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You Only Get One Shot at This—Make It Count

You Only Get One Shot at This—Make It Count

You don’t need a perfect plan. You just need to do this...

Justin Mecham
March 17, 2025

Hey Full Potential Zoners!

Being new at a job isn’t an excuse - it’s an opportunity.

Being new at a job isn’t a weakness— it’s your chance to prove your value.

Your first 120 days set the tone.

They show whether you’re just filling a role— or becoming someone the team relies on.

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No one remembers a slow start.

They remember who solves problems and adds value.

Prove you’re not just filling a role—you’re owning it.

Today we are going to help leaders master this by using:

‘First 120 Days - How to Win Your First 120 Days on the job'.

Let’s dive in!

Download This PDF + my Top 60+ Cheat Sheets At Bottom of Email

Real-Life Scenarios to Win Your First 120 Days on the Job

Days 1-15: Observe and Learn

Scenario: A new hire joins a fast-paced startup but struggles to understand how decisions are made.

Shadow a key team member for a day to see workflows in action.
Write down 5 key processes you need to understand and ask about them.
Schedule a 1-on-1 with your manager to clarify priorities and expectations.

Days 16-30: Build Foundations

Scenario: A new team member wants to contribute but isn’t sure where to start.

Ask your manager for 2-3 small tasks you can take ownership of now.
Attend meetings with a notepad (or take notes on your phone/laptop)—write down team priorities and where you can add value.
Introduce yourself to 3 cross-functional colleagues to learn how their work connects to yours.

Days 31-45: Take Ownership

Scenario: An employee is ready to step up but isn’t sure how to take more responsibility.

Identify one project where you can take the lead on a task.
Ask for feedback from your manager on where you can contribute more.
Solve one small problem without waiting for permission and share the results.

Days 46-60: Show Results

Scenario: A team member has been working hard but isn’t sure how to demonstrate impact.

Create a simple update email summarizing your work, wins, and progress.
Identify one process improvement and propose it to your manager.
Ask your team for feedback on what you’ve done well and what to improve.

Days 61-75: Solve Problems

Scenario: A company faces an ongoing workflow issue that no one has fixed.

Pinpoint the root cause of the issue by asking "Why?" five times.
Gather input from those affected to understand what’s working and what’s not.
Suggest a simple fix and test it on a small scale before rolling it out.

Days 76-90: Make Your Impact

Scenario: An employee wants to be seen as a key contributor, not just another worker.

Deliver a high-quality result on a key project and share the impact.
Come up with one improvement idea and present it in a team meeting.
Document your progress—track what you’ve done and how it helped the team.

Days 91-105: Reflect and Plan

Scenario: An employee is unsure about their long-term career path within the company.

Meet with your manager to discuss goals for the next 6-12 months.
Write down 3 skills you need to improve and find ways to develop them.
Mentor a new employee—teaching someone else strengthens your own knowledge.

Days 106-120: Build the Future

Scenario: A team member wants to position themselves for leadership in the future.

Identify one company-wide challenge and propose a way to help solve it.
Strengthen relationships by having intentional conversations with leaders in other teams.
Align your personal career goals with the company’s big-picture strategy.

Taking Ownership

A new hire at a fast-growing company I was hired to consult with was struggling to find their place.

They completed tasks when assigned but never took the lead.

Their manager was hesitant to give them bigger responsibilities because they weren’t showing initiative.

As weeks passed, the employee felt stuck.

They were waiting for clear instructions instead of identifying where they could add value.

When I stepped in, I focused on shifting their mindset from “waiting” to “owning.”

Identify one thing to own:
- I helped them find a small project they could fully manage—something meaningful but not overwhelming.
Get clear on expectations:
- I had them ask their manager, “What does success look like for this?” so they knew exactly what was expected.
Take the first step fast:
- Instead of waiting for permission, they took action within 24 hours—whether it was gathering data, reaching out to a key person, or outlining a plan.
Ask for feedback early:
- They didn’t wait until the end. They checked in after one week, showing progress and adjusting based on feedback.
Share results:
- Once the project was done, they presented what they accomplished, reinforcing their ability to take ownership.

Within two weeks, the employee went from waiting for work to leading a project.

Their manager started trusting them with more responsibilities, and the team recognized them as someone who took action instead of waiting for instructions.

They no longer felt like a new hire—they felt like part of the team.

Here's how you can make it real over the next 4 days:

Day 1: Choose & Commit

Pick the one area you want to improve.
Write down one clear action you can take today to move forward. Keep it small but meaningful.
Did you complete your action? If not, what stopped you?
AI Prompt: "You are a workplace strategy expert. Ask me three quick questions to help me decide which area I should focus on improving this week from these areas [insert areas]. Based on my answers I will give you, suggest one small but impactful action I can take today."

Day 2: Remove a Roadblock

Identify one thing slowing you down.
Take one simple step to remove it. This could be asking a question, making a decision, or adjusting your approach.
Did removing that roadblock help? What changed?
AI Prompt: "You are a problem-solving coach. I started working on [insert action from Day 1], but I feel stuck or slowed down. Ask me three questions to help me figure out what’s stopping me, then give me one clear step to remove that roadblock today."

Day 3: Show Visible Progress

Make sure your action is seen.
Share an update, ask for feedback, or show what you’ve done to someone who can provide input or support.
How did sharing your progress help? What’s the next step?
AI Prompt: "You are an accountability partner. I’ve made some progress on [insert action from previous days], but I need to make sure it’s seen and gets feedback. Ask me two questions to clarify what I should share, then suggest the best way to communicate it to the right person."

Day 4: Lock in What Works

Turn progress into a habit.
Write down one habit or approach from this challenge that worked best and decide how to keep using it.
If you keep doing this for the next 30 days, where will you be?
AI Prompt: "You are a habit-building expert. Based on what I’ve learned in this challenge, ask me three reflection questions to help me identify the most valuable thing I did this week - here are the things I did this week [insert here]. Then, suggest a simple way to turn that action into a long-term habit."

Your first 120 days are not just about adjusting to a new job.

They are about setting your future.

Every challenge is a chance to step up.

Every task is a chance to prove your value.

The way you handle today’s work shapes the opportunities you get tomorrow.

Managers invest in people who take responsibility, not those who wait for it.

You do not need permission to make an impact. You just need to take action.

Until next time and with lots of love,

Justin

This Week’s Growth Recommendations

Book To Read:

The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter" by Michael D. Watkins (see it here)

TED Talk to Watch

"From 0 to 90 in 18 Minutes: The First 90 Days" by Arnon Kraft (see it here)