What Got You Here Won’t Get You There
Lisa Marie Platske • February 18, 2013
With six weeks into the New Year and the excitement of new beginnings fading further from our memory, it’s easy to slip back into your same ‘ole life and the pattern of doing what is comfortable.
See, you probably know that comfortable won’t get you where you want to go but it’s well, comfortable.
And, so you get yourself into the rut of doing the same things you’ve been doing – and if they would have worked, you’d already be where you wanted to be.
Ouch.
Painful but true.
Even taking action – if it isn’t the right action – won’t get you where you want to be at the end of the year.
At my sister’s wedding last week, the sermon was about taking risks – the risk of choosing to be in a relationship, the risk to love someone, and the risk of being vulnerable.
When I think about life and business, the message is the same.
It’s easy to stay in ankle-high water and wade around telling yourself that the things you’re doing will get you where you want, but the gold and bounty is reserved only for those who are willing to go in the deep and take the big risks.
It’s easy to start grumbling and complaining about what’s missing in your life rather than to truly examine how you got to where you are.
Feeling incredibly uncomfortable where the actions you take make your palms start to sweat, and feel weak in your knees is just the bodies reaction to you stepping out of your routine.
You may be hungry to succeed right now, but are you taking the actions that will get you where you want to go?
- Do you have a step-by-step written plan that outlines what you want?
- Do you know your personality and all of your innate strengths – and how to use them to get what you want?
- Do you have powerful connections that open doors for you?
- Do you have systems in place that will enable you to be efficient and productive and live your priorities?
- Do you have a support structure – a coach, mastermind group, and board of advisors – that keep you on track and care about your success as much as you do?
Here is one of my favorite stories about realizing what is most important on your journey.
**********************
“A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream.
The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food.
The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman if he could have it.
She gave it to him without hesitation.
The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune.
He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime.
But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.
“I’ve been thinking,” he said, “I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious.
Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone.”
**********************
Ah, happiness, meaning, and peace.
When I was conducting interviews to build my 7 Pillars of Leadership, it was what was within that shone brightly and I found difficult to capture.
I’ve coached multi-million dollar entrepreneurs, new start-ups, seasoned executives, and non-profit leaders. They’ve lived on different continents and had varying socio-economic and cultural backgrounds and all wanted the same thing –happiness, peace, and meaning even if they didn’t say so.
And, each one of them took BIG, earth-shattering, financial and relational risks to get to where they wanted to be because they knew what was truly valuable.
What is the precious stone in your life? Would you be able to give it away with such ease and grace?
As I said before, you may be hungry to succeed right now, but are you taking the actions that will get you where you want to go?
- Do you have a step-by-step written plan that outlines what you want?
- Do you know your personality and all of your innate strengths – and how to use them to get what you want?
- Do you have powerful connections that open doors for you?
- Do you have systems in place that will enable you to be efficient and productive and live your priorities?
- Do you have a support structure – a coach, mastermind group, and board of advisors – that keep you on track and care about your success as much as you do?
If you said “No” to any one of these questions, what are you going to do about it – and when?!?
(I had someone call me last week who said I’ve had your card on my desk to speak to you about coaching for eight (8) months!!! The good news is that he took action and is now on track.)
As you proceed through the new year, my wish for you is to be able to share that which is most valuable in your life and do it with peace and gratitude, knowing it will bring you more than you ever expected in return.
And, that you be willing to get out of your comfort zone and take the necessary risks to get you where you want to be by the end of the year.
