When HTFU Becomes SFTU
For years, my identity was built on HTFU (Harden The F*ck Up). Sound familiar?
As a business owner and obsessive endurance athlete, I believed that endurance meant becoming like an oak - sturdy, hard, unshakeable. Most accomplished midlife leaders I work with were trained in this same gospel of grit.
But here's what nobody tells you about sustainable performance: muscles can't stay hardened indefinitely. Not if you want healthy longevity. (And let's be honest - who doesn't want that at midlife?)
What I've learned, and what I keep seeing with my clients, is that real staying power requires something counterintuitive: SFTU (Soften The F*ck Up).
This isn't some gentle yoga studio wisdom. It's pure mechanics. Like bamboo versus oak, true resilience comes from being pliable, not rigid. From adapting rather than resisting. From working with gravity instead of constantly fighting it.
Most leaders seeking me out aren't looking for another productivity hack or grit sermon. They're looking for a different way to create impact - one that doesn't require constant grinding.
The shift isn't about fixing what's broken. It's about accessing gears you already have but rarely use. Gears that let you move with more ease and less friction.
Are you feeling a midlife stall? Try a Free Session.