How Leaders Stay Consistent When Motivation Fades

#LeadandLift | Episode 144 | Carlos Villarreal

What happens when the life you’ve been building suddenly asks you to pause? 

For Carlos Villarreal, that moment came with a life-changing diagnosis, one that forced him to reexamine not just his health, but his career, his habits, and his definition of success.

On this episode of Lead and Lift, Carlos shares how a pivotal wake-up call transformed four decades of leadership experience into a powerful philosophy rooted in intention, consistency, and growth. His story is a reminder that sustainable success isn’t built on motivation alone.  It’s built on systems, habits, and clarity.

If you’ve ever felt driven but exhausted, ambitious but misaligned, this conversation offers a roadmap back to what truly matters.

When Success Forces a Pause: The Moment That Changed Everything

Carlos spent over 40 years in leadership, moving from retail to corporate leadership before transitioning into consulting and coaching. Like many high performers, he was focused on climbing, achieving, and delivering results, until 2014 changed everything.

A sudden diagnosis of liver disease stopped him in his tracks.  There was no quick fix. No immediate solution. Just the question:  What truly matters now? 

Rather than seeing the diagnosis as a setback, Carlos reframed it as an invitation.

“Life is not happening to us. It’s happening for us.” 

That mindset shift opened the door to a long-held dream of becoming a coach and led him to redesign his life with greater purpose, clarity, and intention.

The Power of Asking for Support (and Hiring a Coach)

One of the most powerful decisions Carlos made during his transition was not doing it alone.  Instead of struggling through uncertainty, he hired a coach to help him:

• Navigate his exit from corporate leadership
• Clarify his next chapter
• Build a sustainable coaching practice

As Carlos shared, you only know what you know and growth accelerates when you learn from someone who’s already walked the path.

“Why not get with people who’ve been down that path already?” 

This is a recurring theme for high performers: support is not a weakness, it’s a strategy.

Energy Is a Leadership Habit: Redefining Food, Health, and Performance

Carlos quickly realized that leadership longevity requires energy, not just ambition.  One of his first non-negotiable changes? His relationship with food.

Gone were the fast-food habits formed during years of retail and travel. In their place came a new belief:

“Food is fuel for my body.” 

Just as elite athletes optimize nutrition for performance, leaders must do the same. Energy fuels focus, presence, and decision-making.  Without it, even the most talented leaders burn out.

This shift wasn’t just about health. It was about showing up fully for clients, teams, and life.

The Growth Daily Framework: How Leaders Stay Focused and Consistent

To avoid overwhelm and scattered effort, Carlos developed what he calls the Growth Daily Framework: a simple but powerful structure for intentional leadership.

Picture a triangle:

🔺 The Three Daily Priorities

Each day is anchored around three impact areas:

1. Coaching – Leading, mentoring, serving clients or teams
2. Connecting – Building relationships and trust
3. Creation – Strategic work, problem-solving, content, or execution

At the center of the triangle is the most important element of all:

🌱 Growth (Non-Negotiable)

Personal growth fuels professional growth. This includes:

• Reading
• Reflection
• Gratitude
• Journaling
• Learning

“Your team can only grow as far as you do.” 

This framework helps leaders reclaim 15–20 hours a week simply by focusing on what truly matters and eliminating distraction.

The 3 Keys to Long-Term Leadership Success

After decades of experience, Carlos believes success consistently comes down to three things:

1. Mindset

Skills don’t matter if mindset limits growth. Leaders must believe growth is possible especially when things get hard.

2. Modeling

Success leaves clues. Learn from others who are already winning.

“If someone is doing well, be curious and ask what they’re doing.” 

3. Consistency

Not flashy. Not exciting. But powerful.

Consistency compounds results over time, even when motivation fades.

“Consistency isn’t sexy, but it works.”

Living With High Intention: The Core Leadership Lesson

If Carlos could leave leaders with just one message, it would be this:  “Live with high intention.” 

High intention means:

• Being deliberate about what you say yes to
• Creating boundaries around what no longer serves you
• Aligning your actions with what matters most

It’s not about doing more; it’s about doing what matters.

One Small Step Changes Everything

Transformation doesn’t require massive action. It requires one intentional step, repeated consistently.

“What’s one small thing you can do today that will matter over time?” 

Whether it’s a five-minute walk, one difficult phone call, or a moment of reflection.  Small actions create big shifts when done consistently.

Time to Think: The Habit Most Leaders Skip

Carlos ends with a simple but profound practice: TTT—Time to Think.

No music. No distractions. Just space to reflect on:

• Who you want to be
• What you want your life to stand for
• How you want to show up as a leader, partner, and human

“Most people don’t give themselves permission to think.” 

Key Takeaways from This Episode

• Motivation fades but systems sustain success
• Energy is a leadership advantage
• Growth must be intentional and daily
• Consistency compounds results over time
• Living with intention creates fulfillment and impact

If this episode resonated with you, let it be your reminder:
You don’t need more motivation.  You need clarity, intention, and consistent habits. 

Because when you lead yourself well, you truly lead and lift everyone around you.

Links mentioned in this episode: 

• Carlos Villarreal Facebook
• Carlos Villarreal Instagram
• Carlos Villarreal LinkedIn
• Carlos Villarreal Website

Links mentioned in this episode: 

• Chabidaye Facebook
• Chabidaye Instagram
• Chabidaye LinkedIn
• Chabidaye Website