Do the Hard Thing First - Paul Ayres - Chief Endurance Officer with Greg McDonough - Episode #155

Apr 3, 2026

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What if the difference between success and stagnation is simply your willingness to endure the hard things others avoid? Today’s guest is a disciplined, thoughtful leader who embodies the endurance mindset in both business and life. Introducing Paul Ayres, CEO, Owner, and Board Chair of Red Flint Group. Paul partners with host Gregory McDonough to share how endurance, deliberate practice, and alignment drive meaningful results. He also delves into how leaders can avoid distraction, define clear outcomes, and build the discipline required to execute at a high level.

Takeaways:

• Endurance mindset is the foundation of long-term success. Paul explains that success comes from the ability to push through difficulty rather than redirect when things get uncomfortable. Leaders who stay the course are the ones who ultimately achieve meaningful results.

• Lack of clarity leads to distraction and underperformance. When leaders do not clearly define their destination, it becomes easy to lose focus. Quantifying goals and working backward creates clarity and makes execution far more achievable.

• Deliberate practice builds real capability. Whether in sport or business, improvement does not happen by accident. Practicing difficult scenarios like tough conversations or leadership decisions sharpens performance when it matters most.

• Do hard things outside of work to grow inside it. Paul emphasizes that pushing yourself physically or mentally outside of your career builds discipline, resilience, and mental toughness that directly translates into business performance.

• Alignment across life domains is critical. Balancing family, career, and personal pursuits requires intentional alignment. Without it, efforts become scattered and progress slows.

• Focus and consistency outperform scattered effort. Trying to do too many things at once reduces effectiveness. Most people can excel at a few key areas, and sustained focus in those areas leads to better long-term outcomes.

• Continuous learning fuels growth and leadership. Paul highlights the importance of curiosity and ongoing education. Leaders who actively seek to learn and improve are better equipped to navigate complexity and drive results

Quote of the Show:

"The endurance mindset has to do with enduring whatever needs to be endured to get to the result." - Paul Ayres

Links:

Paul Ayres’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-ayres-9681a424/
Red Flint Group’s Website: http://www.redflint.com

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