Paper Napkin Wisdom - Podcast And Blog For Entrepreneurs, Leaders And Difference-makers

This is an uncomfortable conversation.  Every single day, we make choices — most of them so routine that we barely notice. How do you like your steak cooked — rare, medium, or well-done? At Thanksgiving, do you reach for the light meat or the dark? Keto or paleo? Lean muscle or bulk? Strong coffee or a lighter roast?  They’re little decisions about taste, texture, preference. About comfort.  But it doesn’t stop there. We choose friends who do what we do. We find partners who share our interests. We build identities around playlists, sports teams, and streaming choices. And in leadership? We double down.  We read Start With Why. We define core values. We tell ourselves we’ll only hire people who “fit.” That isn’t wrong — but it’s dangerously easy to confuse alignment with values for simple agreement with me.  And that’s where the trap lies: we like what feels like us. We choose sameness. We surround ourselves with comfort.  Comfort feels good. Comfort feels safe.  But here’s the uncomfortable tru