This year, I set myself one simple but challenging commitment: “Just Go.”
So when I heard about the Australian Poetry Slam last week, I didn’t overthink it. I signed up. I’ve always loved writing poetry and declarations, and with a few pieces already written, it felt like the right time to give it a go—even if I only had a week to prepare.
To make it even more special, I invited my son Josiah (in Year 10) to join me with a poem he had written for a school project. Together, we crammed, practised, and reworked our pieces in the days leading up to the event. On the night, we didn’t win, but we experienced the energy of the slam, shared our voices, and met incredible poets who live and breathe this craft.
The best part? Practising side by side with my son, pushing each other, and stepping out of our comfort zones together. That’s a memory I’ll carry for a long time.
Leadership and the “Just Go” Mindset
In leadership and in life, it’s easy to overthink, to wait until we feel perfectly prepared before acting. But waiting for perfect readiness often means we never start.
Whether it’s taking on a new project, trying an unfamiliar skill, or stepping into a bigger leadership role, sometimes the most powerful decision is simply to go for it. You don’t need to be polished, you don’t need to guarantee the outcome—you just need to step in.
And that’s what life is about: putting yourself out there, pushing past nerves, and embracing the experience.
At the Slam, I shared a poem I wrote during the pandemic—an honest reflection of the doubts, fears, and breakthroughs I experienced. I want to include it here, because it captures what “Just Go” meant to me in that season:
My Poem
A cauldron of thoughts stretch deep in mire,
An elastic yo yo bounds to dire.
Unrelenting darkness spill through demise,
While angst yells void with gloating reprise.
If people really knew the vast doubts I tower,
What riposte retort would people shower?
Like a wound up toy my mind rewinds,
Abating daylight each breathe it shines.
Drenched in doubt my future scarce,
Yet I wade against the current so fierce.
The shackles of circumstance drear my pain,
What fractured hope could break these chains?
Stretched wide the pestilence invades,
More than tears, it is in our veins.
With nothing left I dropped to my knees,
The poison of fear was my disease.
Caught in the moment when all felt lost,
All I could think of was a slew of cost.
Floating shards are my mental state,
Wavering in and out with all the weight.
Surrender with every ounce I clutched,
My fighting spirit is all but crushed.
My letting go gave way for relief,
Yet my shoulders carried burden’s grief.
The mob delights in endless scope,
In captive gloom I dare to cope.
Triumph stomps when quiet I find,
In shifting aim is grace that’s kind.
My accord is now to rest and soak,
For my chains will break I trust and hope.
Desperate to be free from my plight,
In a desolate pit my heart cries,
And just then I feel my Lord’s eyes,
He delivers me with his might,
My posture secure and upright.
A Question for You
Where in your leadership could you adopt a “Just Go” mindset? Maybe it’s handing over a stretch project to your team. Maybe it’s speaking up with that idea you’ve been holding back. Or maybe it’s saying yes to something that feels just outside your comfort zone.
Growth rarely happens in perfect conditions. It happens when we dare to move—even when the outcome is uncertain.
So, where could you “Just Go” this week?
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