Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot
On Fridays, I like to share experiences from my week—both with patients and in my personal life—that have left a meaningful impact. My hope is that these reflections offer you something of value, a bit of insight or encouragement that resonates with your own journey and inspires you in some way.
A saying I love. Years ago, someone said to me, “If you spend enough time in a library, you’ll eventually read a book.” The idea is simple but powerful, our environment shapes our behavior. If you consistently place yourself in a certain setting, you will gradually adopt its habits, standards, and expectations. Spend time around discipline, and you’ll become more disciplined. Spend time around growth, and you’ll begin to grow. Whether we realize it or not, where we spend our time and who we spend it with steadily molds our thinking, our routines, and ultimately our results.
That’s why environment is crucial and never neutral. When you surround yourself with positive, driven, and purpose-filled people, their energy elevates you. Standards rise, goals get bigger, and effort increases. On the other hand, constant exposure to negativity, drama, and low expectations slowly pulls you in that direction as well. Human beings adapt to their surroundings for better or worse. Thus, the question isn’t whether your environment is influencing you; it’s how and to what degree. Take an honest look at the rooms you’re in and the people you’re around. If they challenge and improve you, stay planted. If they diminish you, it may be time to find a better library.
Something that helps me. Like all of you, I’ve faced moments that were frustrating, exhausting, and overwhelming. I’m referring to the type of instances that make quitting feel like the most attractive option. When everything in you wants to walk away, it’s easy to become consumed by how big the problem feels. In those moments, I ask myself one simple question: “Do I have one more?” One more step, bit of effort attempt, day, or one more anything. I’m not asking whether I can solve everything, just whether I can do one more small thing to move forward. Spoiler alert, the answer has been yes each and every time.
Difficult situations tend to spiral when we focus on the entire mountain instead of the next step. This is when fear grows and hope shrinks. However, when you shift from a macro view to a micro action, the pressure eases. You stop trying to conquer everything and instead commit to one manageable effort. That small act restores momentum and often renews belief. Progress isn’t always about giant breakthroughs; sometimes it’s about refusing to stop and finding one little thing that could help and build hope and confidence. The next time you feel physically drained, mentally worn down, or emotionally stretched thin, don’t ask if you can finish the whole journey. Instead, ask if you have “one more.” If you are still breathing, chances are, you do, and that’s what you should focus on.
A story I’ve always appreciated. During his rookie season with the Indianapolis Colts, Peyton Manning was in the middle of a terrible performance in blowout loss. Late in the fourth quarter, he assumed his day was finished and sat down on the bench. His offensive coordinator quickly challenged that thinking, telling him to get back on the field and try to do something they could build on for the following week. The message was that: even though the outcome was decided and the day felt like a failure, there was still value in competing, learning, and improving. That lesson carries far beyond football.
When things go sideways in business, coaching, training, or life, our instinct is often to just let it end and move on. While that’s understandable, it robs us of momentum we could carry forward. The better response is to create a spark. This could be one good rep, one smart decision, one disciplined action or anything that becomes a foundation for what’s next. It doesn’t erase the loss, but it builds confidence and resilience. Many of the “go-to” strategies I rely on today were born in moments when success was no longer possible, but progress still was. Even when you can’t win the day, find a way to win a moment. That spark might be exactly what fuels your next victory.
A concept I try to live by. My belief is that graduation shouldn’t only happen in a cap and gown. When we finish school, we receive a diploma that represents growth, discipline, and competency. Family and friends celebrate because they understand the effort it took to reach that milestone. While academic graduation is important, there is another kind that matters just as much — graduating from behaviors, habits, and mindsets that no longer serve us. Just because something has been part of our past doesn’t mean it deserves a place in our future. Growth isn’t proven by what we know; it’s proven by what we’re willing to leave behind.
I’ve made more than my share of mistakes, and the goal isn’t to pretend they didn’t happen, it’s to learn from them and move forward differently. Sometimes that means improving simple things like nutrition, training, or business decisions. Other times it means confronting deeper patterns, breaking generational curses, or changing behaviors that once seemed harmless but are now clearly destructive. Education without application is wasted opportunity. As a husband, father, and man, I want my actions to reflect the lessons I’ve learned. The truest form of graduation isn’t receiving a diploma; it’s becoming better because of what you’ve been taught.
Some quotes I Love.
“Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.” — William Feather
“A winner is just a loser who tried one more time.” — George M. Moore Jr.