Choose the leader you are becoming, or default to the leader you have been. That is the real decision in front of you as you head into a new year.
Most leaders believe change starts with better goals. New priorities. New plans. But if you keep showing up with the same identity, the same emotional patterns, and the same nervous system responses, you will recreate the same year with different tasks.
This episode is about breaking that cycle.
Episode overview
This is Episode 2 of my three-part Design Yourself series on creating the life and leadership you want in 2026. In Episode 1, we focused on self-awareness and uncovering the default stories running your leadership. In this episode, we move from awareness to choice.
Because you cannot design a different year if you show up as the same version of yourself.
In this conversation, I break down why goals do not create lasting change and why identity does. We explore how identity is formed, how it drives behavior under pressure, and why many high-performing leaders stay stuck by clinging to versions of themselves that once worked but no longer fit.
I also share personal stories about releasing old identities and what shifted when I consciously chose who I wanted to become, not someday, but now.
Research highlight
According to research from the University of Scranton, ninety-two percent of people fail to achieve their goals. One major reason is that they focus on outcomes instead of the identity and systems required to sustain change.
Key takeaways
• You cannot design a different year if you show up as the same version of yourself.
• Identity is not fixed. It is practiced.
• Your identity drives your behavior, not the other way around.
• Leadership friction is often an identity problem, not a performance problem.
• You are designing the experience of you every day.
Mic drop moments
• Choose the leader you are becoming, or default to the leader you have been.
• Goals do not create change. Identity does.
• If you do not upgrade your identity, your life will keep bumping up against the same edges.
• You are not designing a to-do list for 2026. You are designing the experience of you.
If you haven’t listened to Episode 1 yet, start there. In Episode 3, we’ll talk about how to design a 2026 structure that supports the leader you are becoming, because you don’t need a better plan. You need a better practice.
If this episode resonated, share it with someone who’s ready to stop repeating the same year with different tasks, and subscribe to Reflect Forward wherever you listen.
Connect with Kerry
Visit my website, kerrysiggins.com, to explore my book, The Ownership Mindset, and get more leadership resources. Let’s connect on LinkedIn, Instagram, or TikTok!
Find Reflect Forward on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kerrysiggins-reflectforward
Find out more about my book here: https://kerrysiggins.com/the-ownership-mindset/
Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-siggins/
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Choose the leader you are becoming, or default to the leader you have been. That is the real decision in front of you as you head into a new year.
Most leaders believe change starts with better goals. New priorities. New plans. But if you keep showing up with the same identity, the same emotional patterns, and the same nervous system responses, you will recreate the same year with different tasks.
This episode is about breaking that cycle.
Episode overview
This is Episode 2 of my three-part Design Yourself series on creating the life and leadership you want in 2026. In Episode 1, we focused on self-awareness and uncovering the default stories running your leadership. In this episode, we move from awareness to choice.
Because you cannot design a different year if you show up as the same version of yourself.
In this conversation, I break down why goals do not create lasting change and why identity does. We explore how identity is formed, how it drives behavior under pressure, and why many high-performing leaders stay stuck by clinging to versions of themselves that once worked but no longer fit.
I also share personal stories about releasing old identities and what shifted when I consciously chose who I wanted to become, not someday, but now.
Research highlight
According to research from the University of Scranton, ninety-two percent of people fail to achieve their goals. One major reason is that they focus on outcomes instead of the identity and systems required to sustain change.
Key takeaways
• You cannot design a different year if you show up as the same version of yourself.
• Identity is not fixed. It is practiced.
• Your identity drives your behavior, not the other way around.
• Leadership friction is often an identity problem, not a performance problem.
• You are designing the experience of you every day.
Mic drop moments
• Choose the leader you are becoming, or default to the leader you have been.
• Goals do not create change. Identity does.
• If you do not upgrade your identity, your life will keep bumping up against the same edges.
• You are not designing a to-do list for 2026. You are designing the experience of you.
If you haven’t listened to Episode 1 yet, start there. In Episode 3, we’ll talk about how to design a 2026 structure that supports the leader you are becoming, because you don’t need a better plan. You need a better practice.
If this episode resonated, share it with someone who’s ready to stop repeating the same year with different tasks, and subscribe to Reflect Forward wherever you listen.
Connect with Kerry
Visit my website, kerrysiggins.com, to explore my book, The Ownership Mindset, and get more leadership resources. Let’s connect on LinkedIn, Instagram, or TikTok!
Find Reflect Forward on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kerrysiggins-reflectforward
Find out more about my book here: https://kerrysiggins.com/the-ownership-mindset/
Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-siggins/
Leading with grit is more than a leadership mantra; it’s the real-life story of how Kyle Ewing turned stacks of unsold paper in his basement into TerraSlate, a multi-million-dollar company whose waterproof, rip-proof products are now used by the U.S. military, biotech firms, restaurants, and even the NFL. His journey is proof that persistence, creativity, and accountability can transform even the “boring” into something extraordinary.
