#479 Paint: Prep work

What if the best part of your success story happens before anyone sees it? We take a familiar, everyday object—paint—and use it to explore why preparation determines the finish in life, leadership, and creative work. From cleaning and sanding to taping clean lines, the quiet steps you take now decide whether the final coat shines or flakes.

I walk through the real cost of shortcuts and why “touching up for years” is the hidden tax on rushing. If you’re waking early, staying late, and wondering whether the grind is worth it, this conversation reframes your timeline: you’re not behind; you’re right on time. We talk about building adhesion through habits, setting a sequence that prevents chaos, and spotting the rough edges—sleep, systems, skills—that need smoothing before your next big move.

You’ll hear why the moment of performance feels like freedom when the prep is honest, how to set a clear stopping rule so you don’t sand forever, and how to embrace the truth behind “overnight success.” I also share simple actions to make your environment support quality: sharpen tools, create feedback loops, and invite outside eyes when your vision gets cloudy. The goal is a finish that speaks for itself—clean lines, even color, no flakes—because your process was steady and intentional.

If you’re ready to swap stress for structure and make your next coat the one that finally sticks, press play and lean in. Then share one prep step you’ll double down on this week. Want help seeing your direction in life and leadership? Reach out at Aaron at growth instigators.com. If this message gave you fuel, subscribe, leave a review, and pass it to someone who needs a nudge to keep going.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And Today’s Metaphor
• 0:20 Preparation Determines The Finish
• 0:49 You Are Not Behind
• 1:40 Call For Support And Next Steps

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

Welcome to message 479 of the Growth Instigators Hotline where we examine an everyday normal object and assign it a deeper meaning. I'm Aaron Havens, your host and growth coach. What can paint remind us of today? Alright, my friends, are you ready for this one today? Preparation determines the finish. Preparation determines the finish. The best paint job starts long before the first stroke. Cleaning, sanding, taping. Growth is the same. Skip the prep and you'll spend years touching things up. Success is not instant. My friends, do you want the good news? You're not behind. You're just where you need to be. I know it feels like you've been doing a lot of prep work to get where you want to be. I know you're tired of grinding it out early in the morning and late nights. I know you're running out of steam. You've been doing behind the scene works that will pay off soon. Soon you will be able to pick up your paintbrush and show the world your beautiful art, your beautiful work. The world will think it was an overnight success. The fact is, though, you've been preparing for this your whole life. And guess what? You'll be glad you didn't take any shortcuts. Painting will feel like freedom for you. The thing you were born to do, it will feel so rewarding because of the hours you've put into the prep work. So for today, pick up that sandpaper and finish the prep work. For soon, your prep work will be completed and you'll come alive. I believe in you. I know you believe in you too. So keep going. If you need any help seeing where you're going in life and leadership, I can help. Your life is amazing and it's on track. Sometimes we just need another set of ears and eyes to see something and to see growth happen. Shoot me a text or send me an email at Aaron at growth instigators.com if that's you. Here's to doing the prep work today. Here's to growth.