I heard Christina Tosi, the founder of a bakery called Milk Bar interviewed on the podcast “How I Built This.”

(By the way, this podcast is a favorite.  The host Guy Raz interviews business leaders on how they and their businesses came to enjoy their success.  Almost every story will feature “where it almost failed” moments.  The “big break” moments, the “isn’t it coming” moments, the “dumb luck” moments.  Its great listening).

Tosi pursued her passion for baking cookies into a hip, in demand bakery in New York.  She’s an engaging story teller and had a couple of quotes that had me looking for a pen.

The first: “When it’s time to rise to the occasion, you rise.”

It’s sometimes hard to recognize those moments.  It might be nominating yourself for a new role or accepting responsibility for something you’re not sure you’re absolutely ready for.

There is usually some discomfort involved.  You’ll have to change.  Try new things.  Move to new places. But, when they rise, says Tosi, you don’t pass.  You take them.

Is there an occasion you should rise to?

Here’s another: “I show up and mean it.” I hadn’t heard that phrase before, but it resonated with me. We all know people who “show up and mean it”.

According to Tosi that means you work harder than most.  That you are more focused than most.  That you bring your street smarts to the fight.

I like teammates who show up, rise up and mean to win.