Have you ever been on the go where every waking second is occupied with completing a high intensity project or goal, and the minute that goal is accomplished, you have a somewhat sinking feeling – like a punctured tire, where the air is seeping out of you and you’re struggling to keep going?
That was me after The Change Leadership Conference we just had. It was a great conference; we discussed leading change both professionally and for our organizations, and the future of work. And we received great feedback, it was successful on many levels. But a few days after the conference, I was literally struggling for air to keep going and to not sink.
After each event in previous years, almost everyone would encourage me to relax and recharge, but when I tried doing that, it did not work for me. Instead I would lose momentum and the desire to kickstart or continue with other projects. So this year I promised myself to keep going afterwards.
But after this year’s event, I once again found myself on the brink of struggling for air, fighting to stay motivated and not sink; because I did not want to fall off the wagon or behind on my other work and things that needed to be done.
What did I do this time around? Here are three things that helped me.
- Power of Momentum – Instead of taking the expected break to relax and unwind, I decided to schedule and postpone it for later, and instead focus on leveraging the momentum we had built in order to take things to the next level. It is often easier to leverage an existing momentum than trying to build it back up from the bottom, it takes more energy to build momentum. Click here on 5 tips to keep momentum going.
- Self Awareness – if you’ve never experienced what I’m talking about, that’s normal. We all have different personalities. But being self aware of my ambivert personality helps me know why something is happening with me and how to manage the situation. It’s not unusual for me to crash after a high energy event, speaking engagement or project where I give my all, it comes with the introverted side of my ambivert personality. Being more self aware of yourself can help you quickly identify the ‘why’ and ‘what’ to do about it i.e. knowing what sucks your energy or keeps you motivated will help you know what to do to energize or keep your spirits up.
- Journaling – I don’t journal as much as I would love to (considering one of my favourite things to do is collect journals, planners and notebooks), but every now and then I do put my thoughts and feelings to paper. The journaling I had done in the past came in handy when I felt like I was on the brink of crashing – I went back to my journal to review and jog my memory on how I had managed the situation in previous years. This helped kick me right back into action, as I was able to see a pattern; identify the triggers, as well as see solutions on how I had previously resolved the situation.
Underlying the above strategies that helped me is the ‘power of our mind’. Where you focus your mind, is where your energy flows. Actively and positively engaging our minds play a significant role in the shape and form our lives take. Your attitude will determine your altitude.