See Upside. Be Upside. Live Upside.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
April 20, 2026
I've had the tendency to idolize my mentors. I would look past their imperfections, wanting only to see goodness in them. Don't make the same mistake I did. Mentors are just imperfect beings on the same journey you're on, and they've gleaned some wisdom from their missteps that can help you advance faster on your journey. That's the benefit of private coaching. And why I offer so little of it. I used to think I wanted to help everyone ... and that everyone had a problem that I could help them solve. That was a bit unrealistic—and dare I say, arrogant. Today I've got clarity around who I will work with—and who I won't. And it has less to do with their personal aptitude and more about their personal attitude towards God and a willingness to understand Divine Right Timing. You can't outgive God. I'm a living proof of that. What I have today did not come from striving harder or positioning myself in the spotlight. It came from obedience layered over time. ~ From saying yes when it was inconvenient. ~ From giving when the numbers did not justify it. ~ From trusting God with my pace, my work, and my future. I own several hundred acres of land across three states—and grew up in a household where money did not flow freely. My first year working in Federal law enforcement I made less than $25,000 a year. There was no visible pathway from there to here. And every time I’ve tried to outwork Him, outmaneuver Him, or rush what wasn’t ripe, I’ve paid for it in exhaustion and misalignment. Yet, every time I’ve trusted Him, honored timing, and given from obedience rather than fear, the return has exceeded anything I could have engineered. Yes, some things don't make sense, yet when you map out a God plan, you don't try to do all of the heavy lifting yourself. And that takes a different kind of Leader. Someone who doesn't need to be on center stage 24x7. That’s the framework I lead from. That’s the lens I coach through. Because the world needs you and your brilliance. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to give God room to lead. Look at one area of your work or leadership where you’ve been forcing results. Stop trying to control it. Step back and ask God to guide your next move. Take one real action: delegate, pause before deciding, or simply wait on His direction. Watch how alignment show up when you stop doing all the heavy lifting yourself. Lastly, share what you discover with me, your mentor, or someone close to you. Speaking it aloud helps you see your next move clearly and step into it with confidence.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
April 13, 2026
Are you thinking of how your choices today are affecting future generations? As someone who doesn't have kids, this used to rarely be on my radar. Yet your choice to bring to life the work that you're called to do will impact the future of your lineage—and folks you've never met. What story will you create based on the choices you make today? See, you create your legacy with the choices that you make right now. The long-lasting impact of your actions can leave behind creations that are innovative and impactful. Take for example the 13-year-old kid who decided to leave a happy note in every bag at the grocery store, just to create a little more cheer in the world. That's legacy. Or what about the kid who practiced free throws every night after school for 3 hours—and then went on to lead his team to the championship in his senior year in college. That's legacy. I remember a few years ago, I hired someone to organize the SOPs and processes for my company. At the time, it felt like a lot of extra work and I wondered if it was worth it. Years later, that choice made everything flow smoother, less rushed, and allowed me and my team to focus on the work we were truly called to do. That’s legacy. Leadership is, as much about what you do in the here and now as it is about legacy for future generations to come. Every one of these moments, big or small, ripples far beyond what you can see today. Each day, each decision plants seeds for generations we may never meet. Tend them with care, with intention, and with faith, trusting that what you do today becomes the foundation for what is possible tomorrow. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to build for someone you will never meet. Choose one action this week that will not benefit you immediately. It could be documenting a process so someone else can lead more easily. Or speaking encouragement that strengthens someone’s confidence long after the moment passes. Or making a decision that protects the future even when the present would prefer convenience. As you do it, hold this prayer quietly, “May this serve beyond me.” Release the outcome. This is leadership that thinks generationally.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
April 6, 2026
Divine obedience. I can't say for most of my life I understood what it meant. To be in the listening to where God wants me to be requires choosing to have enough time and space to listen. Yet I've always been rewarded by doing things quickly. Time and space seemed unnecessary. Or they were needed for folks who didn't learn or pick something up as fast as I did. When I type that now, I almost cringe. "Be still—and know that I am God." It is in the stillness, the soft whisper, that I often get to meet God. And that was elusive for big chunks of time in my life. I'd be running from one event to the next ... running from one opportunity and experience, and often get there out of breath, only to head out again on what I told myself was the next adventure. Rarely did I ever stop and consider where God wanted to lead me. Rarely did my leadership include Him. Rarely did I end up someplace refreshed and renewed—and at peace. Looking back, I can see the patterns that ran my life, and how far away from divine obedience they were. Yet that's what free will is about. The ability to choose. With intention. When you listen to the world's ways, you'll always end up depleted because you're never doing enough. Divine obedience has you listen, and carve out a path of peace and ease. That doesn't mean everything will go your way. Far from it. It does mean that you get to walk every moment stress-free. Even when it looks like everything around you is crashing down. I've lived through fires, floods, and tornados ... and walked away unscathed. I'm not sure the odds of doing this are even possible, let alone probable. Yet here I am. In the midst of the storm, and there will always be a storm, your leadership will ensure you walk on water or drown. With divine obedience, the former is a guarantee. And I gotta tell you that writing all of this out feels scary. For decades, I've been celebrated for my left-brain business mind ... the part of me that doesn't let emotion or things like faith get in the way of building a business with a sound strategy, processes, and standard operating procedures. I can—and have—helped scale hundreds of businesses to reach the elusive 7-figure mark in business, and I still do that in my work today. Yet, today I don't do it without taking everything to prayer. You may have met me when that wasn't how I operated, and my current business model doesn't work for you. And I get that. I just can no longer pretend that I'm somebody that I'm not. I take a fierce stand for my clients and their success—and for me, that involves taking every problem and challenge they face to God first. Together, we create a solution that is designed for the betterment of mankind —and includes everyone in their life. Again, I don't love talking about this. And, it's my Truth. So, how often do you stop and listen to where God is trying to lead you? ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to create space before you create movement. Choose one moment each day where you would normally push ahead. And instead of doing, stop. Sit in stillness for three minutes and invite God into the moment. Ask, “What is mine to do right now?” Wait. Take only the next faithful step you sense. This is divine obedience practiced daily. Calm leadership that walks on water.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
March 30, 2026
I wonder how much time I've spent trying to figure out how I'm going to get something to work. I wonder how many hours I've tried to get something "right" or figure out how I'm going to do something. I wonder how many minutes I've belabored what it would take to get what I wanted—and how it was going to happen. And it's not just me. Everyone wants to know "the how" of something coming together. That's part of the danger of spending too much time in the thinking mind. It wants answers. Yet the mind-brain was designed to keep humans safe. That's why there is a fight-or-flight mechanism wired inside each one of us. Over time, man began relying on the thinking mind for more than God ever envisioned. When I have a pressing problem, I used to believe I could think my way out of it, seeking the "right" way forward. Now, I take it to prayer, trusting that there's probably something I can't see on my own that will lead to a solution with greater ease than I can see on my own. Doing the heavy lifting myself is something I was accustomed to doing. I can hustle and grind, and muscle and might my way through just about anything. When others would give up, I'd still be standing because of my inner resolve to win. Yet choosing to live and run my business this way led to greater struggles, heartache, and feeling overburdened than asking God to lead ever did. This doesn't mean I get to abdicate responsibility and just surrender to whatever comes my way. Walking with intention requires personal responsibility. The how isn't any of my business as long as I stay the course, listening to where God's leading me. And the same is true for you, too. Most problems require stillness, presence, and an invocation of the answer that you can't see on your own. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to choose one thing you have been carrying in your head. Before you do something with it, pause and invite God into the moment. Then set a 15-minute timer and take one clear, practical action that is already in front of you. Stay present with the work until the timer ends. When the time is up, stop and release the rest back to God. This is how trust becomes embodied leadership, one intentional step at a time.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
April 20, 2026
I've had the tendency to idolize my mentors. I would look past their imperfections, wanting only to see goodness in them. Don't make the same mistake I did. Mentors are just imperfect beings on the same journey you're on, and they've gleaned some wisdom from their missteps that can help you advance faster on your journey. That's the benefit of private coaching. And why I offer so little of it. I used to think I wanted to help everyone ... and that everyone had a problem that I could help them solve. That was a bit unrealistic—and dare I say, arrogant. Today I've got clarity around who I will work with—and who I won't. And it has less to do with their personal aptitude and more about their personal attitude towards God and a willingness to understand Divine Right Timing. You can't outgive God. I'm a living proof of that. What I have today did not come from striving harder or positioning myself in the spotlight. It came from obedience layered over time. ~ From saying yes when it was inconvenient. ~ From giving when the numbers did not justify it. ~ From trusting God with my pace, my work, and my future. I own several hundred acres of land across three states—and grew up in a household where money did not flow freely. My first year working in Federal law enforcement I made less than $25,000 a year. There was no visible pathway from there to here. And every time I’ve tried to outwork Him, outmaneuver Him, or rush what wasn’t ripe, I’ve paid for it in exhaustion and misalignment. Yet, every time I’ve trusted Him, honored timing, and given from obedience rather than fear, the return has exceeded anything I could have engineered. Yes, some things don't make sense, yet when you map out a God plan, you don't try to do all of the heavy lifting yourself. And that takes a different kind of Leader. Someone who doesn't need to be on center stage 24x7. That’s the framework I lead from. That’s the lens I coach through. Because the world needs you and your brilliance. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to give God room to lead. Look at one area of your work or leadership where you’ve been forcing results. Stop trying to control it. Step back and ask God to guide your next move. Take one real action: delegate, pause before deciding, or simply wait on His direction. Watch how alignment show up when you stop doing all the heavy lifting yourself. Lastly, share what you discover with me, your mentor, or someone close to you. Speaking it aloud helps you see your next move clearly and step into it with confidence.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
April 13, 2026
