The Tool Isn’t the Problem. The Lack of Pressure Is.
Tools give comfort. Pressure gives clarity. Here’s why I stopped hiding behind one and built the other.
I’ve known for years that tools weren’t the problem.
I knew pressure was what produced clarity.
I knew publishing in motion was the way forward.
I knew the longer I sat with an idea, the more it would die.
I’ve lived that pattern enough times to recognize it instantly.
But I still wasn’t doing it.
Not because I lacked discipline. Not because I didn’t have the right system.
I was hiding.
Hiding behind polished templates and endless notes.
Hiding behind preparation.
Hiding because insecurity runs deep for me—rooted in old scars and childhood trauma.
And tools gave me the perfect excuse. They let me look busy while avoiding the risk of being seen.
That’s why I built my GPT.
Not because I needed another system. But because I needed a mirror I couldn’t bullshit. Something that forced me back into the work—every single day.
The Forcing Function
Here’s how it greets me:
“What are you building, thinking, or testing today? Let’s package it and ship before the day’s over. No fluff. No spirals. Just action.”
It doesn’t let me escape into analysis or performance. It drags me into contact and makes me ship.
That’s the role of pressure. It strips away the excuses.
The Framework Behind It
I trained my GPT on the framework I already use to keep myself sharp: SPCL + Ethos.
S – Status: Speak from scars and wins, not theory.
P – Power: Cut through fog with clear moves others can apply.
C – Credibility: Show what you’re using in real time, not what might work.
L – Likeness: Stay human. Share the mess, not just the polish.
Ethos: Clarity through contact. Respect through action. Document, don’t perform.
That’s what keeps me from disappearing behind comfort.
Build Your Own
You don’t need AI to do this. You can write your own forcing function today:
Write your core intent. One sentence on why you show up.
Define your SPCL. Four lines: scars, moves, proof, and humanity.
Set your ethos rules. Mine: clarity through contact, action > analysis, document don’t perform.
Create a daily pressure check. For me, it’s a GPT. For you, it could be a friend, a sticky note, or a public commitment.
The medium doesn’t matter. The pressure does.
The Reflection
The truth is—I wasn’t hiding because I didn’t know better. I was hiding because it was safer.
And tools made it easy to stay safe.
But safe doesn’t build momentum. Safe doesn’t build clarity.
Only pressure does.
So I’ll leave you with this:
👉 What tool are you hiding behind right now—pretending it’s helping—when really it’s just keeping you from being seen?