The Truth About Letting Go of What You Built

Why I Shut Down the Strong Men of Value Academy.

Sometimes the bravest thing you can do… is let go.

It was the Tuesday after I finished my final marathon.

The Strong Men of Value Academy call was meant to be that Friday. Normally, I’d look forward to those calls. But this time?

I felt dread.

I went for a walk to clear my head still limping from the 58 marathons in 58 days. I called a few mates. I was torn. Part of me knew the fire was gone, but another part clung to the guilt.

“What if I let people down?”

The feedback hit hard, but it was consistent:

“If your heart’s not in it, you’re holding yourself and them back.”

Somewhere between those conversations and the breeze on that walk, I felt peace. The decision was made.

And for the first time in a long time… I wasn’t afraid.

The Belief That Held Me Hostage

For years, I lived by this belief:

If it helps people, I have to keep going.

But no one talks about the quiet trap that creates.

You start out serving from inspiration. Then one day, you’re serving from obligation.

You confuse being selfless with being directionless.

And after five years of building the Academy, another fear crept in:

“What if I shut it down… and I can’t build something else?”

That moment made me realise: I wasn’t just running a program I was holding onto an old version of me.

One that thought helping people meant saying yes to everything… even at the cost of myself.

Here’s the truth I now live by:

You can’t lead powerfully if your heart’s not in it. And you can’t evolve if you refuse to let go.

The Metaphor That Shifted Everything

The Strong Men of Value Academy was like the perfect pair of runners for a long, tough leg of the journey.

But just like terrain changes, so do we.

You wouldn’t run a mountain trail in road shoes. And you shouldn’t keep charging into your next season of life using tools, habits, or strategies that were built for the last one.

It’s not about giving up, it’s about gearing up.

This isn’t about motivation.

It’s about momentum.

It’s time to change your shoes.

It’s simple. It’s powerful.

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