Don’t Expect to Do the Same Things

What are you continuing to do out of habit that’s quietly ready for a change?

The other day, I was out walking my fox terrier, Tupac.

Ahead of me, I noticed a dog standing in the driveway of a property. I stopped. I’ve had enough “loose dog” encounters over the years to pay attention early. I could see people nearby, so I assumed we were safe, but I still crossed to the other side of the road.

We were not safe.

The dog, a labradoodle at least twice the size of Tupac, came straight across the road toward us. It wasn’t aggressive, but it was focused. Intent. Curious in a way that leaves no room for misinterpretation.

I stood in front of Tupac and waited while the owners followed behind, calling out and rummaging for treats. Their plan was simple: entice the dog back, grab the collar, problem solved.

It didn’t work.

Three times they offered treats. Three times they tried to grab the collar. Each time, the dog ducked away at the last second. By now, the treats had lost all appeal. The dog’s attention was fully on us.

So I did something different.

I walked away.

Quickly, calmly, with Tupac close beside me. The dog followed us down the street. At one point, one of the owners asked me to slow down so she could “get her dog.”

I replied, “We tried that. It didn’t work. So now I’m trying something else.”

Eventually, as I’d hoped, the dog lost interest and wandered off. Tupac and I made our escape.

As we kept walking, I found myself wondering how long I would have stood there if I’d stayed still. How long would I have waited, repeating the same approach, hoping it would magically start working?

And that’s when it clicked.

I see this exact pattern all the time, in my own life and in my clients’ businesses.

Doing the same things.
In the same way.
With the same structure.
And expecting a different outcome.

Many business owners don’t have a motivation problem. They have a pattern problem.

They’re working harder, not differently.

They’re adding more effort into systems that were never designed to support growth, clarity, or strategic thinking. They keep trying to “fit in” the work that matters most around client work, admin, and constant reactivity.

The result?
Lots of movement. Very little traction.

For one client, doing something different meant changing where she worked. The physical shift created a mental one she’d been unable to access before.

For another, it meant moving from 1:1 sessions into a group environment. Less pressure. More momentum. Better results.

For a third, it meant finally starting a social media account she’d been avoiding. Not because she wanted to “be visible,” but because it unlocked opportunities that her offline efforts never could.

Each of these changes felt uncomfortable at first.

Too big.

Too unfamiliar.

Too disruptive.

They were also exactly what was needed.

If you want a different outcome, you can’t rely on the same structures that created the current one.

At some point, standing still and waiting for things to change becomes the riskiest option of all.

So here’s the question I’ll leave you with:

What are you continuing to do out of habit that’s quietly ready for a change?

If you’re a business owner who spends most of your time working in the business and very little time working on it, this is often where the shift begins.

Not with more effort.
But with different conditions.

If you’d like space to think clearly, make better decisions, and design a way of working that actually supports the business you’re building, I invite you to book a clarity call.

Sometimes, the smartest move isn’t trying harder.

It’s trying something different.