A $15 breakfast taught me how legends are made
Jul 06, 2025
Find Your Superpower newsletter 108
Read time: 4 minutes
Topics covered: Entrepreneurial mindset, personal branding, work with me
I walked into a retail outlet earlier this week seeking a white dress for an upcoming Tatler photoshoot.
The moment I mentioned what I was looking for, the sales assistant’s first words were: “We don’t have a lot of white here.”
Her response not only confused me, because I did see a bunch of white dresses hanging on the rack, it kept playing on repeat in my head for the next few days.
As someone who worked in retail a fair bit and who now runs her own sales and business development team, I know the cardinal rule: you never open with “We don’t have” or “We can’t do that.” Yet here was a trained professional at a luxury retailer leading with limitation rather than possibility.
This interaction reminded me of a breakfast experience that perfectly illustrates the leadership principle I want to share with you today.
PS: This story could be worth millions to you, so please read carefully.
Two waiters, two worldviews
I was starving but only had 20 minutes before an important client meeting. Sitting down at a trendy cafe, I was handed an elaborate brunch menu filled with dishes that clearly required significant kitchen time.
“Is there anything here that can be made quickly?” I asked the first waiter. "I have a meeting in 20 minutes.”
The waiter’s response came with a frown: “Uhm, I’m sorry but we don’t like to rush our chef here. And I don’t know how many orders could be going into the kitchen right now. So it’s better if you came back next time when you have more time. I suggest you order a pastry.”
Logical? Yes.
Reasonable? Absolutely.
Helpful? Barely.
As I continued scanning the menu for alternatives, a second waiter cheerfully approached my table asking me if I was ready to order. I repeated my ask from earlier.
Without missing a beat, the second waiter offered a solution with a grin: “Try the organic muesli with berries. It’s really good and will be ready in five minutes because we don’t need to cook it."
The muesli was excellent. More importantly, I made my meeting on time, and the second waiter earned a fan for life.
The Obama Standard
In a LinkedIn interview with editor-in-chief Daniel Roth, former US President Barack Obama shared what he considers the most valuable trait in any professional:
“Learn how to get stuff done. What I’m always looking for is, no matter how small the problem or how big it is, somebody who says, ‘let me take care of that!’”
In every company, department and team I’ve ever worked at, I have met these two types of people:
Type 1: The Limitation Leaders
“It can’t be done”
“That’s not my department”
“It’s John or Jane’s fault”
“We don’t have the resources”
“The system won’t allow it”
Type 2: The Solution Seekers
“Let me figure that out”
“Here’s what we can do instead”
“I’ll take care of that”
“Let me connect you with someone who can help”
“I have an idea, please give me 24 hours”
Your legend starts with your next response
As a C-suite executive or business owner, your personal brand is built through thousands of micro-interactions. Each response to a challenge, each approach to a problem, each conversation with a colleague or client either positions you as someone who creates value or someone who creates obstacles.
The next time someone asks you for something, instead of immediately identifying why something can’t work, ask: “What would need to be true for this to work?” or "What’s the closest thing we can deliver?”
Of course, don’t forget to keep a running list of the “impossible” things you’ve made possible. These become powerful stories for performance reviews, interviews and thought leadership content on LinkedIn.
In a world full of people explaining why things can’t be done, be the legend who figures out how to get stuff done.
Your choice will determine not just that moment, but the trajectory of your entire career.
Because legends aren’t born... they’re made, one response at a time.
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