Navigating through storms

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by a never-ending storm, pulled by contradictory demands at all levels of your organization? Have you ever questioned why you took on so many challenges simultaneously, aspiring to excel in each?

In my role as a guide for leaders and executives, as well as through my own experiences accumulated over more than four decades, I have often observed this tendency to adopt the role of the indefatigable warrior, despite adversities.

Emotional listening to the full storm

How did I proceed? I immersed myself in listening to and feeling every emotion emanating from this storm. The fear of insecurity, of failure, or even of projecting an image of weakness. I allowed myself to feel these fears in my body and engaged in deep introspection to identify and soothe the internal flaws that fed them… A vast program!

By joyful coincidence, this period coincided with the support of an executive who was abruptly fired at the peak of her career. Together, we navigated through her emotional and physical tumults to discover and activate new resources, allowing her, after many ups and downs, to bounce back. And on my side, I was making a similar journey in parallel to hers. Like an aeronaut adjusting the valve of his hot air balloon to regain altitude, we modulated our reactions to move forward better.

Strategies to Regain Control

Here are some simple but demanding exercises that I implemented and that I wish to share with you, tremendously effective if joined with regularity:

Celebrate successes: Reorient your mind towards your past and present successes to change perspective.
Value every single day: Take a moment each day to appreciate your achievements and express gratitude, focusing on what works well.
Choose your perspective: Every time your mind draws hasty conclusions (for example, “if you haven’t met your goals this month, then it’s ruined for the next six months”), train it to imagine other scenarios (“if you haven’t met your goals this month, maybe it’s because a big project is coming up and you needed to be available for it” or “it’s true that you didn’t meet your goal this month but look at the cumulative lead you’ve achieved over the past 8 months, that clearly compensates”).
Set clear intentions: Define realistic goals for the next steps, even modest ones, and focus on these rather than on the obstacles and the situation that seems insurmountable.
Accept help: Open the door to assistance while being ready to return the favor.

And every time doubt creeps in, remember your moments of success to convince yourself that you are not defined by failures or difficulties, but by your ability to overcome the headwinds of life, which is by nature an unpredictable and constantly evolving journey.

Are you ready to experience your storms differently?

For more articles or specific parts, please let me know how you would like to proceed!