Prime (noun)
the state or time of greatest vigour or success in a person’s life.

Hi, I’m Jason. This is where I share openly about the challenges, insights and lessons from my own journey. My hope is that these thoughts spark reflections that help you navigate your own path to living better and leading better.

Jason Leavy
Founder

Prime Perspective: Reflections on Leadership and Growth 

Why I'm deliberately holding myself back

Welcome to my first standalone Prime Perspective column, now coming to you on Sundays - a time I’ve picked because it naturally lends itself to deeper reflection.

The primary purpose of the newsletter has always been to share openly, in the hope that it may help you on your journey. Today, as you can see, I’m writing this from a bench in Victoria Park, London, and I want to talk about something that's been weighing on my mind: trade-offs.

I'm incredibly excited about the impending launch of Prime Performance Labs and the impact I truly believe it will have. After months in a mental ‘wilderness’, trying to figure things out, with all the highs and lows that has entailed, I feel like we’re on the cusp of something special.  

But, here’s the thing: I’ve also felt a lot of frustration.

• I expected our website to be live by now

• I planned for our presentation deck to be wrapped

• I hoped to be doing our interactive workshops already

And the knock-on effect?

• I had to turn down presentation opportunities at SXSW London last week

• I’ve had to put our podcast plans on temporary hold

• I’ve missed the birthday celebrations for my best friend’s daughter

This all weighs heavy, especially when I feel the Prime Performance Program is dialled in and represents a great value proposition - I want to be out there preaching the gospel!  

So trade-offs are most definitely front of mind for me right now. 

We talk a lot about the practical side of prioritization - the time management, the resource allocation, the strategic choices. But there's an emotional dimension that's equally important and often overlooked.

“The pressure we put on ourselves can become overwhelming if we're not careful”

Psychologists have a term for this: opportunity cost anxiety - the mental stress we experience when we're hyper-aware of what we're giving up. Our brains are wired to notice loss more acutely than gain, which explains why saying 'no' to good opportunities can feel so uncomfortable, even when we know deep down that it’s the right call.

I’m sharing this because I’m figuring things out, just like you are. What I’ve found important at times like these is developing an ability to have that inner dialogue:

• The website delay? We’re 95% there and the extra time has been for the right reasons - classic short-term pain for long-term gain. 

• The missed opportunities? We’re playing a long game here and showing up the right way means we’re far more likely to convert. 

• The birthday and other social moments? Those same people understand I’m on a mission with Prime Performance Labs and know I’ll be there for them on the other side.

It’s trying to hit a balance of courage and compassion - recognising there is bravery in saying ‘no’ to certain things, no matter how badly I want to do them. But also not beating myself up for not being able to do it all. 

I also think there is such power in purpose when faced with situations like this. Purpose gives you your North Star - if you know you are on your true path and staying aligned with core values, it makes that relentless focus easier (more on this in next week’s Prime Perspective!)

A Reminder to Myself (and You)

Think about where you invest your finite time and energy to greatest effect - for you, and for those around you.

Make peace with the fact that you can't do everything perfectly all the time.

Practice self-compassion in the moments when reality doesn't match your ambitions.

Sometimes the most authentic thing you can do is give yourself permission to be human through it all and just enjoy this wild ride we call life. 

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