Praesens Impavidus

I had my first face‑to‑face practice with a new client yesterday and I was reminded – – – again – – – why presence matters.

There is a difference between interaction and encounter. Two people in the same room, carrying attention, risk, silence and truth. No screens. No abstraction. Just reality. That kind of presence changes the quality of the work.

My client is a high performer. He is striving for more in every domain of his life – – – not because he lacks success but because success without coherence eventually collapses. In our last practice, I asked him to do something simple and demanding. I asked him to slow down and spend time in ruemination (not a misspelling) – – – not distraction, not optimization – – – and then move into contemplation around a single question:

What mantra will you carry for the battle and adventure of 2026?

Today my client brought two words to practice.

Praesens Impavidus.

Latin. Sparse. Heavy.

Present. Unafraid.

I knew we were going to do some damn good building together as soon as I read his mantra.

A mantra is not branding. It is not a slogan. It is not bullshit. It is not a motivational phrase designed to make you feel better on bad days. A mantra is something you carry when things begin to break down – – – when fatigue sets in, when fear presses close, when clarity is hardest to find.

There are two non‑negotiable requirements for a mantra. It must be true. And you must believe it. If it is not true and you believe it, you will fail. If it is true and you try to believe it but don’t – – – you will fracture. False mantras eventually collapse under pressure because reality always wins.

But when a mantra is true! – – – AND when you believe it deeply enough to live from it – – – it becomes…power. Power to stabilize. Power to see what is happening. Power to hear the voices of those around you. Power to lead and love…It gives you something to return to when you are disoriented and feeling dissonance. It holds you steady when circumstances try to decide for you.

Praesens speaks directly to the condition of high performers. Praesens is a refusal to abandon the moment that actually exists. It is a decision not to flee into anxiety about what might happen and not to dissociate into productivity to avoid what is happening now. Presence is where truth becomes accessible. You cannot lead, love or decide well anywhere else. It is all about the now. Nothing has ever happened or will ever happen outside of the now. Leaders are present.

Impavidus does not mean fearless. It means not governed by fear. Fear narrows vision. Fear accelerates reaction. Fear trades conviction for control. Impavidus is the commitment to feel fear without obeying it. To act from alignment rather than threat response. To refuse to outsource identity to outcomes. Men and women who are unafraid are not reckless. They are clear. Leaders are not afraid of…fear. Sounds funny…but think on it.

What makes Praesens Impavidus such a strong mantra is that it names both the battle and the adventure at the same time. The battle is against distraction, avoidance, and fear‑driven action. The adventure is showing up fully to life as it actually is rather than the version we wish it were. And underneath both is identity: I am a human who can be here and I am a human who does not run.

It does not inflate the ego. It does not promise victory. It does not deny cost. It simply names the posture required to endure.

At Built to Lead, we take mantras seriously because formation is serious work. A mantra has to hold when you are tired. It has to function when you are afraid. It has to matter when comfort is tempting and oneness is costly. If it cannot do that it isn’t a mantra. It’s a mood.

A real mantra is something you return to when pressure rises and clarity drops. It is a call back to who you are when circumstances are loud and your inner compass is quiet.

So I’ll ask you the same question I asked my client.

What is your mantra for 2026?

Not what sounds good. Not what you wish were true. What is true? And do you believe it deeply enough to live it when it costs you?

Because in the year ahead, you will not rise to the occasion. You will sink to the level of your formation, your training, your CORE.

The words you carry into the fight in 2026 – – – matter.

Choose wisely.

Together, always – – – ALWAYS TOGETHER