Stop Apologizing for Passion - Why Passion Builds Us, Breaks Us, and Makes Us Better Leaders

This is another installment in my Being Authentically You series on leadership, a space where I share the real lessons, the messy truths, and the unfiltered stories of what it means to lead with heart.

Gary Vee once said, “I don’t give a f about what anybody thinks about me, because they don’t know who the f** I am inside.”**

That line hit me. Because it is true. Nobody else sees the fire inside me the way I do. Nobody else feels the weight I carry, the dreams I chase, or the battles I fight every single day. That fire is passion.

Passion has been my greatest strength, and at times my greatest weakness. It has built me, but it has also broken me.

The Power and the Risk of Passion

I will never apologize for being passionate. Passion is what fuels me to protect, to fight, to build, and to keep showing up when quitting would be easier. It is why I care so deeply about this community and the people in it.

I will own my failures. I will own my messy moments. But I will not apologize for caring too much.

The real work of leadership is not about silencing your passion. It is about shaping it. Because passion without direction becomes anger. Passion with intention becomes power.

The Growth Found in the Messy Moments

The truth is, the messy moments matter. The times when passion spills over and I fall short are the same times that grow me. They stretch me into a better leader and a better person.

Leadership is not about pretending to have it all figured out. It is about being willing to admit when you miss, learning from it, and coming back stronger. It is about stepping back from the small table, stepping up to the bigger one, and remembering why the fight matters in the first place.

That is the path I am choosing.

Why Gary Vee Resonates With Me

I reference Gary Vee often because he lives this balance. He works harder than almost anyone, yet he stays humble. He admits when passion gets the best of him, he apologizes, and he keeps his feet grounded in humility.

That is the balance I want to walk too. To be unapologetically passionate, but also willing to own my mistakes, learn from them, and lead better every time I get another chance.