Energy waning? Try this.

Boston right now? It’s giving Hoth. And I know I’m not the only one out here freezing my ambition off. If you’re reading this with numb fingers and a warm beverage, we’re in this icy hellscape together. #frozemaste

This weekend? It was a perfect storm of Chinese sticky rice, snow angels, and a wee bit of academic . Yes, I played hooky and hit the slopes with my son yesterday (don’t judge me), but I also cracked open the most boring, most mathy, most quanty textbook ever because, surprise! I'm still chasing a doctoral degree on top of keynoting, coaching, and being your favorite hype woman.

This semester hit different, though.

The first one? Sparkles. Balloons. Big "new kid on the block" energy. Everything that comes with a brand new adventure.

This one? Just me, a heavy syllabus, and the haunting realization that this sh*t is actually happening.

And that, right there, is the moment most people quit. Not in a dramatic exit. In a slow fade. The new job after month three. The fitness plan after week two. The identity shift that is demanded once the applause dies down.

We crave the highs of the beginning and the triumph of the end... but it’s the gnarly, unsexy, confusing-as-hell middle where the real transformation lives.

Sound familiar? That middle? That’s Wonderhell.

Let’s break it down.

Phase One: The Spark

You start the thing. It’s shiny. You’re electric with possibility. You see Future You crushing it. It’s all "what if?!" and "why not?!"

You register. You sign. You lace up. You launch. You hit that first sales goal.

It’s all wonder. No hell. Not yet.

Phase Two: The Dip

Then... oof. The buzz wears off. The slog begins. Doubt creeps in. You whisper things like, "Am I even cut out for this?" or "This is too damn hard."

Let me be crystal: Hard doesn’t mean wrong. Hard means working.

You’re not broken. You’re just in the dip. And the dip doesn’t mean stop. It means shift. Shift your story, not your goal.

Phase Three: Wonderhell

The moment it starts to work, you think, "Oh no, what if I actually have to live up to this?"

Spoiler alert: You do. And you can.

That tension between who you were and who you’re becoming? That’s the burden of potential. That’s Wonderhell.

I actually gave a whole TEDx talk on it. And if you haven’t watched it yet, what are you even doing? You can join 3M other people and watch it here. Seriously. It’s 12 minutes that’ll make you feel seen, and maybe even brave.

So how do we get through the phases without ghosting our own potential?

In the Spark: Take one 60-second act of brave. Hit send. Say yes. Apply. Speak up. Start ugly, but start.

In the Dip: Rename it. It’s not failure, it’s Disillusionment Week. Call it out, then ask: What can I drop? Who can I ask? What one tiny thing can I do today?

In Wonderhell: Reframe it. Don’t say, “Oh no, I’ve never done this before.” Say, “Oh wow, I’ve never done this before." That simplest of emphasis shifts changes the very nature of the sentence from scary to exciting.

Because the one thing I know to be true this week is this: Future You doesn’t arrive because you manifested it. She arrives because you didn’t quit.

I’m in it too. This semester isn’t cute. It’s gritty and overwhelming and real. But I’m still here. Still showing up. Still betting on the version of me I can’t quite see yet.

So let’s do this. Hit reply and tell me: What phase are you in right now—Spark, Dip, or Wonderhell—and what’s your 60 seconds of brave today?

And hey, if this hit home, forward it to a friend who needs the reminder. Better yet, send them my TEDx. The world needs more people who know they’re not broken, we’re all just in Wonderhell.

Limitlessly yours,

LGO

P.S. Haven’t read Wonderhell yet? Fix that. And if you have, drop a review. It means the world—and it helps someone else find their brave. Here’s the link to review.