Leadership lesson at the airport

Something to know about me.

I do not like to get to the airport early.

Admittedly, I cut it much closer today for my flight to Austin, TX than I usually do.
My Uber driver even shared his concern.

I know my routine and have it down.
But flying out of a different terminal today meant that routine was off.

And no order-ahead options presented an additional challenge.
The line for coffee and breakfast was way too long.

So right before I needed to board, I quickly grabbed some overnight oats from the store across from my gate.

It's a new-to-me brand- MUSH.

And my breakfast came with a little reminder this morning:
“You are what you repeat.”

How true this is.
I see it all the time.

If you avoid hard conversations, you create a fear of conflict.
If you rush from one thing to the next, you normalize burnout.
If you default to criticism, you create a culture of complaining.

But…

If you consistently listen, you build trust.
If you recognize small wins, you create momentum.
If you model calm under pressure, you set the tone for resilience.

What you repeat shapes who you are.
And who you are shapes how your team shows up.

Remember:
Leadership isn’t about you.
But it starts with you.

P.S. I may have a new airport routine with these overnight oats.