Hey there,
Chasing achievement can be addicting. Sometimes, it fuels the fire; other times, it burns us out. And as life moves along, things shift. What once felt like the ultimate goal can suddenly feel less urgent, and priorities that used to be non-negotiable start to evolve.
Priorities change, energy fluctuates, and sometimes, sanity feels like it’s hanging by a thread.
I remember when my kids were little—sleep was rare, and “me time” was nonexistent. Now that they’re older, I have more time to work out regularly, yet somehow, my sanity still feels like a moving target some days. Leading a team is no different—seasons of the year, projects, staffing, and even budgets are always shifting.
Like most things in life, resisting the challenge doesn’t make it any easier—if anything, it makes it harder. The key isn’t avoiding change, but recognizing where you are and adjusting accordingly. I think of it like a pendulum, always moving, always shifting. The goal isn’t to stop the swing—it’s to find your rhythm and move with it.
Leadership:
Sometimes the idea of being a leader sounds exciting, but actually leading is hard.
The best leaders aren’t the loudest in the room—they’re the ones who create space for others to contribute. If your team is stuck—whether they’re feeling counterproductive, complacent, frustrated, scared, or paranoid—it’s time to swing in a new direction.
Just like in life, leadership has its own pendulum.
Your team picks up cues from you, whether you realize it or not. Are you creating a culture where people feel heard? Encouraging engagement? Or unintentionally shutting it down? Leadership isn’t about position—it’s about presence.
The same way a challenge can shift from motivation to pressure, the way you show up determines how your team engages.
So, what cues are you giving?
Life: Comparisonidous is Real
At my gym, they run challenges a couple of times a year—sign up, track your classes, and slap a sticker on the board for each one you attend. I did one before, and I’ll admit, it’s highly motivating. Seeing the progress (and the stickers pile up) pushed me to be more strategic and intentional about showing up.
In the last challenge, I didn’t sign up because we were traveling for vacation. While chatting with a couple of people about it, we all agreed: challenges are great…but they can also trigger a little comparisonidous (yep, it’s a thing). That moment when motivation quietly shifts into measuring yourself against everyone else—been there.
And sure, it would be easy to be frustrated that these challenges exist—because let’s be honest, they come with feelings. But instead, I try to turn inward and ask myself: Why does this make me feel this way? Why am I questioning whether I’m enough?
Comparisonidous creeps into leadership, too. Maybe you see another leader getting praise, making faster decisions, or running their team differently, and you start questioning yourself. But leadership, like life, isn’t about outperforming everyone else—it’s about showing up with intention in your own way.
Sometimes, the best challenge isn’t pushing harder—it’s tuning out the noise and staying focused on your own lane.
#EffectiveLeadership #TeamImpact #LeadWithIntention
Out there happening to the world,
Lisa
P.S. Hit reply anytime to share your stories, ask questions, or celebrate your latest win—I’d love to hear from you!