August Discomfort

The All Blacks call it the Last Third.

Why it matters: Most rugby games are won or lost in those final brutal minutes. When lungs are burning and legs feel like concrete, that’s when champions separate from also-rans.

Your business year works the same way.

August 2008 changed everything for me.

• We were two years in, markets were melting down, and I had that familiar flutter in my gut.
• You know the feeling – half anxiety, half electricity.
• When I feel that, I don’t hesitate. I jump.

Three moves that August:

• Started tracking everything weekly (no more monthly guesswork)
• Ditched mutual funds for ETFs
• Created our financial planning playbook

Here’s what happened: While everyone else was paralyzed by September’s chaos, we were ready.

• We didn’t just survive 2008 – we grew.
• Small growth, sure, but growth when others were shrinking.

Make Reads. Adjust. Finish Strong.

The butterflies come back every August now.

• My team knows.
• They see me getting that look, rearranging my office, clearing the clutter from our processes.

Because here’s the truth: Champions aren’t made in January when everyone’s motivated. They’re forged in August when it’s hot, messy, and most people are mentally checked out.

Your Last Third playbook:

By the numbers: Check the scoreboard.

• Where are you versus goals?
• Revenue, expenses, the whole picture.

Clear the deck.

• Clean your office.
• Streamline your team’s workflow.
• Remove anything that doesn’t help you win.

The bottom line: Lead like it matters.

• Your energy becomes their energy.
• Show them this isn’t garbage time – this is championship time.

The All Blacks don’t hope for a strong finish. They engineer one.

What’s your Last Third going to look like?

Back to the Basics and Execute

Get grounded in the data.

• How is your year going so far?
• Is your team winning?

   

Shift the focus of the team to the basics.

Lead from the front and execute.