🎥 Sunday Reset with Steven – 1 June 2025
“What Tom Cruise, Serena Williams, and AI Can Teach You About Grit”

What do they have in common?

They don’t stop at 40%.

Tom does his own stunts—at 62.
Serena plays through pain and pressure—year after year.
And Former Navy SEAL, Goggins? He calls it the 40/60 Rule:

“When you think you’re done, you’re only 40% tapped out.”

That hit me—not in a gym, but in the middle of late-night strategy, high-stakes M&A meetings, and planning for a transformation that’s about to go live.

FYI I lead three portfolio roles. So it’s intense.

This week in one of the intense emotionally charged go live prep meetings, I paused and asked our task force:

What behaviours will keep us grounded when the next 8 hours go off-script?

Because when things get operationally complex, leadership needs to get emotionally simple.

And that’s the power of grit.

I am reminding myself. And I am reminding you.

Here’s what I’ve observed in the tower and engine room:
The top performers I work with—CEOs, boards, founders—aren’t necessarily the most brilliant.

They’re the most disciplined.

They train themselves to push past the first wave of surrender.

→ When the room gets tense, they breathe slower.
→ When the data overwhelms, they ask better questions.
→ When AI surfaces 100 insights, they choose 1 wisely.

And that’s the paradox of modern leadership:

We're surrounded by AI and automation, yet the edge lies in stoic focus, rhythm, and composure.

This week, Paris Saint Germain made UEFA Champions League history.
A 5–0 masterclass.
Not just flair—but fierce, grounded teamwork.
That’s not motivation. That’s systemised grit.

So here’s my Sunday prompt to you:

What’s one mental habit you can strengthen this week—so when pressure rises, you don’t break… you lead?

Maybe it’s:

Starting your day without your phone.
Saying no faster.
Speaking less in a meeting, but listening more.

Whatever it is—

Let this new month be your moment to reset.

📌 “You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realise this, and you will find strength.” — Marcus Aurelius

I’m Steven. This is your hashtag#SundayReset.
Keep growing. Keep leading.
Until next Sunday.
Let’s get it!

Steven PAUL, CDir FIoD – shaping boards and CxO Exec teams in the era of AI for successful transformation. Sharing a decade of strategic global boardroom actionable insights on effectiveness, Gen AI, leadership, innovation and growth.
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