You’ve probably heard the old parable:
“For want of a nail, the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe, the horse was lost.
For want of a horse, the rider was lost.
For want of a rider, the battle was lost.
For want of a battle, the kingdom was lost.
All for the want of a horseshoe nail.”
It lingers, doesn’t it?
Because it’s not really about a nail, it’s about how easily things unravel when we ignore what feels “too small to matter.”
🧠 When the Brain Says “It’s Fine” but the Gut Says “Fix It”
Here’s the hard truth:
Your life doesn’t fall apart in one big explosion.
It frays — one overlooked decision, one buried thought, one late-night self-betrayal at a time.
I’ve lived this.
At 29, I had the job, the house, the baby — the whole “you’re doing well” checklist.
But I was burnt out, hollowed out, and ready to give up. Literally.
In that moment — bottle in hand, tears running, hope gone — the “little things” that had been ignored for years suddenly came crashing down.
It wasn’t one big failure. It was a thousand tiny compromises I told myself didn’t count.
🎯 The World Doesn’t Judge You on Your Best Day
Here’s what no one tells you:
You don’t get to opt in to showing up only when it’s convenient.
Life, especially leadership, is built in the unglamorous moments:
- When no one’s watching.
- When there’s no applause.
- When the outcome is uncertain.
- When you’re exhausted and questioning everything.
This is why I coach for consistency in Certified High Performance Coaching™. Because it’s not about pushing harder — it’s about showing up better, especially in the places you usually dismiss.
💥 Mic Drop Moment: Your Patterns Speak Louder Than Your Potential
You might have the credentials.
You might even have the title.
But what actually moves the needle?
Your patterns — not your promises.
I’ve seen this play out with clients again and again. They’re brilliant, hardworking women who’ve climbed high… but still feel stuck, disconnected, unsure if this success was even meant for them.
And it often comes down to this: they’ve been ignoring the “nails.”
Skipping the reflection. Downplaying the fatigue. Avoiding the tough but honest conversations with themselves.
It’s not about being flawless. It’s about being fully present.
🐘 The Real Courage? It’s Not What You Think
People imagine courage as this loud, chest-beating, fearless force.
But in real life?
Courage often looks like:
- Saying “no” when everyone else is saying “yes.”
- Taking the next step with trembling hands.
- Showing up to the meeting even though you slept 3 hours and feel like a fraud.
Quiet courage changes lives. It’s the quiet kind I teach — because that’s the kind that sticks.
⚖️ Safety vs. Freedom: You Can’t Have Both
“In any given moment, we have two options: to step forward into growth or to step back into safety.” — Abraham Maslow
Let’s be honest.
Growth isn’t always pretty.
It’s uncomfortable. You’ll want to quit. You’ll question yourself.
But staying “safe” — staying small, silent, or stuck — has a cost too.
In my own life, I had to walk away from relationships, roles, and routines that were no longer true to me.
Not because I had a master plan. But because I finally understood: if I didn’t choose discomfort now, I’d keep living in disconnection later.
🧩 The Missing Piece Isn’t More Hustle — It’s Internal Alignment
When someone comes to me saying, “I’ve done everything right, but I still feel wrong…”
I don’t hand them a productivity template. I ask:
What have you ignored?
Where have you dimmed your light to make others comfortable?
What belief are you protecting that no longer protects you?
Because unlocking high performance isn’t about doing more — it’s about doing what matters. On purpose. With presence.
Start With One Nail
You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight.
But you do need to start.
✔ That one thing you keep delaying?
✔ That conversation you know you need to have?
✔ That voice inside asking for more?
It might be the “nail” that saves your kingdom.
🔥 This Is What I Coach
I don’t work with people who need fixing. I work with women ready to stop tolerating lives that look good but feel off.
Through Certified High Performance Coaching™, Wayfinder Coaching, and Impostor Syndrome-Informed Coaching, I guide you to reconnect with:
- The clarity you’ve buried under busy.
- The courage to make aligned choices.
- The consistency to live from your best self.
And yes, we focus on the “little things.” Because that’s where everything shifts.
🛎 Ready for More Than Just a Good Life?
You can have success and joy.
You can feel confident and connected.
You can build a life that reflects who you are now, not who you were told to be.
But it won’t happen by accident. It starts with a choice — a commitment to show up differently.
Your future isn’t waiting for a perfect plan. It’s waiting for a present you.
Remember, you can unleash your unique version of success.
And I’d be honoured to help you do just that.
Your Coach
Stephanie
Ready to Ignite Your SPARK?
As a Certified High Performance, Wayfinder and Imposter Syndrome Informed Coach, I’m here to support you on this transformative journey. Whether it’s in your career, health, or relationships, my coaching programs are designed to help you achieve heightened and sustained levels of performance and potential. Are you ready to embrace these inner shifts then let’s embark on this journey together!
Whenever you’re ready, here are a few ways I can support you:
Join our IYS Community – to connect with like-minded individuals focused on increasing their ENGAGEMENT, CONFIDENCE & JOY in work (and life)
Access your FREE Online Training – and learn how you can immediately hit higher levels of performance and potential in all you do!
Take the High Performance Questionnaire – to understand if you’re ready to go to the next level and live a life full of engagement, joy and confidence…
Book a Chat – so we can breakthrough what you’re currently challenged with and take the next action towards living the life of your dreams!