writing copy myself – when I finally saw the truth: I was the bottleneck.
Not the market. Not the lead flow. Me.
And everything changed from there.
Here are a few examples from my own journey:
For years, I held onto writing all the copy myself because “it was easier” and “no one could do it like me.” Letting go and allowing my team to support the writing didn’t just free me – it improved the strategic outcomes for clients.
The next level is: letting go of doing every client interview personally. That will require even more courage – because those calls feel like part of my identity. But it’s the only way to create space for deeper strategic work.
Then the next level again: letting go of sales, which is the heartbeat of the business. Perhaps by engaging someone like Talila Kroy and the team from Emple who specialises in replacing founders with salespeople and systemising the process.
And it doesn’t stop there.
Eventually, it will also mean bringing in a sales manager.
Then a marketing manager.
Then building teams that elevate the whole operation.
So now that I’ve shared my journey and the challenges ahead…
Here’s my question for you – something to ponder as we head into a bit of Christmas downtime:
In 2026, will you have the courage to let go of the things holding you back, so you can step into a bigger game?
Or…
Will you keep hustling and hoping for the best?
P.S. If you enjoyed this headline hack…
There’s 100 more in my 101 Headline Hacks report, which is based on real experience from writing over 9,127 subject lines for emails – and seeing split-test results over a period of over 14 years.