The 101st Blow: Why Your Breakthrough Is Closer Than You Think

Success isn’t in the swing—it’s in the staying power. Your breakthrough is built on every unseen strike that came before. — Anna D. Banks

To the Overlooked Middle Manager…
To the Underrecognized Expert Ready to Write That Book…

You’ve been doing the work.
You’ve led from the middle.
You’ve shown up for years.
And yet—
You still feel stuck.

It’s like you’re swinging a hammer at a giant stone, again and again, hoping for a crack. Hoping for that breakthrough moment. But nothing seems to budge.

There’s a quote that speaks to this exact moment:

“When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it—but all that had gone before.”

Let’s unpack that together.

You're Putting in the Work… But Not Getting the Recognition

If you’re a Middle Manager, you’re constantly managing up, managing down, smoothing conflict, building culture, and coaching the next generation—while still being asked to do more with less. You carry the load. You bridge the gap. But your effort? It often goes unnoticed. Promotions pass you by. Recognition is minimal. You’re exhausted.

If you’re a High-Achieving Expert or Business Owner, you’ve poured years—maybe decades—into mastering your craft. You’re the secret weapon behind the scenes, the one others turn to for advice, guidance, and results. But your influence stops at your inbox. Your voice isn’t visible. Your brand isn’t built. And you’re tired of waiting for someone else to open doors for you.

It’s Not Just Frustrating—It’s Costing You

Your credibility is too valuable to be hidden behind a job title or stuck in someone else’s approval funnel.
Your lived experience is too powerful to sit in silence.
Your legacy deserves a platform—not just a performance review or passing “thank you.”

Every time you hesitate to speak up, publish that book, or make your leadership visible, you reinforce the narrative that you’re “just part of the team.”

You’re not.
You’re the foundation.

But foundations don’t rise unless you build upward.

The 101st Blow Is Where I Come In

At Thrive Leadership Institute, we help two kinds of professionals:

1. Middle Managers Who Matter
   You’re the glue of your organization. You deserve tools, training, and recognition that match your impact. Our Mini-Manager Masterclass and Resilience Programs are designed to make your invisible work visible and valued.

2. Experts Ready to Author Their Authority
   Through my Books That Build BRANDS™ Done-With-You Service, we turn your decades of wisdom into a published book that positions you as the authority you are. This isn’t about becoming a writer—it’s about owning your story, building your platform, and opening new doors as a speaker, coach, or consultant.

Let’s Make This the Moment You Stop Swinging Alone

You’ve been hitting that rock for years. The crack is already there.
The next blow—the right blow—will split it wide open.

Your 101st blow is not just possible. It’s waiting.
Let’s make it happen—together.

Book a Discovery Call now.
Your story. Your leadership. Your legacy—it’s time the world saw the full impact.

Anna D. Banks is the Founder of Thrive Leadership Institute and creator of the “Books That Build BRANDS” and “Middle Managers Matter” programs. She helps experts, coaches, consultants, and professionals transform persistence into purpose, and purpose into power.

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