Approximately a 3-minute read

Hello!

There are three ideas I keep circling back to this week—all through the lens of performance systems.

One came up on stage in Fresno. Another is a lesson from the lived experience of a prisoner of war. The third is something I see daily in the athletes and teams I coach.

On the surface, they seem unrelated. But each one gets at the heart of building reliable, high-performing systems: Small issues, if ignored, don’t stay small. They compound. They can take down the whole system.

A single zero can erase your progress. A false belief can break your momentum. The wrong direction can waste months of hard work.

Let’s dig in!

zero.

This weekend, I had the chance to speak at the 42X Conference in Fresno, CA, where I discussed building high-performance systems. I shared an idea that’s just as relevant in your work: you can create something great, but if there’s a zero in the system, the entire thing collapses.

No matter how strong your system appears, anything multiplied by zero becomes zero.

You can have all the skills, discipline, intelligence, and talent in the world, but if there’s a "zero" in the equation—cheating, lack of integrity, or a corner you consistently cut when no one’s watching—that single zero doesn’t just subtract from the system; it erases everything.

You can’t outwork a lack of integrity or outperform the consequences of being a toxic teammate.

Character is the ultimate multiplier—it either elevates everything or wipes it all out.

Where is the potential zero in your system right now? If left unchecked, it will eventually surface.

You’ve worked too hard to let one zero take it all down.

try it:

Set aside five minutes today. Identify one potential “zero” in your system—a habit, shortcut, or standard you’re not fully living. Write it down honestly, without justifying or minimizing it. Then, choose one clear action you’ll take to address it right away. Small adjustments now prevent total breakdowns later.
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​​paradox.

In my experience, pressure doesn't break the elite athletes I work with; losing hope does.

You can’t erase uncertainty and doubt, but you can turn down its volume.

There’s a framework for this—a lesson you can take from Admiral James Stockdale.

Imagine being shot down over Vietnam. Prisoner of war for seven years. Enduring the unimaginable.

When asked how he survived, he said something unexpected: "The optimists didn’t make it."

They kept saying, “We’ll be out by Christmas…by Easter…” And when those dates passed, hope collapsed.

He chose to do the opposite: Face brutal facts—fully, honestly, no sugarcoating. And at the same time, he had unwavering faith that he’d make it through and be stronger for it.

That’s the Stockdale Paradox: Face reality exactly as it is, and at the same time believe in a better outcome you can’t yet see.

try it:

Start by writing down the brutal facts of the situation you're currently in. Next, describe what facing them could build in you. Now, shift your focus to what you can control. You don’t need certainty—just clarity and the will to put one foot in front of the other.
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compass.

The athletes I work with are elite at getting things done. They love to train, to grind, to check the box. But sometimes, that very strength becomes the problem. The drive to do more can get in the way of doing what matters most.

That’s the difference between a clock approach and a compass approach to your system.

The clock is about time—reps, hours, output. The compass is about direction—priorities, standards, what actually moves the needle.

A lot of people I work with initially default to the clock approach: More swings, more lifts, more film, more work. But without the right direction, you just become more efficient at the wrong things.

Direction is more important than speed.

Don’t just ask yourself, “How much am I doing?” Instead, ask, “Is this actually moving me forward?”

Get the compass right, and let the clock follow.

try it:

Before your next work block, take a moment to pause. Ask yourself why you’re about to do what you’re about to do. Clarify the purpose behind your actions—let your direction guide your effort.

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​​Hope you have a great week!

Justin Su'a

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