It is easy to believe that confidence must come first. That bold action follows only after feeling sure and ready. Kat Cole, CEO of AG1, a global health company, offers a different view.
In a recent talk, Cole shared a message that challenges this common assumption. Confidence does not come before action. It comes from action.
Confidence is not something handed down or granted in advance. It is earned through small steps, decisions, and moments of courage.
The Trap of Success
Leadership often feels most tested during a crisis. However, Cole highlights a more subtle challenge.
When circumstances are stable or successful, it becomes easy to slow down. To stop asking what more can be done. To stop pushing for improvement.
“It is easy to act in hard times. The real muscle is the ability to coach yourself to keep growing when things are pretty good.”
Complacency can take root quietly. Progress can mask the areas where higher standards or fresh thinking are needed. Growth slows not because of failure, but because of comfort.
A Practice That Keeps Leaders Sharp
To stay alert and intentional, Cole developed the Hot Shot Rule. This simple tool helps leaders see their roles with fresh eyes and avoid the comfort trap.
Here is how it works:
- Imagine a person you admire stepping into your role.
- Ask what the first thing that person would do differently to improve the situation.
- Commit to taking that action within twenty-four hours.
- Once change is set in motion, explain to those involved what is happening and why.
This habit started as a quarterly reflection for Cole. It soon became a monthly practice. Today, it is part of a weekly rhythm.
Every Sunday at one in the afternoon, she takes a quiet moment to consider her role and identify one action that a hotshot would take.
Over time, these small moments add up. Fifty-two changes each year. Fifty-two chances to raise the bar, challenge assumptions, and move things forward.
The Impact of Consistent Action
The Hot Shot Rule has helped Cole make difficult decisions across many areas of her leadership.
It has pushed her to stop projects that no longer served the mission, and it has encouraged her to hold partners accountable in situations where it would have been easier to offer excuses. At times, it has prompted her to make overdue apologies or reach out personally to check in on relationships that mattered.
Through these repeated acts, the practice has strengthened her reputation as a leader who combines vulnerability with a clear bias for action. The act of doing, again and again, is what builds confidence and trust.
The Wrap
There is no need to wait for confidence before taking action. Confidence is not a prerequisite for making bold moves or thoughtful decisions. It is something that grows through the act itself.
The more often action is taken, the more natural confidence feels.
When the next decision feels heavy or uncertain, pause for a moment. Picture someone truly admired stepping into the same role and ask, what is the first thing they would do to make things better?
Then take that step.
