Activity Isn’t the Same as Progress

Most entrepreneurs don’t fail because they aren’t working hard enough.

If anything, most are working too hard.

They are juggling priorities, responding to opportunities, putting out fires, and wearing every hat. They are their CEO, CMO, CFO, data scientist, business analyst, and sales leader all rolled into one (overworked) persona. 

In all of the consulting work I've done, from multi-billion-dollar global brands to small trade-based businesses, the problem is not usually effort.

It’s direction.

Busy Is a Convenient and Convincing Disguise

I’m in a season of rapid growth right now.

I’m scaling Travel with Awestruck as CGO, mentoring and onboarding advisors, coaching small business leaders through Maverick, investing in new ventures, and juggling a lot of moving pieces in my own life.

There is no shortage of work to be done, and the list feels like it is constantly getting longer.

If you are a small business owner, you know the feeling. You can stay busy all day long and still feel like the most important work keeps getting pushed to “later.”

This is the danger zone. 

Activity feels productive, but without a clear strategic vision, it can quietly turn into movement without progress.

The Moment That Paused the Chaos

Recently, I got a text that stopped me in my tracks.

It was from the leader of a trade school that rolled out Maverick Growth Academy’s flagship course to its students this past fall, a cohort of aspiring barbers, aestheticians, and future business owners.

She wants to run it again this spring.

As I started thinking through how we might evolve the program, I went back and reread the post-course feedback.

I expected to skim, make a few tweaks along the margins, and send her an updated plan.

Instead, I sat with it.

Not because of the stats, though they mattered and felt nice to read:

• 100% took concrete steps toward starting or growing their business

• 100% reported increased confidence and preparedness

• 97% left with a complete, actionable business plan

• 100% would recommend the course

What stayed with me were the words.

“This course made me want to do better and be better.”

“It opened my eyes to the fact that I can run this business and make it profitable.”

“This showed me the direction I need to take to get where I want my business to go.”

That last one was everything I needed to hear. Direction is the difference between movement and progress.

The Real Bottleneck Isn’t Ambition

I’ve had the privilege of advising leaders from small business owners all the way to Fortune 50 C-suite executives.

Across the board, the pattern is consistent. There is no shortage of ambition, drive, or grit.

There is, however, a persistent shortage of time, and  that shortage is only exacerbated when leaders don’t have a clear, steady strategic vision guiding the chaos.

Chaos is a given, especially for small businesses where the leader and doer hats so often fall on the same head. There is no avoiding it. In fact, that busyness is what so many small business owners crave because when you need the phones to ring to keep the lights on, chaos can feel like success.

Why a North Star Changes Everything

A clear, persistent North Star strategic vision is the filtering and prioritization mechanism for that chaos.

With it, there is always a defined next step that moves you toward the end outcome you actually want to achieve. Without it, you are just wandering from one urgent wave to the next, hoping you end up somewhere meaningful.

That is where so many businesses stall, not because they stop working but because they stop steering.

A 7-Minute North Star Check-In

If you are in a season where everything feels urgent, consider this your sign to pause and reset.

Grab a piece of paper. Don’t overthink it. Answer these honestly:

1. In one sentence: What am I actually trying to build, beyond money or titles?

2. Who does this business need me to become in order to succeed at the level I want?

3. What am I saying yes to right now that doesn’t clearly support that vision?

4. What risks am I saying no to, or procrastinating on, that could really move the needle?

5. If everything else went quiet tomorrow, would my next move still be obvious?

If those answers came easily, amazing. You have a compass to organize the chaos.

If they felt fuzzy or uncomfortable, that is not a problem.

That is the opportunity.

Progress Comes From Intentional Direction

Clarity isn’t something you stumble into once and keep forever.

It is something you choose to revisit, especially as you grow.

When you know your North Star, decisions become simpler, confidence compounds, and chaos creates momentum instead of exhaustion.

Activity alone won’t get you where you want to go, but aligned action will.

If this resonated, consider it your invitation to pause, reflect, and re-center.

Because progress doesn’t come from doing more.

It comes from knowing where you are headed.