Finding Your "It Factor"

Were my eyes deceiving me?

They weren’t.?

When the final whistle blew this past Sunday, my beloved #WashingtonCommanders had tossed up 42 points on the road against the Arizona Cardinals.?

If you learned anything new about me from the above, you can’t deny my loyalty. My football team had not been the talk of any NFL town — at least anything positive — since before Y2K. The pain. The horror.?

It’s a textbook case of poor leadership. A once storied ball club who went south when the wrong human purchased the team with good intentions. Last year, the universe decided to gift all of us Washington fans something we hadn’t felt in 25 years: hope.?

In business, we’ve heard, “hope is not a strategy”. While it may not be the whole kit and caboodle, I do believe “hope” is a key lever found IN the adventure embedded somewhere along the long tail journey of a strategic plan. Selling hope when your team has no hope is careless and risky. That’s the stuff that can breach trust with a fan base.?

However, when your team puts together a few on and off the field wins, hitting the marker on hope ensures you’re on a path to "buy in” and better days.?

Now, with a new Owner and a 3rd name since 2020, the Washington Commanders are 3-1 for the first time since my children have been?alive. It had been since 2016 since the burgundy and gold had scored 42 points in a single game. And, looking up at the big beautiful final score on the Jumbotron last Sunday, I learned it was our largest margin of victory since 2015.?

So what changed?

The answer: Everything.

New owner. New coach. New General Manager. But most of all…new Quarterback.?

Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels. He has that special something.

He has that “It” Factor.

While it’s way too early to hoist Jayden Daniels into the Hall of Fame, it’s not hard to notice his calmness, his ability to make good choices and his aptitude to ”understand the assignment”. Jayden has won over his locker room and a majority of the DMV.?

It got me thinking about how some people can remain calm, cool and effective in the most hostile of environments while the majority of people can’t. When most of us, who are mere mortals, feel the flames of fear, we get heavy. We overthink. We self-talk ourselves out of something BIG. We subtly shame ourselves with reasons why it CAN’T be us that pulls off a Jayden Daniels-like performance in our lives.?

Something from your childhood. Something that happened with an old boss. Some time when you got passed over. Some moment where you were cut from the team. This stuff is what broken records in our minds were made of. And it holds us back, keeps us down and prevents us from going for...more.

We all have our?shit.?For the majority of us, that shit is?still?there. It’s buried in our brain. It hasn’t been dealt with.?

This gravity? This heavy? This is your “Shit Factor”.?

In life, those with that “It” Factor have been able to serenade?their “Shit" Factor.?

They stopped telling themselves they can’t. They realize their shit is just a learning opportunity and hurdle to overcome so they can keep growing.?

Think about a time where it was easier to critique someone else’s life than address your own? Think about a place in your life where you have been afraid to go for it?? Think about a moment where you chose NOT to leap and now?regret it?

There’s still time.?

None of us have lived a “Perfect 10” life.

All of us have shit.?All of us.?

Address it vs suppress it.?

Which will it be for you?

It Factor or Shit Factor

THE COURAGEOUS PODCAST

Sophie Ozoux and Kwame Taylor-Hayford , co-founders of Kin Agency, are renowned for their ability to blend creativity with purpose, driving impactful change for some of the world’s most recognized brands. With over 20 years of experience in the advertising industry, Sophie has worked with clients like Absolut, Apple, and Facebook, while Kwame has shaped global campaigns for brands such as P&G, Uniqlo and Chobani. Together, they created Kin to help brands navigate the delicate balance between culture, innovation, and social impact. In their conversation with Ryan, they discuss how brands can move beyond viewing "purpose" as a passing trend and instead embrace it as a growth driver. They reflect on the courage it takes for marketers to implement meaningful change and explore the idea that fear is often the biggest obstacle to progress. Through Kin, Sophie and Kwame are dedicated to fostering long-term, transformative work, helping companies like Delta Airlines and Mailchimp lead with integrity in today’s ever-evolving world.

Missed the last 5 Podcasts?

? SpartanNash w/ Nicole Zube

? San Diego Magazine w/ Troy Johnson

? Happy Products w/ Craig Dubitsky

? Run Over by a Truck w/ Katie McKenna

? D.C. United w/ Danita Johnson

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Ryan Berman is the founder of Courageous; a think-feel-do change consultancy based in Southern California. With 25 years in creative business, Ryan believes your “future is safe with change”. Ryan is a speaker, practitioner, and authority on the subject who has been featured in Entrepreneur, Fast Company, Inc, and Forbes. Ryan has spoken on the topic all over the country including at Google, Procter & Gamble, Kellogg’s, Kraft Heinz, Logitech, Discover Card, and charity: water. Ryan also hosts The Courageous Podcast where he talks with leaders from around the globe to uncover what it means to be courageous in today's world. His book, Return On Courage , shares why companies need to unlock courage while providing practical tips on how organizations can operationalize courage today.?Learn more at couragebrands.com