Be Where Your Feet Are: Building True Resiliency as an Entrepreneur

If you’re an entrepreneur, you already know life can feel like a contact sport. You get punched in the gut by unexpected challenges, face decisions that impact your family, your team, and your future — and you have to keep moving forward anyway. Over the years, I’ve learned that one of the most important skills you can build is resiliency.

Resiliency isn’t about pretending nothing bothers you. It’s about handling adversity with presence, logic, and courage — one moment at a time. And it’s something you can develop, even if anxiety and stress feel overwhelming.

Today, I want to share how I learned to stay grounded in the hardest moments of life and entrepreneurship by living one simple phrase: Be where your feet are.

The Moment That Taught Me About Resiliency

Back in 2014, I jumped fully into entrepreneurship. I had already been obsessed with self-development — reading books, trying meditation, doing breathwork, and anything else that could help me grow faster. Eventually, I started a podcast called Better Humanology with my best friend, Talon.

Talon and I were like brothers. We competed fiercely but also supported each other in everything. And Talon had a mantra that stuck with me:

Be where your feet are.

He used it any time life felt overwhelming — when the future was uncertain or when the moment felt impossibly heavy.

I remember calling him on my way to one of the biggest interviews of my career — a podcast appearance with Aubrey Marcus that could launch my first book, Garage Gym Athlete, to a whole new audience. I was nervous and anxious. Talon simply said:

“Be where your feet are. Solve the problem one step at a time.”

That advice grounded me. The interview went great. That moment ended up changing the trajectory of my career and business.

Resiliency Tested in Life’s Hardest Moments

Years later, Talon gave the same advice to a friend whose mother had passed away unexpectedly. “Be where your feet are,” he told him — meaning, don’t spiral about the future, just survive this moment. Stay present.

When Talon passed away last year, I found myself staring at my feet at his funeral, whispering those same words to myself just to get through. It was the hardest, rawest test of resiliency I’ve ever faced. And yet, it worked. Being fully present — just breathing and existing in that moment — is what allowed me to stand up, grieve, and move forward.

How to Build Resiliency in Business & Life

Resiliency isn’t a talent you’re born with; it’s a skill you can practice. Here’s how I apply “be where your feet are” every day as an entrepreneur and leader:

1. Focus on the Closest Alligator to the Boat

Entrepreneurship can feel like a river filled with alligators — but the only one that matters is the one about to sink your boat right now. Stop worrying about the 15th problem down the road. Tackle the next immediate challenge.

2. Stop Feeding Worry — Act Instead

Worry isn’t a helpful emotion. If you can do something about a problem, stop spinning your wheels and take action. If you can’t, acknowledge it and move forward. Action, not rumination, is what quiets anxiety.

3. Have a Plan (Even If It’s Imperfect)

Uncertainty fuels stress. The cure is a clear plan. Even if your first plan isn’t perfect, making one moves you from fear to action. Then refine it as you go.

4. Stay Present in Hard Conversations

As a leader, it’s tempting to mentally run ahead to the next thing. Don’t. Be fully present — especially in tough talks with employees, partners, or family. Resiliency is built one real, present moment at a time.

Why Resiliency Matters More Than Ever

We live in a world full of distractions, anxiety, and pressure. Add entrepreneurship and family into the mix, and it’s easy to feel scattered and overwhelmed. But resiliency gives you the strength to endure, adapt, and grow — even when life hits hard.

If you remember nothing else, remember this:

Be where your feet are. Make a plan. Act on it. Repeat.

You can’t predict the future, but you can face the present moment with strength.

Show Notes & Time-stamps

• 00:30 – Opening thoughts on resiliency and why entrepreneurs struggle with stress and anxiety.

• 02:15 – How my obsession with self-development shaped my journey into entrepreneurship.

• 03:25 – The story behind starting the Better Humanology podcast with my best friend Talon.

• 04:40 – Talon’s life-changing mantra: Be where your feet are — and how it helped me before a pivotal interview.

• 06:00 – How this mindset supported friends during unexpected grief and personal tragedy.

• 07:20 – Facing my own toughest moment: using this lesson at Talon’s funeral.

• 08:40 – “The closest alligator to the boat” — tackling immediate challenges first.

• 09:50 – Why worry is useless and how action replaces anxiety.

• 11:00 – The power of having a clear plan to overcome fear and uncertainty.

• 12:00 – Staying present as a leader and how resiliency impacts business and life.