Outsmart Chaos 100: Becoming Resolute

The Power of a Daily Hermitage

We often think of clarity as something we’ll stumble into—maybe at the end of a big project, on a vacation, or during a leadership retreat. But if you want to become resolute, waiting doesn’t work.

You need to create space.

Intentionally. Daily.

Photo by Jason Weingardt on Unsplash

The Annual Hermitage

Once a year, I retreat to a hermitage.

It’s nothing fancy—a small shed with a bed, a chair, and just enough space for stillness. There’s no Wi-Fi, distractions, or extras: just me, a cup of coffee, a notebook, and God.

That time resets everything. It reminds me that clarity doesn’t come from more noise but from less.

Less distraction.

Less urgency.

Less proving.

Just silence, space, and reflection.

But once a year isn’t enough.

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A Daily Hermitage

To live with strength, you need a daily hermitage—a rhythm of stepping back for a few moments to check your course.

It’s a mental space, not a physical one. You can create it in your car before the day starts, during your morning coffee, or in the quiet before bed. What matters isn’t where—it’s the intentional pause to reflect and realign.

Every day, you have the opportunity to:

• Reconnect with your vision

• Recommit to your values

• Remind yourself who you’re becoming

That’s what builds resolve.

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Questions to Anchor Your Day

In that space, don’t overcomplicate it. Start with these daily reflection prompts:

1. What valleys have I walked through that could help someone else today?

   Your scars may be someone else’s roadmap.

2. How does my current schedule align with my goals, values, and vision?

   Are you busy, or are you becoming?

3. What’s one word that will define me today? Why?

   Focus follows intention.

4. What’s a fear or discomfort I’m avoiding? How can I step toward it with purpose?

   Growth lives on the other side of discomfort.

5. Who can I serve today—and how will I do it?

   Connection isn’t automatic. Create it.

These aren’t checkboxes. They’re alignment tools. As we thoughtfully answer the questions for ourselves, we paint a picture of who we’re becoming.

Becoming Resolute

To become resolute, you need to create space.

Not once a year. Every day.

Yesterday, my word was “serve.”

It was a day of preparing for visitors, getting the house in order, and spending time with my children. The word “serve” reminded me that it’s a blessing to be able to give of myself, even when I’m tired. Serving builds the kind of connection that outlasts comfort. It keeps me grounded in who I want to be.

This is what a daily hermitage does:

It restores focus, strengthens resolve, and reconnects you to your why.

You don’t drift into becoming resolute.

You choose it, daily.