Follow your purpose, not your feelings — and unpack how fear often wears the mask of instinct, why clarity comes from narrowing focus and why purpose is the quiet rebel in a noisy world.

Poor leadership gets praised, truth-tellers get punished and equity is often just lip service. It’s tempting to stay silent — but silence protects the system, not the people.

Two months ago, to the day, I stood facing a fork in the metaphorical road. One path was familiar: I’d walked versions of it for over 20 years, achieving reasonable success, growing a suite of skills, and, most importantly, building and nurturing lasting relationships. The other path was less familiar