House of the Dragon, really Sydney?

Hi friends,

Anyone who knows me well will tell you that I absolutely do not watch TV shows.

Like, zero. I am way too focused on building brands and coaching executives to sit around staring at a screen.

Except.

Except for Game of Thrones. And Sherlock. And Ragnarok. Oh, and Blue Eye Samurai, Suits, Mobland, The Gentlemen and basically any intense witty, gritty, mildly poetic drama I can get my hands on.

So, full disclosure: turns out I actually watch a lot of television. Sigh. (I’m just incredibly particular about what gets my attention).

I recently got into a fascinating debate about House of the Dragon. (I also thought a lot about the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender on Netflix.

The argument was that the original Game of Thrones is way better than House of the Dragon because people just can’t relate to the main character in the new series. You have someone fighting for the throne, but they are constantly paralysed by moral dilemmas. They want to lead, but they aren’t prepared for the brutal reality of what it takes to actually win and keep power. Because of that idealism, they keep making massive tactical mistakes, and the people supporting them end up paying the ultimate price.

It’s the exact same vibe with Prince Zuko in Avatar. He is stuck in this agonising loop. One minute he’s trying to be the bad guy to make his father, the literal villain of the world, proud of him. The next minute, he wants to be a good person because that’s what his late mother would have wanted. He’s making messy, chaotic choices because he’s caught between two completely different worlds.

And it hit me: “sometimes great TV breeds great tea for my newsletter”. So I’m going to quickly make this about how a lot of us run our careers and businesses. :)

I deeply believe in people being good and operating for the greater good. But man, it is incredibly frustrating to watch brilliant professionals and passionate founders put their heads in the sand because they refuse to understand the game they are actually playing.

They hope that the corporate market, or their industry, or the economy will suddenly stop operating the way it does just because they wish it were a little more ideal.

Look, I am absolutely not telling you to compromise your morals or conform to a toxic system. Not at all. But you cannot win a game if you refuse to acknowledge the rules.

Idealism is beautiful. It gives us optimism, fuels our energy, and sparks incredible new ideas. But when you are trying to navigate the real world, make a living, and build a career, you have to be rooted in reality. You have to take the data for what it is, not what you wish it was, so you can make smart, healthy, tactical moves that still align with your values.

Whether you’re stuck in a company culture you don’t enjoy, feeling out of place in your industry, or trying to be a content creator while absolutely despising how social media algorithms work... you need a strategy, not a wish list.

So, how do we do this? How do you stop fighting the existence of the game and start navigating it with clarity?

Here is a simple, 4-step framework to help you find your footing:

1. Name the game

Be brutally honest about the unwritten rules of your current arena. If you’re on social media, the game runs on attention and consistency. If you’re in a corporate job, it often runs on visibility and internal politics. Stop wishing the rules were different. Just write them down so you can see them clearly.

2. Locate your position

Where are you on the board right now? Are you the underdog trying to get noticed, the outsider trying to change things, or the person who already holds the leverage? You can’t plan a smart move if you don’t know your actual starting line.

3. Draw your red lines

This is where your values come in. Decide exactly what you will and will not do to succeed. Knowing your boundaries in advance keeps you from accidentally turning into the villain while you’re just trying to achieve your goals.

4. Make your tactical move

Stop overthinking and start maneuvring. Based on the reality of how your industry works, what is one practical, smart move you can make this week that pushes you forward without breaking your red lines?

There is a brilliant piece of wisdom in the Bible that perfectly grounds this concept. In Matthew 10:16, Jesus tells his followers:

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”

Think about that for a second. He didn’t tell them to pretend the wolves weren’t there, or to hope the wolves would suddenly become nice. He told them to be completely aware of their environment and highly strategic (shrewd), while beautifully maintaining their pure character (innocent). That is the ultimate blueprint for tactical reality.

Take a deep breath today. Drop the heavy burden of wishing your industry or workplace was perfect, and start playing the hand you’ve been dealt with wisdom, clarity, and strategy.

I’m going to go fire up my Netflix late at night tonight. I’ll probably hit you with another burst of inspiration after my next letter! Ciao.

Stay awesome,

Sydney

P.S. Are you coming for my Launchroom Live on Personal Branding this month? It’s completely free. Register here!