The Invisible Work

My 40th birthday was yesterday.

My wife did a 40 presents/surprises/gifts in 40 days countdown, gotta say, she’s the best and knocked it outta the park.

While most people see the end result of birthdays, the texts, the calls, the “hope you had a great day” messages, nobody sees what happens before that-ESPECIALLY in this case.

My wife followed up with countless people trying to coordinate a not a few surprises for me, but a WHOLE LOTTA surprises, all while being mom to a newborn 2 month old and our 3 year old.

Friends. Family. People who genuinely meant well…annnddd what happened?

Slow responses. No responses. “I’ll get back to you” that never came back. I would learn after the fact because I was SO curious hehe

Some people replied days later. Some never replied at all.

And hearing about her go through that hit me in a different way because this wasn’t business, it wasn’t sales, wasn’t pipeline or deals or money.

This was personal.

She wasn’t following up to close deals for me. She was following up because she cared to do something special for my 40th.

And that’s when I tilt my head again and thunk to myself, follow-up is sooo invisible work.

Nobody applauds it. There aren’t any thank you’s for it in real time. Ain’t nobody seeing the effort when it doesn’t “work.”

All they see is the outcome, and when the outcome doesn’t match the effort, most people take that as a sign to stop.

Follow-up NEVER guarantees results. It guarantees integrity, character, follow through.

My wife did everything “right.” She reached out. She reminded. She checked back in.

And still, life happened. People got busy. Priorities shifted.

Her follow-up didn’t fail. The follow-up did exactly what it was supposed to do.

It showed who could show up. It revealed who couldn’t. And it removed assumptions.

Most people quit follow-up because they’re looking for validation. The reply. A yes. A quick win.

You’re not in control of the outcome, you can influence it, yet really, it’s about care.

It’s about saying, this matters enough to me to reach out again, even when it feels awkward, even if it’s quiet on the other side.

And whether it’s birthdays, business, relationships, or opportunities…

The people who win long term aren’t the ones who only follow up when it’s comfortable.

The ones quietly willing to do the invisible work when no one responds. Even when it feels one-sided. Even when the results aren’t immediate.

Because one time, someone will show up. Something does move. And you realize that moment was built on effort nobody saw. My wife had an incredible amount of people THAT DID SUPPORT her efforts.

I got lots of love from her efforts. People came in troves!

So, follow-up isn’t obvious. Not always flashy. And it isn’t always rewarding in the moment, but damn, it’s still the work that needs to be done.

And the work still and will ALWAYS matter.

See you next week, Follow Up Fam.

Manny “That Follow Up Guy” Vargas