Success requires energy. No energy – no success. Passion is focused energy. No passion – no leadership.
The most important thing you manage is your own energy.
Energy drains:
1. Self-importance. The false belief others can’t survive without you, drains you.
2. Let-down after success.
3. Ambiguous, unreachable expectations.
4. Unrelenting pressure.
5. Constant problem-solving.
6. Can’t-do teammates.
7. Fatigue after pouring your heart into failed projects.
12 ways successful leaders find energy:
1. Lighten up. Say, “The world will go on without me.”
2. Build in breathe time after high-stress activities.
3. Let someone help you.
4. Make self-reflection a daily ritual.
5. Finish a project, don’t rush to the next. Allow for margin.
6. Take a short walk.
7. Go to bed earlier.
8. Create organizational structures and systems that don’t depend on you.
9. Talk it out when you’re worn out. Find a listening ear that helps you see more clearly.
10. Take on a task or project you can complete quickly.
11. Reconnect with your purpose. Why do you do what you do?
12. Believe. Believe you can make a difference. Believe in your team.
Eliminate energy vampires. If you can’t reform energy vampires, remove them. If you can’t remove them, reassign them.
How do you find energy?
How do you help others find energy?