In our conversation on this week’s episode of Reflect Forward, Kyle shares how grit became his core value, the engine that carried him from stacks of unsold paper in his basement to scaling a thriving company. We talk about what it really takes to sell a product nobody thinks they need, why accountability creates stronger teams, and how leaders can flip the pyramid to serve their people and customers better.
If you’ve ever wondered how to lead through challenges, embrace mistakes, and build a culture rooted in ownership, this episode will inspire you to see grit not as a buzzword, but as a daily leadership practice.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
• The origin story of TerraSlate: from wrinkled passports to waterproof menus and military manuals
• How to pivot when your first idea flops and find true product-market fit
• Why consistency and persistence are the secret weapons in sales and entrepreneurship
• The power of psychological safety and accountability in building strong teams
• How leaders scale by delegating authority and removing roadblocks
Key Takeaways
1. Grit is the ultimate differentiator. Success comes from persistence, iteration, and showing up consistently, even when no one believes in your idea.
2. Accountability builds culture. The best employees own their mistakes and create systems to prevent them in the future.
3. Leaders must flip the pyramid. Your job is to remove roadblocks so your team can shine and serve customers.
4. Selling is serving. Relationships and trust matter more than hard closes; people buy from people they like.
5. Hire A-players early. Pay for top talent and let go of mediocrity quickly to unlock growth.
Mic Drop Moments
• “Leading with grit means owning mistakes and turning them into momentum.”
• “I work for my employees; they work for the customer.”
• “You’re 2,000 cold calls away from success—consistency wins.”
• “The buck always stops with the leader. Own it, fix it, move forward.”
About Kyle Ewing
Kyle Ewing is the founder and CEO of TerraSlate, makers of waterproof, rip-proof paper for mission-critical environments and everyday durability. TerraSlate serves industries ranging from hospitality to defense, and Kyle also writes the LinkedIn newsletter Ideas to Empires.
Connect with Kyle
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleewing/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=bizkyle
Instagram: @bizkyle https://www.instagram.com/bizkyle/
TikTok: @bizkyle https://www.tiktok.com/@bizkyle
YouTube: @bizkyle https://www.youtube.com/@bizkyle
Connect with Kerry
Don’t forget to subscribe to Reflect Forward on your favorite podcast platform or YouTube. Visit my website, kerrysiggins.com, to explore my book, The Ownership Mindset, and get more leadership resources. Let’s connect on LinkedIn, Instagram, or TikTok!
Find Reflect Forward on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kerrysiggins-reflectforward
Find out more about my book here: https://kerrysiggins.com/the-ownership-mindset/
Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-siggins/
Reflect Forward
Choose the leader you are becoming, or default to the leader you have been. That is the real decision in front of you as you head into a new year.
Most leaders believe change starts with better goals. New priorities. New plans. But if you keep showing up with the same identity, the same emotional patterns, and the same nervous system responses, you will recreate the same year with different tasks.
This episode is about breaking that cycle.
Episode overview
This is Episode 2 of my three-part Design Yourself series on creating the life and leadership you want in 2026. In Episode 1, we focused on self-awareness and uncovering the default stories running your leadership. In this episode, we move from awareness to choice.
Because you cannot design a different year if you show up as the same version of yourself.
In this conversation, I break down why goals do not create lasting change and why identity does. We explore how identity is formed, how it drives behavior under pressure, and why many high-performing leaders stay stuck by clinging to versions of themselves that once worked but no longer fit.
I also share personal stories about releasing old identities and what shifted when I consciously chose who I wanted to become, not someday, but now.
Research highlight
According to research from the University of Scranton, ninety-two percent of people fail to achieve their goals. One major reason is that they focus on outcomes instead of the identity and systems required to sustain change.
Key takeaways
• You cannot design a different year if you show up as the same version of yourself.
• Identity is not fixed. It is practiced.
• Your identity drives your behavior, not the other way around.
• Leadership friction is often an identity problem, not a performance problem.
• You are designing the experience of you every day.
Mic drop moments
• Choose the leader you are becoming, or default to the leader you have been.
• Goals do not create change. Identity does.
• If you do not upgrade your identity, your life will keep bumping up against the same edges.
• You are not designing a to-do list for 2026. You are designing the experience of you.
If you haven’t listened to Episode 1 yet, start there. In Episode 3, we’ll talk about how to design a 2026 structure that supports the leader you are becoming, because you don’t need a better plan. You need a better practice.
If this episode resonated, share it with someone who’s ready to stop repeating the same year with different tasks, and subscribe to Reflect Forward wherever you listen.
Connect with Kerry
Visit my website, kerrysiggins.com, to explore my book, The Ownership Mindset, and get more leadership resources. Let’s connect on LinkedIn, Instagram, or TikTok!
Find Reflect Forward on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kerrysiggins-reflectforward
Find out more about my book here: https://kerrysiggins.com/the-ownership-mindset/
Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-siggins/
