Those six words confront you when you're honest with yourself.Looking back at my past year, was I all in? The uncomfortable, honest answer was no.This thought wasn’t just about my professional pursuits; it was about the way I was approaching life itself. My 2025 was a year of 'half in' efforts, enough to sustain, but not enough to truly build or elevate. A truth I needed to face.This hard truth sparked a question I couldn't ignore: What does it mean to be all in? I needed to set a standard, one that demands commitment. Because being all in isn't a passive concept. The change requires a conscious decision, to move forward and build a deliberate life.To be all in is to take life seriously. Not wasting a single moment, and using each day to intentionally improve. No more waiting for the perfect conditions. No more "I'll start next week." No more negotiating with the person I used to be; since every "yes" to the wrong thing is a hard "no" to everything that truly matters.This personal standard extends beyond myself. It demands a constant audit: eliminating the distractions which masquerade as productivity, and deliberately choosing the right people, the right rooms, and the right moments. The stakes are clear; what surrounds me either elevates my standard or drains my resolve.Not a standard driven by fleeting wants or goals, but built on identity. One that rejects short term desires and comforts, and rather accepts the daily resistance of commitment. One which starts within the mind, embracing the role of a perpetual student of life - not just casually observing, but actively learning, studying, and growing.This portrays itself physically as much as it does in the mind, as one's external appearance is the most public display of discipline. Maintaining this standard requires sustainable changes: consistently working out, eating intentionally, and proactively addressing health issues. The body reflects the standard, and the standard demands respect for the body.Understanding what it means to be all in is only half the equation. The other half is confronting what stands in the way:Fear. The kind that shows up when you’re standing at the edge of who you could become, knowing that the leap requires leaving behind the comfort of who you’ve been. This means rejecting the persistent doubts of imposter syndrome and what others may think; committing instead to the ‘insanity’ required to push through, despite every instinct screaming to retreat when the path forward demands more than I've ever given before.Tackling fear means sprinting, a pace so fast it builds a momentum too powerful to turn back. All for one calling: to stop watching from the crowd of mediocrity and sprint fully onto the field, planting a flag that attracts others who share a similar standard. A standard that extends to those I lead and serve, showing up fully for them with a commitment that is always above and beyond.The final measure will be knowing I held nothing back toward this standard; not only for myself, but to inspire those around me to shine also. Paying the cost of a past life, in return for a new life I'm proud of, built by someone I respect, with no regrets, no what ifs, and no doubt that I gave absolutely everything I could.

All In.

Imra • December 15, 2025