A highlight of the recent Dscoop Edge Rockies conference, held March 8-11 at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora, CO, was a keynote from Nick Santonastasso, entrepreneur and motivational speaker, who delivered a powerful message centered on mindset, leadership, and personal growth.

Born with Hanhart syndrome – a rare condition that left him with no legs and one arm — Santonastasso shared his personal journey as a framework for how individuals and leaders can navigate adversity and uncertainty.

“We all have struggles,” Santonastasso told the audience. “You can just see mine.”

His presentation emphasized that success in business and life is driven less by strategy and more by psychology. “The game is always psychology,” he said. “It doesn’t come down to strategy—it comes down to how you think.”

The power of focus

Santonastasso outlined what he called the first “psychological upgrade”: focus. He challenged attendees to examine where their attention is directed — whether on what they have or what they lack, what they can control versus what they cannot, and whether they are overly focused on the past or future.

“As leaders, you can only control your controllables,” he said. “You can control your focus, what you consume, and who you surround yourself with.”

He warned that many professionals fall into negative, unconscious patterns—particularly focusing on what is wrong rather than what is working—which can reinforce stress and limit growth.

Emotional awareness and leadership

A second key theme was what Santonastasso described as an individual’s “emotional home”—the set of emotional states a person returns to most often.

He encouraged attendees to reflect on whether they primarily operate in “beautiful states” such as joy, fulfillment, and purpose, or in “suffering states” like fear, stress, and inadequacy.

“Your state is most of the battle,” he said, noting that emotional patterns directly affect leadership performance, workplace culture, and personal relationships.

Santonastasso also emphasized the importance of self-awareness and vulnerability in leadership. By acknowledging challenges rather than masking them, leaders can build stronger connections with their teams.

“True leaders lead from the front,” he said. “When you’re willing to open up, that’s where the growth happens.”

Turning adversity into opportunity

Drawing on personal experience, Santonastasso shared a pivotal moment following the loss of his brother, which reshaped his perspective through two questions: What is the lesson? and Who am I going to become?

“You have to go through something to become something,” he said.

Throughout the keynote, Santonastasso reinforced the idea that exposure to new ways of thinking can permanently shift perspective. “The moment you’re exposed to a higher standard, you can’t unsee it,” he said.

His message resonated with Dscoop attendees navigating a rapidly evolving print landscape, offering a reminder that mindset, adaptability, and emotional intelligence are critical components of leadership in uncertain times.