I didn’t come into this CEO weekend expecting to have a full-circle moment. But here I am, sitting in an Airbnb in another town, reflecting on my business, my trajectory, my intuition—and the universe just handed me a sign so undeniable, I have to talk about it.

I came into this weekend intentionally. I do this every quarter—a CEO retreat, where I step away from the daily grind, reflect, recalibrate, and map out what’s next. It’s not just a business exercise; it’s a deeply personal, spiritual practice. And as part of that, I’ve had my Green Witch Oracle Deck out, letting the universe speak to me while I process what’s next. I hadn’t turned over the card I pulled yet, but something told me it was going to be important.

I just didn’t realize how important.

But before we get to that, let’s talk about a band called Rush.

The Down-the-Tubes Tour: When Everything Feels Like It’s Falling Apart

If you don’t know, Rush is one of the most legendary bands to come out of Canada. But their road to success wasn’t smooth—far from it. And I know this because I’ve learned about them not just as a fan, but through my husband, who is a superfan.

My husband has been a Rush devotee for as long as I’ve known him. He’s seen them live more times than I can count, and as a result, I’ve seen them live more times than most women probably have. I’ve learned to appreciate their musical genius, their weird, wonderful creativity, and their relentless individuality. And because of my husband, I’ve watched a lot of Rush documentaries.

The most recent one? I almost didn’t stay up to watch. I was exhausted. But my husband was so excited about this new documentary, and something in me said, stay up and watch this with him.

And I’m so glad I did. Because in this documentary, I learned about the Down-the-Tubes Tour.

The Down-the-Tubes Tour: When Everything Feels Like It’s Falling Apart

In their early years, Rush released an album called Caress of Steel, and their tour to promote it was a financial disaster. They were in debt, not making radio-friendly hits, and their record label was breathing down their necks to change their sound.

The industry told them to play it safe. To conform. To make something that would “sell.”

Instead, they doubled down.

They said, Screw it. If we’re going down, we’re going down our way.

And so they made an album that was the opposite of “radio-friendly.” It was long. It was weird. It was uniquely Rush. And that album—2112—ended up catapulting them to massive success.

The Valley of Despair: Why Most People Quit Before the Breakthrough

Rush’s Down-the-Tubes tour is a perfect metaphor for something I once read in The 12-Week Year (or maybe The One Thing—someone fact-check me). It’s called The Valley of Despair.

The idea is simple:

You start something new and exciting, fired up with ambition. The curve goes up.

But then… reality hits. Things don’t go as planned. The curve starts to drop.

You hit resistance, setbacks, and doubt. 

This is The Valley of Despair—where most people quit.

But what if the key to success isn’t avoiding The Valley, but pushing through it?

Because if you keep going, the curve starts to rise again—but higher than before. Every time you break through a valley, you reach a new level of success, alignment, and fulfillment.

That’s what Rush did. And as I sit here, reflecting on my own business, I realize…

I’m on My Own Down-the-Tubes Tour - Right Now.

Right now, I feel like I’ve hit a glass ceiling in my business. I’m successful, but I know I could be breaking through to something even bigger. And yet, I’m facing resistance. Self-doubt. A sense that I’m on the edge of something—but not quite there yet.

It would be easy to play it safe. To do what’s expected. To shrink.

But that’s not who I am.

I am the kind of entrepreneur who pushes through.

I am the kind of entrepreneur who tries things others are too afraid to try.

I am the kind of entrepreneur who, like Rush, says:

If I’m going down, I’m going down my way.

Because history—and business—proves that the ones who push through the Valley of Despair are the ones who make it.

Then the Universe Hit Me with the Ultimate Validation

Now, let’s talk about the SAGE card.

During this entire CEO weekend, I’ve had my Green Witch Oracle Deck out. When I finally turned over the card I had drawn earlier, I had to laugh.

The card was SAGE. And the words on the card? Wisdom, Purification, Harmony.

But here’s the wild part. When I first got this deck, I spent time getting to know it, writing my own intuitive meanings for each card. And months ago, when I first reflected on the SAGE card, these were the words I wrote:

Resilience. Enduring. Openness. Insight.

If that’s not divine alignment, I don’t know what is.

What This Means for Anyone in Their Own “Down-the-Tubes” Moment

If you’re reading this and you feel stuck, tired, or unsure of what’s next— this is your reminder:

➡ This is not the end. “If it’s not all right, it’s not the end.” (Thanks, Andy Grammer.)

➡ The struggle doesn’t mean you’re on the wrong path. It means you’re at a decision point. Do you quit? Conform? Or do you double down and push through?

➡ Breakthroughs happen on the other side of The Valley of Despair. If you keep going, you don’t just get back to where you were—you rise higher.

➡ The universe is always sending signs. Are you paying attention?

Let’s Talk About It.

💬 Drop a comment: Have you ever had a Down-the-Tubes moment in your business (or life)? Let’s talk about it.

💬 Tell me about a time when you did push through—and what happened after.

💬 Or just let me know if you needed to hear this today.

Because if I’ve learned anything from Rush, from entrepreneurship, from my mentor, and from the universe… it’s that we are meant for more. And I, for one, am not stopping now.