Going Further: The Coaching Newsletter

🗣 Laurence‑ism: Locking In Is Undefeated.

For years, people said Michael B. Jordan was a movie star, not a real actor.

Good films. Big presence. But not that level.

Then he won Best Actor.

And it was a reminder:

At some point in life…you have to lock in.

And I’ve always been a fan. I’ve followed his work since Fruitvale Station. In fact, I might be the only person who actually LOVES That Awkward Moment, the film he did with Miles Teller and Zach Efron.

But when people talked about serious actors of his generation, his name wasn’t always the first one mentioned. You’d hear LaKeith Stanfield. Damson Idris. Others.

And now, after winning Best Actor at the Academy Awards, he’s undeniable.

Which made me think about something simple.

Locking in.

If you listen to Michael B. Jordan talk about his process, he describes nights spent studying scripts, diving deep into the work, focusing completely on the craft.

That’s locking in.

Great athletes do it.
Great leaders do it.
Great artists do it.
Great physicians do it.

At some point, if you want to reach the highest level, you have to lock in.

And in my experience coaching high performers, the ones operating at the highest level all share this ability.

They eliminate the noise.

Michael B. Jordan had plenty of it.

The chatter about him being just a movie star.
The criticism about his acting.
Even the jokes after his breakup with Lori Harvey.

But there will always be noise.

No matter the industry.
No matter the level.

There will always be narratives about you.

The only narrative that matters is the one you create when you lock in.

Noise doesn’t define you.

Your focus does.

How you eliminate distractions.
How you execute in your role.
How you elevate your game.
How you become a better partner, a better leader, a better decision-maker.

That’s what defines you.

That’s what locking in is.

We often look at celebrities, athletes, and leaders and assume they have something the rest of us don’t.

They don’t.

The people who succeed aren’t gifted with some rare trait.

They simply maximize a trait we all have.

The ability to lock in.

So ask yourself:

Where in your life could you lock in?

What could you shed that would improve your standing?

What noise could you eliminate to help you go further.

If this made you think of someone who’s been distracted by noise lately…
send it to them.

Go Further. 🚀

🧰 Tools to Go Further: The Triangle of Faith

When I’m about to tackle any new task or reach for a new goal I use a simple mental model I call The Triangle of Faith.

Three ideas working together:

I CAN DO IT — belief in your capability.
I DESERVE IT — belief in your worth.
I WILL GET IT — belief that the outcome is possible.

Most people have one or two of these… but not all three.

Someone might believe they’re capable, but deep down don’t believe they deserve the opportunity.

Or they believe they deserve it, but doubt they can actually execute.

When those beliefs are truly out of alignment, progress eventually stalls.

When all three lock in together, something powerful happens.

You stop negotiating with doubt.
And you start executing with belief.

Go Further 🚀