The Power of Showing Up

We often associate power with boldness, breakthrough moments, or dramatic change. But the kind of power that shapes a life is usually quieter. It comes through consistency. Through being present even when progress is invisible. Through showing up.

There are no shortcuts to a deeply rooted life. The kind of life that holds up under pressure, or leads others well, is built one moment at a time. One choice at a time.

I’ve learned this by showing up for the people who matter most to me. At night, I’ll sometimes lie on the floor in my daughter’s room, holding her hand until she falls asleep. She doesn’t ask for anything extravagant. She just wants to know I’m there. And that presence—small as it may seem—is shaping something in her that will last far longer than a bedtime routine.

I’ve learned it through my marriage. Love isn’t proven through grand gestures, but through daily decisions: to forgive, to check in, to listen, to speak truth, to make time. That kind of effort doesn’t go viral. But it builds a home.

I’ve learned it in my work. Whether I’m serving clients or building toward long-term projects, I’m reminded that real value isn’t delivered in one-off moments. It comes from the quiet push to move the needle forward—even if only slightly.

And I’ve learned it in the quiet corners of my life: in my basement, doing solo workouts that nobody sees. In investing, when the market is down and nothing feels worth it. In stretching at night after a long day—a small act of care that says I’m still tending to myself.

Showing up doesn’t always lead to instant transformation. In fact, it usually doesn’t. That’s what makes it hard. You keep pouring in without immediate reward. But that’s also what makes it meaningful. It shapes character. It builds trust. It strengthens your roots.

The growth I want to see in my life—physically, professionally, spiritually, financially—won’t happen all at once. But it can happen over time. I want to grow food. Strengthen my body. Provide for my family. Steward land and resources well. Eventually, I want to help build something bigger than myself: a sustainable space where others can grow, live, and learn without fear. But that vision only becomes real if I keep showing up.

So if you’re in a season where progress feels slow, where the results aren’t matching your effort, ask yourself this:

• What’s the long-term goal?
• What kind of person reaches that goal?
• What can I do today to become more like that person?

You don’t have to do it all. You just have to start.

Start with one small step. And take it again tomorrow.

That’s the power of showing up.