20 Jan Discernment Without Explanation
I got a mullet yesterday.
Is it cool? Hard to say. Is it me? Entirely.
My brother cut it. I described what I wanted and we went for it, without polling my audience, checking trend reports, or consulting the internet to see whether mullets are quietly being tolerated again.
My husband studied it for a moment and said, “There’s a lot going on there.” I’m still not entirely sure what that means, which is especially rich coming from a man who confidently rocked a hard mullet in the 80s and survived with photographic evidence.
But the longer I sat with it, the more accurate that comment felt.
There is a lot going on here. Just not all of it is visible yet. And not all of it is meant to be explained in real time.
Somewhere along the way, we were taught that change requires justification. That showing up differently obligates us to provide context, backstory, and a clear rationale so everyone stays comfortable. But discernment isn’t just knowing what to choose. It’s knowing what doesn’t require commentary.
And yes, this shows up in business.
The rebrand you’ve been circling doesn’t need a case study explaining why the old one no longer fits. The pricing increase doesn’t need to be softened in advance. The service you’re ready to retire doesn’t require a farewell tour. The client you’ve outgrown doesn’t need a performance review on why the fit isn’t working.
None of these decisions require a white paper.
Your business is allowed to evolve without a press release. Most of the explanation we think we owe is just preemptive defense against criticism that may never come. And even when it does, the decision still stands.
So yes, there is a lot going on here. With the hair. With how I’m showing up this year. With what’s quietly consolidating behind the scenes. Just not all of it is ready for commentary.
Some things need space to take shape before they make sense to anyone else. And when they do, they won’t need defending.
Let’s face it: I’m 50. I know what I like. The things I find worth doing rarely come with instructions or require anyone else’s approval.
Here’s to expansion without explanation… and because some things are just more fun when they speak for themselves!