There’s a strange truth about growth: Most of it happens quietly. And a lot of it inspires people you’ll never meet.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about how much we impact others without even realizing it.
You might be grinding through your day - feeling stuck, feeling unseen. Feeling like none of this is working.
But somewhere, someone is watching. And they are being moved by it.
You’re Someone Else’s Inspiration
Whether you’re aware of it or not, someone is watching how you live. It might not be constant. But it’s real.
It could be a friend. A coworker. A sibling. A follower on social media.
Someone is seeing the way you show up, how you keep going, how you handle setbacks. And even if you don’t feel like you’re “winning,” they do.
They see the effort. And that alone can shift something inside them.
There’s actual data behind this.
A study from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern found that employees who sat within 25 feet of a high performer increased their own productivity by 15%. On the flip side, sitting near a low performer decreased productivity by up to 30%. Effort is contagious.
The people around you - whether physically present or silently watching online - are being influenced by how you show up.
They may not say anything. You may never know. But your discipline is setting a tone. And your consistency is creating permission.
What you think is invisible… might be the very thing shaping someone else’s next move.
You're Doing Better Than You Think
My closest friend - Dalton, who co-authors this newsletter with me - recently switched industries. He’s in sales.
It’s brutal some days. Rejection, early mornings, pressure to perform.
He tells me that sometimes it's really hard to keep going, meet new people, and pitch his offer. He doesn't say this to get pity, but to share the reality of his new role.
Every time we talk, it inspires me because he's persistent and not backing down. He's learning and growing.
Because if he can do that? If he can show up to something that hard every day,
then I can work harder too. I can push through what I’m facing. And that’s the point.
Most of the time, you’ll never know who’s finding inspiration from your journey. But I promise - someone is.
You're the Proof Someone Needs
There’s someone right now who wants what you have.
Not in a jealous way - but in a hopeful way.
They see your effort. Your commitment.
And it whispers to them: “If they can do it… maybe I can too.”
I talked to someone recently who said they didn’t feel like what they were doing mattered. That no one saw it. That they weren’t making a difference.
And it hit me hard. Because that person?
They had been the one inspiring me to work harder.
They were trying new things. Staying consistent. Showing up.
They didn’t see the impact they were making - but they were making it anyway.
The Win Isn’t What You Think
We spend so much time chasing results. But let me ask you something:
Think back to the last big win you had. That moment where you finally achieved something you worked hard for.
What felt better - the win? Or the process of becoming the kind of person who could achieve it?
Chances are… it was the journey. The training. The discipline. The stretch. The version of yourself you had to grow into along the way.
The win was just a moment. But the process?
That changed you.
Keep Going
If you’re in a season where you don’t feel like it’s working - keep going.
If you think the results are invisible - they probably are.
But they’re not meaningless.
Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is just keep showing up. Not just for yourself… but for the person who needs to see you do it.
Because you might be the reason they don’t quit.
Issac, great post. Thanks!
Really nice read