You’re Doing the Work. So Why Isn’t It Working?
The real reason your growth keeps stalling—and the shift that changes everything.
Every entrepreneur I know struggles with the tension between value and visibility. We want to build something meaningful. We want it to matter. But we also want it to work. To reach people. To make money. To scale.
And for most of us—myself included—there’s a quiet voice always asking: Am I doing enough? Am I doing it right? Should I be marketing more aggressively? Should I be working harder? Should I build a personal brand? Should I hire a growth consultant? It’s easy to fall into the trap of equating busyness with progress. Of treating success like a race against the algorithm, or the guy who posts more than you do.
For years, I chased that version of success. I’ve launched projects that looked great, sounded great, even felt great—but stalled out at the exact same level every time. Great branding, sharp execution, a few loyal customers... and still, I’d hit this invisible barrier. I could see it, but I couldn’t break through it. Couldn’t scale my way around it. And worse, I couldn’t quite figure out why.
What I’ve come to realize—and what this week’s feature helped me articulate—is that the work works, but only when it’s aligned with your values. The “lid” so to speak, wasn’t a tactics problem. It was a values problem. A mismatch between how I wanted to show up and what I thought I had to do in order to “win.”
This week, we’re going back to the fundamentals: How do you build influence without selling your soul? How do you create authentic value that people want to pay for without selling your time or your peace of mind? And how do you shift from “getting” to “giving”... without getting left behind?
And that’s exactly what Bob helped me see: the path forward wasn’t more output—it was more alignment.
Meet the Man Behind a Movement
Recent Eggs! The Podcast guest and business wizard Bob Burg isn’t just the co-author of the world-famous book, The Go-Giver—he’s one of the most influential voices in modern relationship-driven business. A former top-producing sales professional, Bob has spent the last 30+ years teaching entrepreneurs, leaders, and sales teams how to win in business without compromising their values.
His core message? That shifting your focus from getting to giving—consistently providing value to others—is not just a nice philosophy, but a highly practical business strategy. His work has been endorsed by everyone from Seth Godin to Arianna Huffington, and his “know, like, and trust” principle has become a foundational truth for sales and marketing professionals around the globe.
Insights for Building Value, Influence, and the Courage to Break Through
Whether you’re an early-stage founder, a creative professional, or a seasoned leader hitting a plateau, the Go-Giver mindset offers a reset button. These are the timeless principles that help people not just “get ahead,” but build the kind of reputation and impact that compound over time.
Here are some practical takeaways from my conversation with Bob Burg—each one a mindset shift or tactical move you can use to build deeper relationships, stay aligned with your values, and unlock a more generous (and profitable) way of doing business:
“While price is a set dollar figure and finite, value is the relative worth or desirability of a thing to the end user or beholder.”
Actionable Insight: We talk a lot about “providing value,” but this makes it plain: price is what they pay, value is how it feels. It’s what your product or service does for someone that matters—whether that’s saving them time, giving them peace of mind, or making them feel more confident. When you can offer that kind of value, the money becomes a natural byproduct.
“Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.”
Actionable Insight: It’s easy to get hung up on pricing or positioning, but this reframe cuts through the noise. The bigger opportunity often isn’t charging more—it’s serving more people, more effectively. If you’re delivering something that truly helps, find ways to do it at scale. The income follows.
“When you make it not about you, but about helping them overcome their challenges… people feel great about you. They want to do business with you.”
Actionable Insight: We all know the phrase “customer first,” but Bob takes it deeper. It's not just about solving problems—it’s about caring enough to understand them. The moment you stop selling and start serving, everything changes: trust builds, influence grows, and your business becomes a magnet.
“I personally define authenticity as acting congruently with your values. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Actionable Insight: There’s a lot of performative “authenticity” out there—especially online. But real authenticity isn’t about being raw or oversharing. It’s about knowing your values and making sure your actions line up. You don’t need to be loud to be real. You just need to be consistent.
“How many people… had a 25-year career that looked right, but they were desperately unhappy?”
