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Fortitude Fridays

Vol. 123: What’s Waiting on the Other Side of One More?

Welcome to Fortitude Fridays—part mindset gym, part field notes from real life. I share what I’m learning, testing, and using to help you strengthen your mindset, take better care of yourself, and keep showing up—week after week.

Here are a few ideas as you head into the weekend.

Read Time: 5 mins

This Week’s Snapshot:

• Quote: Play On
• Tactic: The One More Mindset
• Question: Revelation

What's Your Next Note? It’s not the note you play that’s the wrong note—it’s the note you play afterwards that makes it right or wrong. —Miles Davis (Musician) ​ This isn’t just about music—it’s about life. No matter how much you prepare, wrong notes happen. The bad call, the missed shot, the awkward step. None of that defines you. Your next move does.

Tactic: The Power of "One More"

Sometimes the smallest extra step opens the biggest door

I’ve been tossing this idea around, and I think I’m going to put it on a post-it note on my computer to remind me: one more.

This is something I’ve been talking about with my clients—and lately with my daughter too. Her school year just kicked off, bringing fresh challenges: new routines, new assignments, and the quiet weight of figuring things out. That’s where this idea of one more has been living in my head—especially in times of change, uncertainty, or when you’re reaching for a goal. There’s so much opportunity tucked inside that simple phrase.

One more rep. One more draft. One more strategy. One more try.

Not because we’re chasing perfection, but because it’s how we build. Science shows us that repetition reshapes the brain—strengthening neural pathways, carving in skills, and building resilience. Each time we lean into “one more,” we’re training the brain that effort matters more than the outcome. And that effort, stacked up over time, creates confidence.

Let’s be honest: it’s always easier to stop. To close the laptop. To leave the last plate unracked. To call it “good enough” when it’s really just “I don’t feel like it.” But most of the value—the muscle, the breakthrough, the lightbulb moment—lives in the extra step we almost didn’t take.

I remind myself of this often: you can’t really fail if you don’t quit. One more keeps you in the game. One more keeps the door open for the breakthrough you haven’t seen yet.

History proves it. Edison didn’t wake up with a working lightbulb—he tested thousands of filaments before one finally lit. J.K. Rowling’s manuscript was rejected so many times she could’ve wallpapered her flat with “no’s.” James Dyson? He built over 5,000 prototypes before his vacuum actually worked.

The magic wasn’t in instant success. It was in all the 'one mores' that piled up until something finally clicked.

How you can use it:

One more rep.
One more page.
One more draft.
One more step.
One more minute.
One more practice question.
One more breath.
One more smile.
One more hug.
One more chance.

(And remember—it’s just one more right now. Not forever.)

Keep in Mind:

Sometimes the bravest move isn’t doing one more—it’s calling it enough. There’s wisdom in stopping before you hit the wall. In training, that’s how your body rebuilds stronger. In work, that’s how you avoid burnout. While in relationships, sometimes the best step is to hold space, and not push.

One more is powerful, but so is hitting pause—so you can come back tomorrow with energy, focus, and a clear head. One more is where the breakthrough happens, and recovery is what makes it last.

Bringing it home:

Whether it’s in the gym, at your desk, or sitting next to your kid wrestling with math homework—try leaning into the mindset of one more. Not perfect, just possibility.

Because one more doesn’t have to be flawless—it just has to be done. And sometimes, that simple possibility is exactly what opens the door you’ve been waiting for.

You've got this...c'mon, one more.

Your Turn: ​ An idea to carry into this week.... ​ Where in your life could one more step—or even one more pause—help you show up the way you really want to? It might be one more laugh, one more hug, or one more deep breath before you answer in a moment that matters. ​ Or it might be tougher—one more sprint when you’re tired, one more draft when you’d rather be done, one more conversation you’d rather avoid. ​ It’s not about chasing some ideal or grinding harder. It’s about noticing what “one more” shows you—and giving yourself the space to see what happens.

Interesting:

The owl nicknamed Creamsicle has been spotted again in Michigan.

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a fantastic weekend. Until next week…

You got this,

P.S. If you’re new—welcome! I’m so glad you’re here. You’ve just stepped into a community of people who are showing up, doing the work, and getting after what matters. We’re all about learning, growing, and building real momentum—together. Let’s go!

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