Are you thinking of how your choices today are affecting future generations? As someone who doesn't have kids, this used to rarely be on my radar. Yet your choice to bring to life the work that you're called to do will impact the future of your lineage—and folks you've never met. What story will you create based on the choices you make today? See, you create your legacy with the choices that you make right now. The long-lasting impact of your actions can leave behind creations that are innovative and impactful. Take for example the 13-year-old kid who decided to leave a happy note in every bag at the grocery store, just to create a little more cheer in the world. That's legacy. Or what about the kid who practiced free throws every night after school for 3 hours—and then went on to lead his team to the championship in his senior year in college. That's legacy. I remember a few years ago, I hired someone to organize the SOPs and processes for my company. At the time, it felt like a lot of extra work and I wondered if it was worth it. Years later, that choice made everything flow smoother, less rushed, and allowed me and my team to focus on the work we were truly called to do. That’s legacy. Leadership is, as much about what you do in the here and now as it is about legacy for future generations to come. Every one of these moments, big or small, ripples far beyond what you can see today. Each day, each decision plants seeds for generations we may never meet. Tend them with care, with intention, and with faith, trusting that what you do today becomes the foundation for what is possible tomorrow. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to build for someone you will never meet. Choose one action this week that will not benefit you immediately. It could be documenting a process so someone else can lead more easily. Or speaking encouragement that strengthens someone’s confidence long after the moment passes. Or making a decision that protects the future even when the present would prefer convenience. As you do it, hold this prayer quietly, “May this serve beyond me.” Release the outcome. This is leadership that thinks generationally.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
April 6, 2026
Divine obedience. I can't say for most of my life I understood what it meant. To be in the listening to where God wants me to be requires choosing to have enough time and space to listen. Yet I've always been rewarded by doing things quickly. Time and space seemed unnecessary. Or they were needed for folks who didn't learn or pick something up as fast as I did. When I type that now, I almost cringe. "Be still—and know that I am God." It is in the stillness, the soft whisper, that I often get to meet God. And that was elusive for big chunks of time in my life. I'd be running from one event to the next ... running from one opportunity and experience, and often get there out of breath, only to head out again on what I told myself was the next adventure. Rarely did I ever stop and consider where God wanted to lead me. Rarely did my leadership include Him. Rarely did I end up someplace refreshed and renewed—and at peace. Looking back, I can see the patterns that ran my life, and how far away from divine obedience they were. Yet that's what free will is about. The ability to choose. With intention. When you listen to the world's ways, you'll always end up depleted because you're never doing enough. Divine obedience has you listen, and carve out a path of peace and ease. That doesn't mean everything will go your way. Far from it. It does mean that you get to walk every moment stress-free. Even when it looks like everything around you is crashing down. I've lived through fires, floods, and tornados ... and walked away unscathed. I'm not sure the odds of doing this are even possible, let alone probable. Yet here I am. In the midst of the storm, and there will always be a storm, your leadership will ensure you walk on water or drown. With divine obedience, the former is a guarantee. And I gotta tell you that writing all of this out feels scary. For decades, I've been celebrated for my left-brain business mind ... the part of me that doesn't let emotion or things like faith get in the way of building a business with a sound strategy, processes, and standard operating procedures. I can—and have—helped scale hundreds of businesses to reach the elusive 7-figure mark in business, and I still do that in my work today. Yet, today I don't do it without taking everything to prayer. You may have met me when that wasn't how I operated, and my current business model doesn't work for you. And I get that. I just can no longer pretend that I'm somebody that I'm not. I take a fierce stand for my clients and their success—and for me, that involves taking every problem and challenge they face to God first. Together, we create a solution that is designed for the betterment of mankind —and includes everyone in their life. Again, I don't love talking about this. And, it's my Truth. So, how often do you stop and listen to where God is trying to lead you? ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to create space before you create movement. Choose one moment each day where you would normally push ahead. And instead of doing, stop. Sit in stillness for three minutes and invite God into the moment. Ask, “What is mine to do right now?” Wait. Take only the next faithful step you sense. This is divine obedience practiced daily. Calm leadership that walks on water.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
March 30, 2026
I wonder how much time I've spent trying to figure out how I'm going to get something to work. I wonder how many hours I've tried to get something "right" or figure out how I'm going to do something. I wonder how many minutes I've belabored what it would take to get what I wanted—and how it was going to happen. And it's not just me. Everyone wants to know "the how" of something coming together. That's part of the danger of spending too much time in the thinking mind. It wants answers. Yet the mind-brain was designed to keep humans safe. That's why there is a fight-or-flight mechanism wired inside each one of us. Over time, man began relying on the thinking mind for more than God ever envisioned. When I have a pressing problem, I used to believe I could think my way out of it, seeking the "right" way forward. Now, I take it to prayer, trusting that there's probably something I can't see on my own that will lead to a solution with greater ease than I can see on my own. Doing the heavy lifting myself is something I was accustomed to doing. I can hustle and grind, and muscle and might my way through just about anything. When others would give up, I'd still be standing because of my inner resolve to win. Yet choosing to live and run my business this way led to greater struggles, heartache, and feeling overburdened than asking God to lead ever did. This doesn't mean I get to abdicate responsibility and just surrender to whatever comes my way. Walking with intention requires personal responsibility. The how isn't any of my business as long as I stay the course, listening to where God's leading me. And the same is true for you, too. Most problems require stillness, presence, and an invocation of the answer that you can't see on your own. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to choose one thing you have been carrying in your head. Before you do something with it, pause and invite God into the moment. Then set a 15-minute timer and take one clear, practical action that is already in front of you. Stay present with the work until the timer ends. When the time is up, stop and release the rest back to God. This is how trust becomes embodied leadership, one intentional step at a time.
