TED
The “Hot Shot Rule” To Help You Become a Better Leader | Kat Cole | TED
Summarised with Bite · 7 min read
Kat Cole, CEO of AG1, reveals how she went from working mall jobs at 15 to executive by 26—not through natural confidence, but through a self-coaching trick called the 'hot shot rule.' By imagining someone she admires in her role every week and acting on what they'd do differently within 24 hours, she's built a reputation for vulnerability and action that transformed her leadership.
2:19 – 2:45
The Day a Nine-Year-Old Stopped Waiting
When Kat Cole was nine years old, her mother came to her with three words: 'That's it, I'm done.' They were leaving her father—a good man trapped in alcoholism who'd become a terrible husband and father. Cole's reaction wasn't tears or shock. She thought, 'What took you so long? Finally, it's about time.' That moment planted a seed: people around us are often just waiting for someone to take action, to do the right thing. Her mother had no resources, no playbook, no mentor. She fed her kids on a meager food budget and worked multiple jobs for years. Cole watched her act her way to growth without confidence preceding the action. This became the template for everything that followed—a childhood crash course in the opposite of conventional wisdom. Most people think you need confidence to take bold action. Cole believes action creates confidence through repetition, not the other way around. Her mother proved it by doing what needed to be done when staying felt impossible.
3 more sections in the app
- 2:45 – 3:49From Hostess to Executive Without a Mentor
- 3:49 – 6:24The Mechanics of the Hot Shot Rule
- 6:24 – 7:27What 52 Weeks of Hot Shots Actually Build
