How to Know if Your “Strategy” Is Just Self-Protection in Disguise
Lately, I’ve been watching a pattern play out in myself and the leaders around me.
Smart people. Strong teams. Savvy instincts.
But they’re paralyzed.
They want growth, but instead of finding traction, they’re finding themselves trapped.
Not by a lack of options. Not by a lack of vision. But by the invisible weight of indecision, comfort, and fear.
And it’s killing their potential.
I’m seeing it everywhere:
- A founder whose project is bleeding potential while they delay an action that everyone knows needs to happen.
- An owner who wants sales and marketing alignment, but keeps deferring the hard conversations that would create it.
- A revenue leader who struggles to find their rhythm—because they’re overthinking what “perfect execution” should look like.
- A father who has the wisdom, strength, and vision to be a generational leader—but keeps retreating to comfort instead of facing the reality of their future.
They overthink. Over-plan. Over-process. They try to out-strategize discomfort.
And they call it “being responsible.”
But here’s the truth: Most of what we call ‘strategy’ is just self-protection in disguise.
Most of what we call ‘strategy’ is just self-protection in disguise.
simon villeneuve
Do you see yourself in the list of examples above? Me too.
And I feel it because I’ve lived it. I’m in the same fight.
It shows up in small and big ways for me every day.
So if this hits home with you, you’re not alone. You’re not broken. You don’t have to carry this by yourself.
You just need to see what’s real.
Last week, I recorded my weekly growth training. It took all day… I fought through texts and calls, tech issues, and yes… my own internal insecurity.
It wasn’t polished. It wasn’t tight. And when it was over, I wanted to scrap the whole thing.
That old voice crept in: “It’s not good enough.” “Don’t publish this.” “You’ll lose credibility.”
But then it hit me:
This isn’t just a content problem. It’s a leadership problem.
This isn’t about quality. This isn’t about perception. It’s all about fear.
Stalling on pricing decisions. Withholding an idea until it’s “ready.” Delaying a launch because the model “wasn’t perfect.”
Underneath all of it? Fear.
Fear of failure. Fear of being seen. Fear of disappointing others. Fear of being exposed as someone who doesn’t have it all figured out.
That fear doesn’t just paralyze projects. It bleeds into all areas of your life. It infects your team. It disconnects your leadership from your potential.
And it’s why I keep coming back to this truth: Transformation doesn’t start with tactics. It starts with the truth.
Transformation doesn’t start with tactics. It starts with the truth.
simon villeneuve
I find myself daily seeking clarity to avoid discomfort. As a business leader, husband, father, and friend.
It’s tricky to see because my bias for action is powerful.
On the outside, it looks like Simon is a machine. But when out of check, it’s really overfunctioning, withdrawal, or false alignment.
This is actually my shortcut to avoiding emotional pain when I feel lost or confused.
These “strategies” (ahem, self-protections) show up differently for all of us. But the fear I see in me is the same fear I’m seeing in the powerful leaders I’m paid to help.
And it holds us back from high-impact and performance.
We dress it up with nice words like “strategy,” “excellence,” and “timing.” Or we make excuses like “market shifts,” “political environment,” and “economic limits.”
But the truth?
Perfection is just fear of failure. Circumstances are just excuses for trying. And indecision is just delaying the truth.
I shared a story with my team recently—Roosevelt’s Man in the Arena speech.
If you don’t know it, it’s worth reading.
“It is not the critic who counts…
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood;
who strives valiantly… who errs…
who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly…”
Most people don’t realize Roosevelt gave that speech in Paris in 1910, after stepping away from the presidency and watching his hand-picked successor fumble his vision. He was pissed. Frustrated. Ready to give up.
Instead, he went on safari. Not to escape—but to get clear. And then he stepped back in. Not as president—but as a builder, a leader, a visionary.
That’s the game you and I are playing, too.
Not showing up because everything is perfect. Showing up because our mission still matters.
We’re not on the sidelines anymore. We’re in the arena.
If your marketing isn’t working right now— If your team feels disconnected— If you’re spending money and not seeing results—
Here’s what you actually need:
A mirror.
You’ve got big dreams, but no decisions. You’ve got good ideas, but no ownership. You’ve got systems, but no alignment.
Most marketing problems are really clarity problems. And most clarity problems? They’re personal problems.
“Stuck” is rarely a strategy issue. It’s regularly a self issue.
“Stuck” is rarely a strategy issue. It’s regularly a self issue.
simon villeneuve
You’re a leader. But you’re just not leading.
So here’s how I’m learning to think like a leader, and I’d like to share it with you:
- Lead myself first.
If I can’t coach myself through resistance, I’ll keep sabotaging momentum. Like oxygen on an airplane, give yourself a lifesource. - Choose clarity over comfort.
Comfort feels good now. Clarity creates what I actually want. - Move before I feel ready.
Clarity is built on action. The future doesn’t arrive. It’s created. - Name what’s real.
Avoidance is expensive. Unspoken fear will always leak into culture, performance, and profit. - Let “done” be a portal.
That training? It wasn’t perfect—but it was published. It’s now part of a growing body of work that builds trust, resonance, and reach. And that’s what drives growth.
The truth is… You don’t need more information. You don’t need a better situation. You don’t need to wait for everything to be clear.
You need to commit. To something. To anything.
Honestly, it doesn’t really matter what it is. Because if you have to think too hard about what to commit to, you’ll just perpetuate fear and delay your future.
Just commit to the next step in whatever you’re doing. Not a step out—a step in.
That’s all it takes.
Commitment creates confidence. Commitment creates momentum. Commitment creates opportunity.
That’s what my team and I do at Structure. We don’t just do marketing. We take a mess and turn it into momentum.
How? By…
- Bucking against your limiting beliefs, the status quo, and bad advice.
- Moving from reactive to proactive, one clear step at a time.
- Marketing like the company you’re becoming—not the one you are today.
Transformation doesn’t happen in isolation.
simon villeneuve
Transformation doesn’t happen in isolation. And if you’re stuck—it’s not just about the market. It’s about your mindset.
Me? I don’t want to be a person that’s all perception and no power. I want to build a life—and a legacy—that reflects the real journey of who I’m becoming.
That’s what I’m all about.
Not showing up as the finished product. But showing up with clarity, courage, and conviction. Even when it’s messy.
So let me leave you with this:
What story are you calling “not ready” that’s actually just fear talking? What opportunity are you delaying because it’s not perfect yet? What would it look like to move ahead anyway?
Leadership is just truth at scale. It’s owning your present. It’s betting on your future. And it starts now.
Leadership is just truth at scale. It’s owning your present. It’s betting on your future. And it starts now.
simon villeneuve
If you’re done with stalling… If you’re ready to stop drifting… If you want to stop hiding behind “not yet” and start showing up aligned, confident, and clear—
I’m here to help.
It’s time to build the future you keep saying you want.
So here’s the call:
Whether you’re building a company, leading a team, raising a family—or just trying to become a more aligned version of yourself—
The question isn’t: “Will it be perfect?”
The question is: “Will you show up again today?”