I recently read Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins.

One idea really stood out.

He talks about the “40% Rule”. The idea that most people stop exerting effort when they’ve only reached around 40% of their true physical or mental capability.

So what is this voice telling you to stop?
It is your survival-oriented regulator.

Its job is to keep you safe – Comfortable, and within accepted norms.

The 40% isn’t a precise number – It’s a mindset tool.

A reminder that your perceived limit often isn’t your actual one.

Now think about this in a manufacturing leadership context.

Your regulator will show up when;
• You avoid a difficult performance conversation
• You don’t challenge a long-standing process that isn’t working
• You stay too operational instead of thinking strategically
• You hold back in meetings
• You settle for “good enough” because output targets were met

In our industry, safety margins matter.

But many leaders build psychological safety margins that are far too conservative.

Your regulator protects:
• Reputation
• Social belonging
• Ego
• Career risk

But growth, real leadership growth, requires calibrated discomfort.

So ask yourself:

What would 10% braver look like in my plant, my team, my decisions?

If I knew I couldn’t fail, how would I show up differently?

The leaders who progress in manufacturing aren’t always the most technically gifted.

They’re the ones willing to push past their internal regulator and operate consistently at a higher level.

That’s the work I focus on with senior leaders in manufacturing.

Not motivation, but expansion.

Because most of the time, you’re nowhere near your true 100%.

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