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/
Stop calling it strategy. Most leaders are not doing strategy; they are managing a glorified to-do list.
In this episode of Reflect Forward, I sit down with Simon Severino, author of Strategy Sprints, TEDx speaker, Forbes contributor, and CEO of Strategy Sprints, to talk about how to lead with clarity, focus, and speed. Simon helps leaders design an operating rhythm that turns lofty visions into measurable weekly wins, all without adding more meetings or complexity.
Simon has spent over two decades helping leaders enter markets, scale effectively, and remain competitive in uncertain times. His Strategy Sprints method replaces long planning cycles with focused 90-day sprints that keep teams learning, adapting, and moving fast. It is a system designed for real-life scenarios, where uncertainty is constant and leaders cannot afford to wait for perfect information.
Simon reminds us that strategy is not about being right; it is about learning fast. His Focus Card is a simple but powerful tool: one page for your strategy, one tab for weekly metrics. Every Monday, teams set their priorities. Every Friday, they review what is working and what is not. It is a rhythm that keeps everyone focused and aligned, turning strategy from theory into practice.
Simon also challenges leaders to build like Lego, not Duplo, modular, flexible, and fast to reconfigure. When markets shift, teams that move in small, adaptable units thrive. That mindset is not just tactical, it is cultural. It encourages curiosity, experimentation, and speed.
The beauty of Simon’s method is its simplicity. It does not add complexity; it removes it. The Strategy Sprint approach helps leaders focus on what matters, cut through noise, and lead teams that win through clarity and cadence.
My Takeaways
1. Plans list tasks. Strategy makes bets. Great leaders take responsibility for the assumptions they make.
2. Measure both cause and effect. Track the activities and the results they create.
3. Shorten your feedback loop. A Monday and Friday rhythm beats quarterly reviews every time.
4. Build modular. Smaller, faster systems are easier to adapt when the market shifts.
5. Seek truth, not validation. Try to invalidate your assumptions weekly. If they hold up, you are truly winning.
When I asked Simon what he wished leaders understood about strategy, he said:
“Do not try to prove you are right. Try to prove yourself wrong. If your assumptions survive, then you are winning.”
And if you want to bring more focus and agility to your team, try Simon’s Focus Card exercise. You might be surprised at how much clarity one page can bring.
Connect with Simon
https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonseverino/
https://www.facebook.com/simon.severino
https://x.com/simonseverino
https://www.strategysprints.com/
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/
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/
