My friend, former Amazon executive, and AI expert, Trent Gillespie, CEO of Stellis AI and a recent speaker at the 40 Strategy Growth Workshop™, made a point in his latest blog that stopped me in my tracks.

Companies and employees that are actively using AI are outperforming those that aren’t by six to one, this is based on new research from over 1 million businesses.

Six. To. One.

That’s not a rounding error. That’s a gap growing wider than the Pacific Ocean.

And it got me thinking about all the other questions business owners are carrying around right now:

• The Supreme Court decision looming over tariffs, what happens if they’re ruled illegal? Could there be retroactive adjustments? What if it stays the same?
  
  

• The stock market hovering near all-time highs, do I stay in, get out, rebalance?
  
  

• Will China invade Taiwan in 2027, is this noise or something I should actually plan for?
  
  

• Midterm elections, what does that mean for my business?
  
  

• Interest rates, do they keep coming down? Should I invest, borrow, or hold on to my cash?

It’s a lot.

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In strategic planning, all of these fall under external factors.

External Factors (And Why We Talk About Them Too Much)

In strategic planning, all of these fall under external factors.

They matter.
They’re real.
And they’re almost entirely out of your control.

For years, I’ve listened to leadership teams spend hours debating what the market might do, how labor might tighten, or how politics might impact results.

And there’s a reason I limit those conversations during our strategic facilitations.

Because blaming the outside world is easy.

But it’s also a distraction.

The truth is simple, you can’t control tariffs, elections, markets, or global politics.

You can only control your actions.

As a CEO.
As an owner.
As a leader.
Even as an employee.

The only thing you truly control is what you do next.

And when the year winds down, strategy becomes very personal.

The Man (or Woman) in the Mirror

As Tommy Breedlove wrote in The Legendary Minute this week, “How our lives unfold is a giant mirror of what we’ve put out in the world.”

This self-reflection part is uncomfortable, and necessary.

If you’re being honest, some of these probably sound familiar in your business:

• Employees didn’t perform at the level you expected
  
  

• Marketing campaigns missed ROI
  
  

• Social media didn’t move the needle
  
  

• Products didn’t meet quality standards
  
  

• Customer service slipped
  
  

• Engagement dropped
  
  

• Customers didn’t come back
  
  

None of those are controlled by the stock market.

They’re controlled by leadership decisions.

This is where excuses have to go.

We can’t change the past, but we can absolutely change our future. And that starts with Extreme Ownership, that Jocko Willink discusses in his epic book, with the same title.

Strategy isn’t about predicting the world.
It’s about preparing yourself and your company.

So whether you’ve already completed your 2026 strategic planning, or you’re still sorting through what needs to change, focus on what you can control.

Look in the mirror.
Make the hard calls.
Then act.

It’s the holidays, and a quick shout-out to my long-time friend, Grant Stockton. Here is a picture of our 36th annual Christmas shopping trip together. Thank you buddy for a great tradition and friendship.

The Good News: The 2026 40 Strategy Growth Workshop™

We’re excited to share that The 40 Strategy Growth Workshop™ is officially locked in for 2026.

📍 Phoenix, Arizona
🏨 Hilton Phoenix Tapatio Cliffs Resort

One of our featured speakers will be referral sales expert, Mike Garrison, author of Can I Borrow Your Car. 

Mike brings practical, no-fluff strategies that help businesses drive more revenue than they thought possible.

Registration Timeline

• Monday, December 29 – Registration opens for last year’s attendees and referrals with ONE-DAY ONLY discount
  
  

• Tuesday, December 30 – Registration opens to blog subscribers (that’s you) to get in before selling-out
  
  

If you want to be notified when registration opens, just reply to this email, and we’ll make sure you get the link on the appropriate day.

There are only 40 spots available for business owners.

Last year’s event earned a perfect 100 Net Promoter Score, and we plan to raise the bar again. 

This is more than a workshop.
It’s a reset for your business and often, your life.

We’re fired up to see the next 40.

👉 Reserve your spot.