58: Growth isn't Solo Work

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Welcome to the With Intention weekly newsletter where I share ideas & learnings to help you live & lead with intention

At a glance:

• Essay: Growth isn't solo work
• Quote: The right room
• Visual: Involve me and I'll learn

The Right Room Changes Everything

I've been thinking about rooms this week.

Not the physical spaces. The people. The energy. What happens when you get the right mix.

I played D1 soccer for four years. Spent 25+ years in corporate sales. Been in a lot of locker rooms and boardrooms. Most of them? Pretty predictable. Some posturing. Hidden insecurities. Everyone trying to look like they have it figured out.

But every once in a while, you walk into something different.

Two Rooms That Changed My Life

A few years back, I joined this cohort called The Deeper Path. Kary Oberbrunner was running it. I honestly didn't know what I was getting into. Just knew I needed something.

That group wrecked me. In the best way.

It wasn't the content—though Kary's brilliant. It was watching successful people drop the act. Seeing what happened when vulnerability became the norm instead of the exception.

Around the same time, Michelle and I were struggling. Marriage was rough. We joined a small group at church. I'll be honest—I didn't want to go. Felt like admitting defeat.

That group helped save our marriage. Not because they had all the answers. Because they created space for the real conversations.

Both rooms taught me something: The right people change everything.

The Three Things That Make a Room Different

I've been in enough rooms now to spot the patterns. Here's what separates the transformational spaces from the networking events:

1. Permission to be incomplete. Most rooms reward having it figured out. The best rooms reward honesty about where you're still growing. When someone can say "I don't know" or "I'm struggling with this," it changes the whole dynamic.

2. Shared commitment to growth over comfort. Easy rooms feel good in the moment but don't change you. The rooms that matter? They're willing to get uncomfortable. They ask the questions you've been avoiding. They hold you accountable to who you said you wanted to become.

3. Focus on application, not just information. You can get information anywhere. What's rare is a room that helps you actually do something with it. The best groups don't just talk about principles—they create space to practice them.

That's what made those two experiences so powerful. And it's what we've been trying to recreate ever since.

What We Built This Year

That's why I started With Intention Cohort 1 earlier this year.

Ten leaders. Different backgrounds—CEOs, founders, sales execs. One thing in common: they were tired of the surface stuff. Ready to do the real work.

We brought in James Clear. Alan Stein Jr. Some incredible guest speakers.

But you know what the feedback was? It wasn't about the speakers. It was about each other.

The connection. The trust. The permission to not have it all together.

One guy told me afterward: "I've been to a lot of leadership programs. This was the first time I felt like I could actually be myself."

That's it. That's what we're after.

Round Two

We're doing it again. Cohort 2 starts August 14.

Same format. Ten seats. Real conversations. No BS.

I'll bring the framework—the stuff I've learned over 25 years about intentional living and authentic leadership. But the magic isn't in what I teach. It's in what happens between the people in the room.

If you're reading this and thinking "I need something like that"—maybe you do.

If you're crushing it professionally but something feels off. If you're tired of compartmentalizing your life. If you want to be around people who are serious about growth, not just networking.

Send me a note. Let's talk.

If you're ready to jump in and schedule strategy convo to see if this is a fit for you, feel free to schedule here.

Or Maybe You're Not Ready for That

I get it. A cohort's a big commitment.

But maybe we should still talk. I do strategy calls with leaders who are trying to figure out their next move. No agenda. Just conversation about where you are and where you want to go.

Sometimes that's exactly what someone needs. A space to think out loud with someone who's been there.

You can grab time on my calendar here if that sounds helpful.

Here's the Thing

I'm 25+ years into this leadership journey. I've made most of the mistakes. Learned some things the hard way.

And here's what I know: You don't have to figure it out alone.

The right room. The right people. The right conversations.

They change everything.

Talk soon,

Jon

P.S. - I'm still a little amazed this is what I get to do now. Creating spaces for real growth. Having conversations that matter. It doesn't feel like work when it's your calling.

Involve me & I'll learn

Source: (1) Roberto Ferraro (@FerraroRoberto) / X

Until next week!

Jon Giganti 

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