Momentum, Meaning, and the Year of the Fire Horse

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ome seasons are about endurance.
Others are about alignment.

This one?
This season is about momentum.

After leaving my previous employer, I made a conscious decision not to hesitate—to move toward the work that has been calling me for years. I’ve gone head-first into Independent Consulting and Properties LLC, and the clarity that comes from that commitment has been energizing in ways I didn’t fully anticipate.

When you stop splitting your attention between what’s safe and what’s true, something shifts.

Building in the Open

One of the most exciting parts of this chapter has been deeper collaboration—especially with Dani Cee and her work through Confident Authority (formerly Happy Life Agenda). Our conversations and shared work sit right at the intersection of confidence, authority, systems, and human connection—the space I’ve spent my career studying, teaching, and living in.

Collaboration, when it’s grounded in trust and shared values, doesn’t dilute your voice.
It sharpens it.

Opportunity Is Knocking—From Multiple Directions

What’s been especially affirming is the range of opportunities emerging right now:

  • New conversations in higher education, where institutions are grappling with leadership, enrollment shifts, and the future of learning
  • Consulting clients who are ready to move beyond surface-level solutions and address systems, culture, and people
  • Projects that allow me to translate theory into practice—where insight actually becomes impact

This is the work I’ve always wanted to do: helping individuals and organizations understand how decisions are really made, how relationships shape outcomes, and how to build something more durable than short-term wins.

The Mic Is Back On

There’s also something powerful about returning to a creative rhythm with people who know you well. My friends Jacoband Sam and I are back to recording the Hairy and Heavy podcast—and the energy has been unreal.

These conversations remind me that depth still matters. That humor, honesty, and weighty dialogue can coexist. And that sometimes the most meaningful insights emerge not from polished scripts, but from real talk with people you trust.

Synthesizing What I’ve Been Studying for Years

Behind the scenes, I’m also preparing to synthesize a body of data I’ve been collecting around human connection—how it forms, how it fractures, and how it shapes outcomes in work, leadership, and life.

This is the part that truly lights me up.

Because connection isn’t soft.
It’s not abstract.
It’s measurable, actionable, and deeply consequential.

I can’t wait to share what emerges.

Entering 2026 With Intention

There’s a reason the Year of the Fire Horse resonates so deeply right now. It symbolizes momentum, independence, courage, and movement without apology.

That’s exactly the energy I’m carrying into 2026.

Healthy.
Happy.
Grounded.
Impact-oriented.

This year isn’t about proving anything—it’s about building something honest, aligned, and meaningful.

And if the momentum of this month is any indication, we’re just getting started.

— The Social Capitalist

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