Don’t Change Anything

A moment made me stop, reflect, and realise how far I’ve come.
 
Last week, I delivered my Mental Resilience Masterclass to a Vistage group in Sussex, chaired by David Harding. A few days later, we caught up on a Teams call for a debrief on the session.
 
David shared that the group had loved the masterclass and that the feedback scores were very high. As the conversation flowed, he also confirmed that he would be booking me later this year to deliver my Productivity Breakthrough Masterclass.
 
But then he said three words that stopped me in my tracks:
 
“Don’t change anything.”
 
Those three words genuinely made my day.
In fact, they made me realise just how far I’ve come.
 
For years, I worked relentlessly on improving my masterclasses. There were moments, many of them, when I wanted to give up, when self-doubt crept in, when the scores weren’t where I wanted them to be. When I questioned whether I’d ever truly “crack it.”
 
 
To hear those words from a Vistage Chair meant the world.
 
For those unfamiliar, Vistage is the world’s largest peer advisory organisation for CEOs, business owners, and senior leaders. Each group is run by a Chair, who carefully selects managing directors from different companies. They meet monthly, with an expert speaker in the morning, followed by peer challenge and learning sessions.
 
Vistage audiences are demanding, in the best possible way. Expectations are high. Speakers are scored after every session. If your scores aren’t strong, you don’t get rebooked.
 
When I first started delivering to Vistage groups, my masterclass wasn’t great, and the scores reflected that. Occasionally, I’d get a booking from someone who believed in me or wanted to help me out. That went on for years, and I often wondered if I’d ever reach the point of consistently high feedback.
 
So I kept refining.
 
I adjusted the balance between storytelling, practical techniques, research-backed evidence, interaction, discussion, and reflection. Slowly, almost imperceptibly at times, the scores improved.
 
 
Last week felt like a milestone.
 
The session was held at American Express Brighton and Hove Football Stadium, and from the very start, I felt calm, confident, and entirely at ease. The three-hour masterclass flew by. The interaction was electric. You could feel the positivity in the room, and the comments at the end confirmed it.
 
When I mentioned to David that this was the result of years of persistence and refusing to give up, he smiled and said:
 
“That’s mental resilience.”
 
And he was right.
 
I also noticed how much life has changed over the years. There was a time when I worked on a cheap laptop, owned very little, and watched every penny to survive.
 
Today, I have the best equipment, stay in beautiful hotels, and drive a car I once only dreamed about.
 
I visualised this moment hundreds of times during the toughest years. I wanted to give up more times than I can count, but I didn’t.
 
And because I didn’t, I’m now living the dream aged 71. 
 
3 Key Learnings 

• Consistency beats talent over time. Showing up, refining, and improving, even when feedback is tough, creates mastery.
• High standards shape high performance. Challenging environments like Vistage don’t lower the bar; they raise you to meet it.
• Confidence comes from earned experience. Absolute confidence isn’t forced; it’s built through repetition, reflection, and resilience. 

 
An Inspiring Story of Not Giving Up
 
“Long before she became a celebrated artist, Anna Mary Robertson “Grandma” Moses spent most of her life as a farm worker. She didn’t begin painting seriously until her late 70s, after arthritis made embroidery too painful. Her early work was dismissed by many as “too simple.”
 
She kept going anyway.
 
Eventually, her paintings were exhibited worldwide. She became one of the most recognised folk artists in history, and she achieved it after most people believed life’s big opportunities had passed.
 
Persistence doesn’t have an expiry date.”
 
 
Thoughts for the Week 

1. What have you improved quietly over the years that you don’t give yourself credit for?
2. Where are you one decision away from not giving up?
3. If you kept going for just one more season, what might become possible? 

 
Sometimes progress whispers before it shouts.
 
And sometimes, three simple words remind you that every step was worth it.
 
Well, that’s it for this week. Have a wonderful week ahead, and keep believing.
 
Warm regards

John

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