Actionable Insight: This one hit hard. So many of us are chasing success on someone else’s terms—doing what we think we’re supposed to do. But if the outcome doesn’t feel good, the path probably isn’t yours. The earlier you notice the disconnect, the better chance you have to redirect.
“Rather than just saying ‘Would you mentor me?’… say, ‘I understand you’re very busy, but may I ask you one or two very specific questions?’”
Actionable Insight: Most mentorship asks are too big, too vague, or too entitled. Bob’s approach flips the script. Be respectful. Be specific. Start with a real question. The relationship will grow—if it’s meant to—but even a single helpful answer can be transformative if you listen and act on it.
“We can never attain more than our most limiting belief.”
Actionable Insight: If you keep hitting the same wall in different ways, the problem might not be strategy—it might be mindset. Bob pointed me to Psycho-Cybernetics and Living Untethered as tools to surface those invisible scripts. You can’t fix what you can’t see—and those beliefs are sneaky.
“There needs to be a marketplace for you to provide that value to.”
Actionable Insight: Yes, follow your passion—but be strategic. Passion alone doesn’t pay the bills. You also need to either find or create a market for what you love. That intersection—what you care about, what you’re good at, and what people will pay for—is where sustainable businesses live.
You Don’t Have a Strategy Problem—You Have a Values Problem
I used to think I was just one breakthrough away—one sharper pitch, one better hire, one more strategic move. And yet, across dozens of ventures, I kept stalling at the same invisible ceiling. Not because I didn’t care. Not because I wasn’t trying. But because something deeper wasn’t clicking.
This conversation with Bob helped me put words to it: the “lid” wasn’t structural—it was internal. The disconnect wasn’t in the strategy. It was in the alignment between what I was building and how I was showing up to build it. I was chasing outcomes without checking whether the process itself reflected who I wanted to be. That disconnect—that’s the ceiling.
But that’s why Bob’s message resonates. Because it’s not about shortcuts. It’s not about appearances. It’s about building something that lasts—rooted in service, authenticity, and value. And if that takes time, good. That means it’s real.
Thanks for reading,
—Ryan
Ready for more?
Catch Bob Burg’s interview in its entirety on Eggs! The Podcast.
Don’t miss a show! Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or really anywhere great podcasts are found.
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Note: The Path Weekly is reader-supported. As such, I may be using affiliate links below. If you want to support the newsletter at no additional cost to you, please consider using the links below. If you’d rather not, most items below are widely available anywhere you want to shop. Thanks! –R
Reading list
If you're looking to go deeper on the themes from this week's newsletter, here are a few books that pair well with the conversation and offer a broader perspective:
The Go-Giver by Bob Burg & John David Mann
The book that started it all. A modern business parable about how shifting from getting to giving leads to lasting success. It introduces the Five Laws of Stratospheric Success and has sold over a million copies worldwide.
Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz
A classic on self-image and mindset. Bob credits this book with helping him understand how internal beliefs set the ceiling for external success. Still one of the most influential personal development books out there.
Living Untethered by Michael A. Singer
Described by Bob as “the most important personal improvement book I’ve ever read.” This is Singer’s third book and digs deep into understanding the self, releasing resistance, and letting go of limiting attachments.
The Millions Within by David Neagle
A powerful guide to recognizing and overcoming unconscious money blocks and emotional ceilings. Bob mentioned it as a great resource for those stuck at a certain level and ready to grow past it.
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell
Tied to the idea of the “Law of the Lid,” which describes how leadership capacity sets the limit for organizational or personal growth. A practical, principle-driven leadership manual that complements this episode’s theme perfectly.
More to explore
Connect with Bob Burg:
Official Website (Burg.com)
Your hub for books, blog, podcast, services, and speaking requests. Bob Burg - Influence & Impact BlogThe Go‑Giver Movement Site (TheGoGiver.com)
Explore the broader ecosystem—join the movement, access events, podcast episodes, and team bio. thegogiver.comLinkedIn
Connect professionally through the movement’s contacts page. LinkedIn Profile
Work with me
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