The Leadership Quote-ient With Dusty Holcomb

Welcome to the Leadership Quotient, where we explore the wisdom of those who've led before us to help us all lead better today. I'm Dusty Holcomb. Here's what I believe. Before you can lead others, you must lead yourself. In every episode, we take a powerful quote and we wrestle with it together, drawing out the hard truths and the real life leadership lessons that will help you lead with clarity, purpose, and impact.

Because leadership Let's get started. The spirit, the will to win, and the will to excel are the things that endure. These qualities are so much more important than the events that occur. Vince Lombardi. Every single one of us has faced moments where our effort didn't match the outcome.

Maybe you put everything into a project only to see it overlooked. Maybe you invested in a relationship only to have it fall apart. Or maybe you fought hard for a promotion that never came. And in those moments, it's easy to feel like the event itself defines us. The failure, the setback, the moment when it didn't work out.

But here's the truth. These moments are temporary. What really lasts, what truly defines you is how you show up when things don't go your way. It's the will to win the determination to push forward, the resilience to stay true to your values when no one else is watching. That's what we're diving into today because your legacy isn't built on a single victory or a loss.

It's built through the daily choices you make, the way you lead, the way you respond, and the way you choose to show up no matter what. So let's talk about what really endures versus what fades. Let's talk about the will to win. Life will always bring highs and lows. That's a guarantee.

But what truly matters isn't the outcome. It's how you respond. I remember early in my career, I worked with a leader who frankly had every reason to check out. He was struggling, his team was under pressure, and every indicator pointed towards failure. But instead of folding under the weight of it all, he doubled down on what he could control, his energy, his presence, his attitude.

He showed up every day with focus, with intensity, and with the belief that there was always a way forward. And you know what? His team followed suit. The business didn't turn around overnight, but his leadership through that storm became his legacy. And that's the key.

You don't have control over every outcome, but you do have control over your presence, your effort, and your response. So the question is, are you showing up with a spirit that reflects your values regardless of the circumstances? We live in a world that celebrates outcomes, championships, promotions, revenue milestones, but real excellence isn't about what you achieve. It's about the standard you set for yourself before the results ever show up. Let me tell you a quick story.

A number of years ago, I was training for a marathon and at first I was obsessed with the goal time I wanted to hit. But along the way, something shifted. I realized that if I only focused on race day, I'd miss the whole point. Excellence wasn't about that one event. It was about the choices I made every single day.

The early morning runs, the discipline, the commitment to improvement. The same is true in leadership. Excellence isn't about the title, the salary, or the rewards. It's about showing up with intentionality, even when no one is watching. If you want to go deeper into that mindset, I highly recommend the book Mindset by Carol Dweck.

This book changed the way I approach growth, not just in business, but in life. It's not about natural talent. It's about the belief that you can grow, adapt, and improve. So let me ask, are you approaching today with the mindset of giving your best, regardless of the outcome success comes and goes. So do failures, but character That's what people remember.

Few years ago, I was mentoring a young leader who had just experienced a professional setback, a big one. He was frustrated, angry, and ready to walk away. But I asked him, what do you want to be known for when this season is over? Because that's the real test, not how we handle victory, but how we handle adversity. That's why Dare to Lead by Brene Brown is such a powerful and must read book because courage and leadership isn't about avoiding failure.

It's about owning your story, even when it's hard. So how are you building a character of legacy and determination through the way you face life's challenges? Your biggest battle isn't against a competitor. It's against yourself. Doubt, fear, hesitation, those are the real enemies.

And that's why resilience is so critical. The strong leaders aren't the ones who have made it easy. They're the ones who refuse to quit when things get hard. I love what Jocko Willink says in Extreme Ownership. He talks about taking full responsibility for your mindset, your choices, and your outcomes.

And I'll tell you, this book is one I give away all the time because the principle of ownership is everything in leadership. Are you strengthening your inner spirit to face challenges with confidence and resilience? Too many leaders waste time and energy worrying about things outside their control, but the best ones, they double down on what they can control, their preparation, their discipline, their attitude. Are you focusing on your effort and your attitude? Are you letting circumstances dictate how you show up?

At the core of everything we've talked about today is self leadership because you can't lead others if you're not leading yourself first. One of my favorite books on this is Lead Yourself First by Raymond Kethledge and Michael Erwin. Here's my final challenge today. What's one small intentional action you can take today to reinforce your values? Because at the end of the day, your legacy isn't defined by one moment.

It's built through the daily choices you make. Starting today, how will you show up? With excellence, resilience, and a will to win? That's it for today's conversation on the leadership quotient. Before you move on to whatever's next, pause.

Sit with this quote. Let it work on you. Leadership is shaped in these moments, the quiet decisions no one sees but you. Take this. Turn it into action.

And if this resonated with you, share it with someone else on their leadership journey because we all lead better together. Until next time, lead well and lead on purpose.