BITE-SIZED (what’s inside)
LESSON LEARNED
Goals give you a direction (and direction changes your life)
New year, new you…I get it. It can sound corny.
But here’s the part that’s not corny: if you don’t choose where you’re going, this industry will choose for you.
Hospitality will happily fill every inch of your calendar, your energy, and your body.
Goals don’t have to be huge. They just have to be real.
A goal can be:
better work/life balance (actual balance, not a fantasy)
drinking more water
getting stronger / feeling healthier
earning a promotion
getting one menu item on the list
building relationships so your next job isn’t random
Goals change what you pay attention to.
And what you pay attention to… changes your life.
THE PLAYBOOK
The “Pick 3” goal reset (15 minutes)
This is the move I wish someone handed me earlier.
Step 1: Write 3 goals that actually matter to you
Not what looks good on Instagram. Not what someone else wants.
Three goals you would be proud to keep a promise to.
If you want a simple structure, pick one from each lane:
Body / Energy (water, sleep, strength, recovery)
Craft / Career (promotion, skill mastery, leadership, menu item)
Life / Relationships / Money (balance, savings, networking, boundaries)
Step 2: Turn each goal into a real plan
This is where people lose it. The plan has to match real life.
For each goal, write:
Daily: the smallest thing you can actually do on a shift day
Weekly: one action that moves the needle
Monthly: one check‑in that keeps you honest
Here are examples you can steal:
Drink more water
Daily: one bottle before lineup + one after service
Weekly: restock your bottle/electrolytes
Monthly: check energy + headaches + sleep quality
Get a promotion
Daily: ask one “how do you want this done?” question
Weekly: request one added responsibility (training, ordering, inventory)
Monthly: 10‑minute check‑in with your boss on progress
Work/life balance
Daily: protect one boundary (sleep window, no late scroll, one meal)
Weekly: one “non‑negotiable” block of time that’s yours
Monthly: adjust availability if you’re consistently running on fumes
Step 3: Tell one person (this is the cheat code)
This is the difference between a goal and a journal entry.
Text someone:
“I wrote 3 goals for the next 90 days. Can I send them to you and check in once a week?”
Accountability doesn’t have to be intense. It just has to exist.
If you want my simple one‑pager template, reply GOALS and I’ll send it.
QUICK TIP
Copy/paste this and fill it in
If you do nothing else, do this today:
Goal 1: ______
Why it matters: ______
Daily / Weekly / Monthly plan: ______ / ______ / ______
Accountability person: ______
Goal 2: ______
Why it matters: ______
Daily / Weekly / Monthly plan: ______ / ______ / ______
Accountability person: ______
Goal 3: ______
Why it matters: ______
Daily / Weekly / Monthly plan: ______ / ______ / ______
Accountability person: ______
Keep it simple. Simple done beats perfect never.
HOSPITALITY HIGHLIGHT
Tiger from Beach Tree (Hualālai, Kona)
I want to highlight Tiger — a server at Beach Tree in Hualālai.
I’ve seen him for years. He works with serious foot challenges, and I’m telling you: he never brings that into the room in a way that weighs anyone down. No complaining. No “you should feel bad for me.” He just shows up with this steady energy that makes people feel taken care of.
That kind of presence is rare.
Tiger’s service isn’t just “good.” It’s consistent. It’s warm. It’s real. He’s one of those people who changes the day of everyone he comes across — and he does it without needing credit for it.
What I’m taking from Tiger this year
Your attitude is part of the service. People feel it instantly.
Consistency is culture. You don’t need a title to lead the room.
Resilience can be quiet. You don’t announce it — you live it.
If you know a Tiger — someone who elevates the shift and the people around them — reply PEOPLE and tell me who they are and where they work. I want to spotlight more of the ones carrying the culture.
DINE & GRIND
From $20 a Day to a $100 Million Sandwich Empire | The Ike Shehadeh Story
Dine and Grind is the bold, no-holds-barred podcast that takes you behind the scenes of the food industry. Hosted by acclaimed food entrepreneur and chef Daniel Shemtob, each episode delivers an unfiltered look at the passion, craft, and commerce fueling the world of food.
This week’s guest is Ike.
Listen here → LINK
And here’s more on Ike’s list → LINK
Why I’m sharing it: Ike’s the kind of person who doesn’t just talk about growth — he lays out the actual steps and the actual people/resources that help you move.
My 3 quick pulls from the conversation:
1. Stay passionate and true to yourself. Ike built Ike's differently because he believed in his vision
2. Spend time to build relationships and try new things with your customers, when you grow with your customers you build a customer for life.
3. Do what makes you happy and stay in your lane, he could easily be the CEO but has the awareness to let someone else do that so he can stay in his highest value of story telling, menu development, and brand.
Past episodes of Dine & Grind can be found by clicking HERE.
ON THE PASS
Sole Support (this one matters)
A real update I’m proud of:
Through Sole Support, we were able to help make a huge donation that gave 500 ER employees at Cedars-Sinai free shoes.
That’s not just a feel‑good headline. That’s 500 people who stand on hard floors, move fast, deal with chaos, and carry real weight — getting support where it counts: their bodies.
If you’ve ever worked a shift that broke you down a little, you understand why this matters.
If you know a workplace that needs help, hit reply and tell me who/where.
THE 7‑DAY CHALLENGE
This week, do the full reset:
Write 3 goals
Make a daily/weekly/monthly plan for each
Tell one person and schedule a check‑in
Reply GOALS and I’ll send you the template.
Until next time,
Daniel
P.S. Forward this to one teammate you want to win this year. We don’t climb alone.