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The One Leadership Shift That Changes Everything
Dan Watt
August 11, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes
You don’t need another 37-step framework. You don’t need a new app to “optimize” your calendar. And you definitely don’t need to read yet another leadership book.
What you need is one shift that changes how you lead.
Starting today.
Keep reading.
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INSPIRATION STATION
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A MESSAGE FROM RUCKUS MAKERS
⏳ You’ve Got 48 Hours to Lead on Your Terms
This Thursday Ruckus Makers start an 8-week reset called Play Your Game — and there’s still time for you to join.
This is NOT some district-run workshop.
This is about taking YOUR power back.
Design your week instead of reacting to it.
Define success on your terms.
Build a leadership rhythm that energizes you again.
If you’re ready to stop managing mandates and start leading movements …
This is your shot.
No application. No sales call. Start for just $50.
We begin August 14.
Interested? Reply to this email. Put “Play my game” in the body and I will send over the details.
THE RUCKUS MAKER MONTHLY THEME: PLAYING YOUR GAME
The One Leadership Shift That Changes Everything
"Most school leaders lose before they even begin — because they're playing a game they can't win."
Let that sink in.
The False Game We're Trained to Play
From day one, leaders often focus on things they can’t control, like district rules, parent conflicts, standardized tests, and school board politics.
We're told this is the job.
That's not leadership. That's learned helplessness.
When you spend all day reacting to the uncontrollable, you forget the power of what you can actually shape.
And what happens next?
This mindset kills momentum.
You feel perpetually behind.
You start wondering if you're even making a difference anymore.
You forget your why.
A key point that many leaders miss is that burnout doesn't come from working too hard.
It comes from pouring your energy into outcomes you don't own.
Most principals lose energy because they're playing someone else's game.
That ends today.
The Reframe: The Ruckus Maker Move
Ruckus Makers don't chase control.
We focus on leverage.
We double down on the few things that actually move the needle:
Our calendar
Our team culture
Our beliefs
Our vision
Our energy
This is how we reclaim agency in a system built for distraction.
Control your inputs. Own your reactions. Design your game.
Play Your Game
"You don't need permission to play your game. You just need to stop playing everyone else's."
If this resonates, I've got something for you.
The 8-Week Play Your Game Program begins August 14th. Reply to this email, “play my game” and I'll send you over the details.
You either walk inside your story and own it, or you stand outside your story and hustle for your worthiness
LEADERSHIP EDGE
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MONDAY VIBES
WEEKLY CHALLENGE
Your Monday Move
Try this simple reset:
Draw two columns: "What I Control" and "What I Don't"
Cross out the second column entirely
Choose three actions from column one and schedule them this week
Small moves create big momentum.
Now, go Make a Ruckus!
PS … Did you know we have a Ruckus Maker digital magazine? Learn more about it here: https://ruckusmakers.substack.com/about
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