By Nathan Whittacre
I’ve always believed that leadership is a continuous journey of growth—one that doesn’t just end when you achieve a goal or reach a milestone. At a recent talk by Ed Mylett, I was reminded of just how important it is to stay hungry and to keep pushing ourselves, not just for personal gain but to make a difference for those around us. Ed’s insights on leadership, personal development, and maximizing potential struck a chord with me. In this article, I’ll share with you his thoughts and how they’ve applied to my journey of building Stimulus Technologies into the company that it is today.
Vision is Important, But Leadership Comes First
As leaders, we often talk about vision. But Ed made a powerful point: Before people buy into a vision, they buy into the leader. This was a reminder that no matter how great our plans are, they won’t matter if people don’t trust us or believe in our ability to guide them. People want to follow a great leader, not just great ideas.
I experienced this firsthand as I’ve worked to grow Stimulus Technologies. Early on, I thought my vision for the company was enough to get people on board. I tried to share it with those on my team through my words, but I could never adequately express them so that others believed me. Taking a company from a garage into an enterprise on a shoestring budget is very hard. But as time went on, I realized that my team was looking at me—at how I handled setbacks, how I communicated our goals, and how I demonstrated my resilience through challenges. It was in those moments of vulnerability and perseverance that they truly bought into the vision, because they believed in me as their leader. As Ed shared, it is more important to share the vision through action than words.
The Power of “One More”
Ed emphasized the power of “one more.” We’re always just one step away from greatness, but too often, we think that step is much further than it really is. How often do we stop just short of achieving something extraordinary because we think we’re not ready or because it feels out of reach? He asked us the think, “what’s the one more thing we can do to push this further?” It’s that extra effort—the one more call, the one more idea, the one more investment of time—that makes all the difference. As Ed said, fall in love with doing “one more” in both life and business. As I was listening to that, I had to reflect on the many times that I have felt like stopping short because the trial seemed too hard to overcome. Certainly, I’ve faltered over the years. Thank goodness for an amazing team that has worked together to overcome those challenges and continued in spite of it all.
Continually Reinventing Ourselves
One of Ed’s more unique analogies was about the importance of remaking ourselves. He compared it to birds sharpening their claws and beaks and plucking out dead feathers. We’re always remaking ourselves internally; it’s up to us to do it externally. That idea resonated with me as a leader, especially because we often get comfortable with success.
As the CEO of Stimulus Technologies, I’ve realized that once you achieve success, it’s easy to lose that hunger. It is one of the reasons that our first core value at Stimulus is “Driven to Grow.” I’m always reminded by that value that it up to each person to strive for individual and team growth. Ed’s message was clear: to grow, we must continually remake ourselves—not just physically or in the way we operate day to day, but in our mindset and approach to leadership.
Making Dreams for Others
One of the most meaningful lessons from Ed was his focus on others. He said, making the dreams of those we love is more important than anything else. It’s not about us—it’s about the impact we make on the people around us.
This struck a personal chord with me. As a leader, my role isn’t just to chase my own dreams but to help my team, our families, and our clients achieve theirs. Ed shared that it’s better to make someone else’s life better than your own. That’s the essence of leadership: lifting others up, helping them realize their full potential, and celebrating their wins.
One Decision Away from a Life-Changing Moment
Ed reminded us that we’re always one decision away from changing our lives. It’s a profound thought—what’s that one decision I could make today that would reshape everything? It’s not always about massive change; sometimes, it’s that small, seemingly insignificant decision that puts everything else into motion.
I remember a pivotal moment in my career when I had to decide whether to invest in expanding Stimulus Technologies outside of Nevada. It was a huge risk, but it was a decision that ultimately led to our growth and success – growing at 10x in just a few years. That one choice, made with intention and conviction, changed the course of the company. We’re all just one decision away from something incredible—if we’re brave enough to make it.
Max Out Your Life
Ed’s closing thoughts on maxing out our lives hit home for me. He shared a powerful metaphor: Heaven is meeting the person you could have become and being twins. Hell is meeting that person and realizing you’re completely different. The idea of living up to your full potential—not just in business but in life—is something that drives me every day.
He encouraged us to hold to that standard — to continually challenge ourselves, to expand our being, and to max out our life.
Never Attach Confidence to Results
Another key point from Ed’s talk was about confidence. Never attach your confidence to your results—attach it to your intentions. Results can be fleeting, and they can sometimes mislead us. But if we stay true to our intentions and our purpose, we can maintain confidence no matter what challenges come our way.
In my life, I’ve seen this play out many times. There are moments when things don’t go as planned—when a client project faces unexpected obstacles, or a new service doesn’t roll out as smoothly as expected. But by focusing on our intentions and the bigger picture, we’re able to stay grounded and confident, knowing that we’re doing the right thing, even if the results take time to follow.
Asking the Right Questions
Lastly, Ed emphasized that the quality of our lives is determined by the quality of the questions we ask. That’s a concept I’ve come to believe deeply over the years. Whether in business or personal development, the questions we ask ourselves shape our focus, our decisions, and ultimately, our outcomes.
A business speaker taught me early on in my career to take time at least once a month to have a personal one-to-one meeting. In those meetings, I’ve had to learn to ask better questions. Instead of “Why is this happening to me?” I ask, “What is this teaching me?” or “How can we improve from here?” That shift in mindset opens new possibilities and solutions that weren’t visible before.
Final Thoughts
Ed Mylett’s talk was a reminder that greatness isn’t as far away as we think—it’s often just one step, one decision, or one action beyond where we are today. As a leader, I’m constantly asking myself, “Am I going to the next level?” It’s not about what I’ve achieved but about what I’m still capable of achieving. By focusing on others, staying intentional, and falling in love with the process of doing “one more,” he reminded me that we can all max out our lives and reach our fullest potential.
If you’re reading this, I encourage you to reflect on your own journey. What’s your “one more”? What decision could change your life today? Let’s commit to asking better questions, challenging ourselves, and making the lives of those around us better. That’s how we’ll truly make a difference.
Want more thoughts on leadership? Read my article on Leading For the Infinite Game.
