How to Get Unstuck in Leading Yourself
Warm Up
"Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen" -- Michael Jordan
If you want to be better at what you do, no amount of wanting it or wishing for it will change or improve your situation. Growth doesn’t just happen. It requires hard work and time. And intentionality is the name of the game.
Workout
I recently left a career I had been in for almost seventeen years. I was ready for a change, but I found myself in a time of transition I wasn’t really prepared for.
After doing something for that long and gaining a level of expertise and comfort, I realized I had become complacent and lazy in my own growth. It felt like I had to dust cobwebs off my brain and oil the gears to learn how to learn again.
It was a wakeup call for me.
How often do you say “I’ll do that—tomorrow”?
As a consequence, life continues on in the status quo, and we feel stuck. We can tend to blame our circumstances or people in our life when in reality, our lack of taking responsibility and being intentional with our life have landed us in our current spot.
In As A Man Thinketh, James Allen wrote, “People are anxious to improve their circumstances but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound.”
When it comes to growth, the biggest gap is between what we know and what we do. Think about how many people sign up for a gym membership so they can lose weight and feel better but never go. They know in order to get healthy, they need to exercise and eat right, but it’s just not happening.
Remember, growth doesn’t just happen. We have to be intentional about it and take action.
Think about where you are at right now. Feeling at the top of your game. You’ve honed your skills and you’re seen as a leader. You’ve been given the privilege and responsibility of leading your team. Now what?
What got you there will not get you to the next level. This is where success can be a danger when you think you have “arrived.” Growth tends to cease with that perspective.
Leadership is not about lauding ourselves but about helping your team succeed. If you don’t keep growing and improving, that not only puts a limit on how well you do but also on how well your team does. How are you going to continue to grow yourself so that you can better lead your team?
“If you want to reach your potential and become the person you were created to be, you must do much more than just experience life and hope that you learn what you need along the way. You must go out of your way to seize growth opportunities as if your future depended on it. Why? Because it does. Growth doesn’t just happen – not for me, not for you, not for anybody. You have to go after it!” -John C. Maxwell
Cooldown
So take a moment to reflect on where you are right now. If you’re feeling stuck, here are some ways to get moving again...
Admit you’re stuck
We have to be honest about where we are at if we want to move on to where we want to go. Only then can we start making the changes necessary to grow ourselves and become who God has called us to be. It may seem obvious, but unless we make peace with our current reality, we won’t have motivation to get “unstuck.”
What is one area that you are strong in and that is going well?
If you need some help determining that, ask a teammate and/or coach for guidance. Operating in your strengths energizes you. Think of some action steps to take that area to the next level. Get out of your comfort zone but stay in your strength zone.
Think of one area that you know needs growth
Identify an obstacle to your growth that has hindered you and start implementing a growth plan to help you overcome that obstacle. What’s your first step?
Put a set time in your calendar for personal growth
Start with blocking out 15 minutes/day and add time as you can and want to for reading, listening to a podcast, online training, etc. Treat this like any meeting. Protect it and do not cancel it.
(Suggested reading: The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth and The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell, The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni; Suggested podcasts: EntreLeadership, The School of Greatness, Andy Stanley Leadership podcast)
Get in community
We can tend to isolate ourselves when we feel stuck. Isolation kills. Find at least 2 - 3 people to grow with. Our growth, whether it’s spiritual, mental or physical, is best when done in community. Having encouragement & accountability helps us keep moving forward, especially when we hit rough times.
During my transition, when I was at my lowest point in feeling completely stuck—and isolated—I reached out to a friend who was also a life coach.
I told her I needed help.
After our first meeting, I was instilled with such hope. You see, in my isolation, I began to think I didn’t have anything to offer which I knew wasn’t true.
She spoke words of life to me in highlighting my gifts and character to remind me of who I was and all I had to offer. She asked good questions which helped me be honest about where I truly was so I could take responsibility for my choices.
I came up with a few next steps that helped me start getting out of my rut. I started investing in me again, taking intentional time for personal development to grow myself. I have two friends that I connect with on a weekly basis over the phone specifically as it relates to our personal and professional growth.
Start now being intentional about your growth because as you remain consistent daily, over time it will compound to give you incredible results!
To learn more about Amy’s leadership training, one-on-one or group coaching for current athletes and athletes in transition, go to www.amysnowcoaching.com
