The first day of kindergarten is supposed to be magical—but mine was a nightmare.

The first day of kindergarten is supposed to be magical—but mine was a nightmare.

Like most kids, I spent the day meeting new friends and figuring out how to sit crisscross on the rug during storytime. It was a whirlwind of excitement and nerves as I navigated this big new world.

After school, I got on the bus to go home, excited to tell my mom about my day. But as the bus stopped and the driver yelled, “This is your stop, Christian,” I froze.

I looked out the window and knew something was wrong. The area was familiar, but it wasn’t home. “This isn’t my stop,” I pleaded to the driver. She insisted it was, even waving some paperwork.

But I stuck to my instincts and refused to get off. After some back-and-forth, the bus driver begrudgingly let me stay on the bus. A couple of stops later, I recognized my house—and my mom was waiting.

I was traumatized. I never rode the bus until 6th grade.

But that day, I learned a valuable lesson: trust your gut, even when someone insists they know better.

I see this lesson often ignored, personally and professionally. “Experts” on social media promise magic formulas for losing weight or generating leads.

They make it sound easy: “Drink this shake for six-pack abs!” or “Use our secret method to get 30 leads in 30 days!” But deep down, most of us know better.

Just like I knew the bus stop wasn’t mine, we often sense when something is off. Yet, many still follow these shortcuts—only to waste time, money, and energy.

The truth is, there’s no magic formula.

To get fit, you need consistent exercise, balanced nutrition, and good sleep. To grow your business, you need strong positioning, a clear target audience, thought leadership, demand generation, and proactive prospecting.

It takes effort and commitment—not shortcuts. 

The next time an expert offers you the “easy way,” pause. Trust your instincts. Success—whether in health or business—comes from doing the work, not chasing magic.

There is a voice that doesn’t use words. Listen.