Leadership Letter #13

Everyone’s busy. It’s called living life.

When I was in my early 20s, I owned a gym, and one day, a guy walked in and asked me how I was doing. I responded casually, “Busy, man!” He stopped, looked me dead in the eye, and said, “You really think people give a shit when you say that?”

It stung. But it also stopped me in my tracks. He was right. “Busy” wasn’t impressive—it was an excuse. It was my way of saying, “I’m at my limit,” without realizing that my limit was self-imposed.

The truth is, being “busy” isn’t a badge of honor. It’s a sign that your priorities aren’t clear. It’s a way to avoid admitting that you lack focus. There are people with exponentially more responsibilities who accomplish far more because they don’t let “busy” define them—they let focus drive them.

Being “Busy” Is Not the Same as Being Productive

Take Elon Musk, for example. The guy runs multiple companies worth billions—Tesla, SpaceX, X (FKA: Twitter)—and all with massive, world-changing visions. Yet, he somehow finds time to do podcasts, troll people on social media, and top Diablo’s leaderboard.

Is he “busy”? Of course. But does he waste time talking about how busy he is? No. Instead, he’s focused. He knows his priorities, aligns his actions to them, and stays motivated by a clear purpose.

If you want 2025 to be the year you grow, stop saying you’re busy. Focus on what matters, and align your GPA: Goals, Purpose, and Action.

Align Your GPA (Goals, Purpose, Action)

Your ability to grow in 2025 isn’t about finding more hours—it’s about aligning the mental, emotional, and physical elements of what you do. It’s about cutting the noise and staying locked in on what drives real progress.

Here’s how:

1) Set Clear Goals
Goals are your brain’s compass. Without them, you’ll spin in circles, chasing whatever grabs your attention. Be specific and measurable:

• What do you want to achieve?

• When will you achieve it?

• How will you measure success?

Example: Instead of saying, “I want to grow my business,” say, “I want to increase revenue by 25% by Q3 by launching two new product lines.”

2) Define Your Purpose
Goals without purpose are empty. They might get you moving, but they won’t keep you going when things get tough. Your purpose is the emotional fuel behind your goals.

• Why does this matter?

• How does it tie into your long-term vision?

• Who benefits from this success?

Purpose gives meaning to the grind, making every step feel like part of something bigger.

3) Take Intentional Action
Action without a goal or purpose is just busywork. It’s motion without progress. Intentional action means cutting distractions and focusing on what drives results.

• What tasks directly move you toward your goal?

• What’s a distraction disguised as productivity?

• What needs to stop immediately?

The more intentional your actions, the fewer excuses you’ll have to hide behind “busy.”

Why GPA Works

Your brain needs alignment to make real progress:

• Mental (Goals): A clear direction.

• Emotional (Purpose): A reason to keep going.

• Physical (Action): The steps to get there.

Think about learning to ride a bike. You had a mental focus (balance and pedal), an emotional drive (the thrill of succeeding), and physical action (getting on the bike and trying). Those elements aligned, making it part of your identity.

The same principle applies to running your business or life. When your goals, purpose, and actions align, growth becomes second nature.

Stop Talking About Busy. Start Talking About Growth.

Being “busy” in 2025 won’t impress anyone. Everyone’s busy. The difference between people who thrive and people who stagnate is their ability to prioritize, focus, and align their goals, purpose, and actions.

So, stop saying you’re at your limit. Start thinking about how you can raise your threshold. Growth isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what matters. Let go of the excuses and focus on building something meaningful.

Because when you look back at the end of 2025, you won’t care how busy you were. You’ll care about what you accomplished. Make it count.

#BEGREAT

Cody Stevens, Founder of X Squared Systems

We teach businesses how to get unreal results by aligning their people with the vision.

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