Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

In This Issue:

1. The $200M "No" That Built a Brand
2. The Trick That Scores Higher But Might Break Them
3. The Truth You're Not Saying Out Loud

This month, an AI company walked away from $200 million dollars. Here's why it matters for you:

The Pentagon offered Anthropic (the company that makes Claude AI) over $200 million to let their tech run mass surveillance and autonomous weapons with zero human oversight. (I know, literally like a film script… we ALL know this movie doesn’t end well)

Anthropic said no. So the Pentagon labeled them a "supply chain risk" (the same tag they use for foreign enemies.) Anthropic still said no, and they walked away from the bag.

Then it got wild… Their competitor (OpenAI) swooped in, took the money, and immediately watched 1.5 million users pledge to bounce using ChatGPT.

Craziness!
But here’s what happened next:

A hundred of OpenAI’s own employees publicly called them out. A senior leader quit and her resignation post got 7 million views. The CEO had to admit his own deal was "sloppy." And Claude AI (from Anthropic) shot to #1 in the App Store overnight.

That’s not just a tech story. That's a LEADERSHIP story.

Anybody can have “values” when values are free. The ones who last are the ones who hold the line when it's gonna cost them something real. Anthropic lost a $200M contract and gained the trust of millions. In my view, that's how you build a brand.

Competition season is testing your version of this right now. Here’s two examples…

Two weeks to competition. Your dancers are THIS CLOSE to landing that aerial section. Push them, you might get the score. Pull back, you keep them safe.

What do you do? You know they’re not quite ready and their bodies aren’t strong enough yet. But this weekend’s judges LOVE seeing that stuff. Plus other studios are doing it… And if they nail it, your team places higher.

You can push for the trophy and risk injuries.
Or you can pull back and risk the placement.

Here's your $200M no: Choosing dancer safety over scoreboard.

Because when you push too hard too fast: Yeah, maybe you win the big trophy? But you lose something bigger: You lose their trust in you. You teach them that winning matters more than their body. And WHEN they get injured, they'll remember you pushed past what felt safe.

Some wins aren't worth it. The dancers who stay with you long-term are the ones who knew you cared more about their safety and development, than you winning another shiny thing to collect dust in the studio lobby.

That's leadership. And that’s a big deal!

Your dancer is performing at 60% and "playing it safe." You know it, they know it. And you're both pretending everything's fine. She's technically capable but going through the motions and fully not committing. So scared of failing that she won't even try.

You know what she needs to hear, but if you say it, she might cry. Or her parents might complain. Or it might create drama right before the biggest competition of the season.

So you soften it and say stuff like "You've got this!" "Just be confident!" "Trust yourself!" And she walks on stage and performs exactly how she's been rehearsing: scared.

Here's your $200M no: Giving the hard truth instead of the easy comfort.

Because here's what you're actually saying when you avoid the real feedback. You're saying: "I don't think you're strong enough to handle this." You're saying: "I care more about keeping the peace than helping you grow."

What feedback are you avoiding because it's uncomfortable?

These examples don't just apply to dance, they apply to ANY leadership position. Your team is stronger than you think, and they deserve a coach who believes that.

So here's your question for this week: What's your $200M "no"? Think about it, hit reply and tell me. I'm curious what you think?

Slay on. You can do hard things!

Shawn B

ABOUT THE SHUFFLE

Welcome to The Shuffle, where performers, teachers, leaders, and parents come to build unshakeable confidence. You're here because you care about more than just showing up; you care about showing up well.

I started this newsletter with one mission: to teach confidence like a skill. Because when people believe they can do hard things, everything changes. Their performance improves. Their leadership deepens. Their impact grows. Together, we're creating a ripple effect of confidence that extends far beyond the stage, the classroom, and the boardroom.

So if this fires you up, don't keep it to yourself. Forward these emails to someone who needs to hear it. Let's remind people everywhere that confidence isn't something you're born with, it's something you build. One hard thing at a time.