10/10/2025
“Time to make the donuts.”
If you’re over 35, you probably just heard it in his voice.
For years, I pictured some tired guy in the back of every Dunkin’,
rolling dough before sunrise.
I’ll let you in on a little secret…
there’s no guy back there.
And I’ll reluctantly admit...
I was in my 40s when I learned the truth.
The donuts were factory-made.
And the magic? Gone.
Like finding out Santa wasn’t real.
And that’s the funny thing about growing up.
The more you learn how things actually work,
the more you realize how much of life runs on repetition,
not magic.
I remember my first leadership role feeling a lot like that.
𝐈𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐞.
𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬.
I see that same look on a lot of new leaders’ faces,
the one that says, “Oh… this is what it really is.”
And when I see that look, I pull them aside and share three things I wish someone had told me (metaphorically speaking of course):
🍩 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐬.
↳ Keep showing up.
↳ Even when it’s early. Even when it’s thankless.
↳ That’s how you earn credibility.
🍩 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐟𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠.
↳ You don’t have to act inspired every day.
↳ Be honest. Be steady.
↳ Your consistency matters more than your charisma.
🍩 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩.
↳ When the work feels routine,
↳ reconnect to your reason for leading.
↳Purpose is what keeps the lights on when the magic fades.
The “donut guy” might not have been real.
But the lesson is.
Show up. Stay steady.
And let the magic find you in the work.
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🙋🏻♂️ Hi, I’m Mike. I help new and aspiring leaders rise with more humanity and less fear.
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