This magazine—and pavement conferences across our industry—have always done a great job teaching us how to build better businesses. We talk production, margins, equipment, crews, estimating, systems, and financials—and we should. Ignoring those things would be irresponsible.
But here’s a question we don’t ask often enough...
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE LEADER IS RUNNING ON EMPTY?
This column isn’t just for owners or CEOs. Everyone reading this has influence—on a crew, in an office, at home, or in their community. And everyone can get 1% better.
In 2016, I heard a message from Albert Tate at the Global Leadership Summit that completely reframed how I live and lead. We’re often taught to give 115%, leave it all on the field, and pour everything we have into the business. That sounds admirable—until you realize that when you truly “leave it all on the field,” you go home with nothing left. Nothing left for your family. Nothing left for yourself.
That message hit me hard because it described exactly what I was doing.
At the time, I was giving everything to my business and to the organizations I was involved in. On paper, I was doing all the right things at home. I was at every game, every recital, every school event. I showed up.
But if I’m being honest, I wasn’t fully there.
My body was present, but my mind was still at work. I was exhausted, distracted, and running on fumes. My family was getting whatever energy was left over—and some days, there wasn’t much.
That was a wake-up call.
I realized that being present isn’t just about attendance. It’s about capacity. And I had allowed my capacity to be drained by pouring everything outward and almost nothing inward.
I made a conscious decision to change.
Not overnight, and not perfectly—but intentionally. I started treating my own health, discipline, and growth with the same seriousness I gave my business. Because leadership doesn’t end when you leave the office, and the people who matter most deserve your best, not your leftovers.
If it’s negligent to ignore equipment maintenance or the financial side of the business, what is it when we ignore our health—physical, mental, and emotional?
This magazine has long helped leaders grow stronger businesses. My goal with this column is to focus on something equally important: helping leaders become stronger people.
Over the next few articles, we’re going to talk about personal disciplines that make a real difference.
Here are the first four that were game changers for me.
Discipline #1: Who Is Building Into You?
I start most mornings with a small circle of men. We train together, push ourselves physically, then circle up for coffee and talk openly about life and struggles.
There are no titles and no posturing—just honesty, accountability, and encouragement. “Iron sharpens Iron” is not a catchphrase, its Biblical, and it’s how the best leaders grow stronger.
You don’t need a massive group or formal program. But you do need someone who can ask you hard questions, challenge your blind spots, and remind you of who you’ve committed to becoming.
Isolation weakens leaders. Community strengthens them.
Action Step:
Who can you circle up with? Identify one or two people who will challenge you, encourage you, and tell you the truth. It doesn’t need to be formal—just intentional. Commit to showing up consistently.
Discipline #2: What Are You Putting Into Your Body?
Fuel matters. Just like you wouldn’t run a paver on bad diesel and expect quality results, you can’t expect consistent leadership performance while neglecting your body.
For me, that looks like planning my lunches ahead of time—simple, repetitive, disciplined. Venison, rice, and green beans almost every day. Not because some “influencer” said to, but because it’s clean fuel, removes decision fatigue, and helps me stay consistent.
This isn’t about perfection or extremes. It’s about intentionality.
Energy, focus, patience, and resilience all start with how you fuel yourself.
Action Step:
Take an honest look at what you’re eating this week. Don’t overhaul everything—make one simple tweak. Pack lunch. Cut liquid calories. Add more protein. Small changes compound.
Discipline #3: What Are You Putting Into Your Mind?
We live in a media-saturated world. TV, podcasts, email, social media, texts—voices are constantly competing for our attention. What we consume doesn’t just inform us; it shapes us.
Protecting your inputs matters. What you read. What you listen to. What you scroll past—or stop on, can change your mind, for the good or the bad.
What flows into your mind eventually shows up in your leadership.
For me, that means being intentional with reading, limiting noise, and anchoring my day with Scripture. A year-long daily Bible reading plan keeps it point-and-shoot and helps steady my mind before the chaos of the day begins.
It also means that I have zero social media on my phone.
Action Step:
Quiet the noise. Replace social media scrolling with reading a few pages a day from a leadership book that sharpens how you think. Try “Atomic Habits” or “Win the Day”
Discipline #4: Stay Ready, Not Get Ready!
One of the tools I’ve found helpful is a simple daily journal—something that helps me track habits, reflect honestly, and stay prepared instead of reactive.
I like the Stay Ready Journal because it’s a 50-day sprint, not an open-ended commitment. There’s a clear start, a clear finish, and a simple daily structure to build better habits and stay focused on what matters most.
Leaders often wait until pressure hits to make changes. But when leaders are put through the fire—and they will be—it doesn’t create character. It reveals it.
You don’t come out the same. You come out stronger or weaker. There’s no in between.
Action Step:
Buy a leadership or personal growth journal or planner this week. My circle uses the Stay Ready Journal, but the brand matters less than the habit. Find what works for you—and start using it daily.
Why This Matters
Everyone wins when a leader gets better.
Your team wins. Your family wins. Your customers win.
And over time, our entire industry wins.
Each month, we’ll build on these disciplines—going deeper and sharing the tools, habits, books, and challenges that help leaders keep getting better. Because all the success and money in the world mean very little if we lose sight of what really matters.
This Month’s Challenge
Before the next issue hits your mailbox, focus on just four simple tweaks:
- Circle Up: Identify one or two people who will challenge you, encourage you, and sharpen you—and commit to showing up consistently.
- Fuel Better: Make one intentional change to what you’re eating this week. Keep it simple, keep it repeatable.
- Quiet the Noise: Replace social media scrolling with reading 3 pages a day from a leadership book.
- Stay Ready: Buy a leadership or personal growth journal and start using it daily.
Small, intentional steps compound over time. It is my hope that you will join me in growing every day in 2026.
