Reflection/Why I’m Grateful:

Not too long ago, I was sitting with someone I consider a mentor. As I often do, I asked a series of leadership questions.

One was about his ascent — how he went from a frontline role to becoming the CEO of a major company.
Another was about formation — how his leadership instincts were shaped over time.

His answer was simple and powerful.

He said he was always watching good leaders. When he saw them, he studied them. He imitated what worked. Then, over time, he adopted their habits and practices until they became his own. That stuck with me. Leadership, he reminded me, isn’t accidental — it’s absorbed.

Then I asked him something more personal.

I told him one of my greatest fears growing up was math.
And I asked how he developed such strong instincts for it.

His response reframed everything.

He said the basics of business math are really just addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. If you can do those well — and do them quickly — you can handle percentages, ratios, and basis points without hesitation.

Why does that matter?

Because in business, you’re often in real time:
• Sitting with a customer
• In a negotiation
• Someone is trying to shave a few basis points off an expense line

And you don’t always have the luxury of a spreadsheet.

You need shortcuts.
You need clarity.
You need confidence.

That conversation reminded me that what once intimidated me didn’t disqualify me — it invited me to grow. And that even our fears can become tools when we face them with humility and curiosity.

I’m grateful for mentors who simplify the complex.
I’m grateful for lessons that arrive right on time.
And I’m grateful that growth often starts with admitting what scared us in the first place.

“Get wisdom; get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them.” — Proverbs 4:5