How can you Lead Your Life and Work through the Uncertain Days Ahead?

By Sharon Seivert, December 2, 2020

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us … from Tale of Two Cities (Charles Dickens 1859)

A Call to The Quest!

This morning as I sat quietly and wrote this article, I remembered Charles Dicken’s famous words and they echoed inside me. As the last days of this difficult year darken now into winter, it appears that we have arrived at a crossroads similar to the one described by Dickens. It is potentially both the best and worst of times: an In-between period for humanity, a confusing and uncertain transition between two worlds…a season of potential suffering that we can mitigate if we turn our eyes toward the emerging light, i.e., toward envisioning and creating the new world we desire. 

We are all being called to the quest now. You and I have a choice to say yes or no. The call to the quest is, frankly, a bit scary. If we answer this call, we must become real-life heroes and new kinds of leaders who deal courageously with the crises surrounding us. And in fact, I have observed that many people are already acting more heroically as they go beyond normal activities to spend more time caring for family members, helping friends in need, and reaching out to people in their communities who have fallen on hard times. Like so many clients, friends, and colleagues have told me: this crisis has changed their priorities.

But I argue that answering this call is actually the very best way for us to become more effective in helping both ourselves and those we love, i.e., by shedding light, speaking truth, sharing power, and actively creating a healthier, more balanced, brave new world.

Now is the perfect time for Leading Your Life and Work in new ways. This is why my colleagues and I are stepping up our efforts to offer you The Balancing Act methodology plus practical tools so you can move more quickly into powerful action by assuming complete responsibility for every part of your life, work, and relationships. The beauty of this approach is that, in so doing, you will significantly increase your confidence and ability to respond to all these crises.

We ask you to choose “pragmatic optimism” at this critical turning point. It is a positive change strategy that you will be able to ground in the reality of your daily experience. Pragmatic optimism may seem at first glance to be na?ve, to be flying blindly, recklessly into the dark storms enveloping us.

However, this is exactly what we urge, because we know in our bone marrow that this approach increases your odds of safely passing through these storms. Indeed, the logical, careful step-by-step pragmatic map outlined by The Balancing Act will guide you to make steady, relentless progress toward your goals. (Plus, we provide practical tools to overcome the likely obstacles you will encounter.)

And, Really, What Are Your Choices?

Neither you nor I asked for this time of global suffering and confusion, but it has come to meet us at this crossroads in history. Of course, suffering is a natural part of life. But we want to reduce any unnecessary suffering by showing you how to master a strategy for calmly navigating your way through both internal and external turmoil.

In this way, you will be able to transform these real difficulties into “gifts”: golden opportunities to evolve into a more wise, compassionate, and thoughtful human being. Certainly, the pandemic, the international economic collapse, escalating ecological disasters, political conflict, and social reckonings are not gifts we would have chosen. But they have all arrived here now, delivered right to our doorsteps.

Questions to Ask Yourself Now

Ask yourself: “In what small ways have I contributed to, or participated in, the creation of any of these problems? How can I heal the underlying systems, the long history, that caused them? How can I rise to the occasion and remedy these painful issues in my own home, family, and community so we are healed when we arrive on the other side of these troubled times? What can I do to become a better human being during this difficult passage?” And lastly, “What would it take for me to fully commit to a new way of being…one where I took charge of truly LEADING my own life and work?”…"How would I act if I believed that I could not fail…that if I stayed at this, my success is inevitable?”

What I want you to do is to seize this, frankly, unwelcome day: first, by taking full responsibility for the current state of your life, work, and relationships. I want you to start acting as if you really are in charge of creating success for yourself. The good news is that by doing so, you will radically increase the odds of these hopes becoming your new reality! The bad news is that you must immediately stop complaining, blaming, or waiting for conditions to change (e.g., someone else to act on your behalf or give you their permission to act). And more good news: by seizing the day and claiming your secret super-power, you will speed the day you land on new shores AND make the whole journey much more pleasant.

A Secret Leadership Super-Power

So, I will tell you an amazing secret about leadership: No matter what your title or level of external authority—no matter what your age, social position, race, gender, nationality, or education—you can become a great leader in every aspect of your life and work. All you have to do is claim this “super-power”, i.e., the natural, holistic leadership model outlined by The Balancing Act—with its 6 specific steps that are encoded in the template of our colorful logo (the Center and 4 directions).

Your leadership super-power starts in the Core, where your innate Healer eagerly waits to be called to active duty. With this alternative approach to leadership, wherever you stand IS your center of power. This means that no one is above you nor is anyone below you. Your authority is internal; it does not depend on any external hierarchy. Instead, when you assume full responsibility for Leading Your Life and Work, you will tap into an extraordinary source of energy that will ripple out to benefit everyone around you. Just think what this deliberate reframing of leadership could mean for you and the people you love at this painful moment in history when so many leaders with great external power have abandoned us to our own devices!

How Can You Become a Greater Light in the Uncertain Days Ahead?

That is the question you and I will be asking ourselves as we move forward.

I cannot sufficiently emphasize how important it is to my colleagues and me that you succeed…and we want to do what we can to support you so that that you keep doing all you can to dispel the darkness around you. First of all, just remember that even the smallest, kind gestures for one of your family, friends, and colleagues are small but powerful ways of spreading your light. I can say for certain that my family, friends, and colleagues have done that for me more times than I can count during these painful past few months--and I am so grateful because it has made all the difference for me.

The bottom line is: What you do really matters. We urge you to choose to become a stronger light by Leading Your Life and Work more proactively. Remember the reality that just one small candle, even in the darkest of nights, is sufficient to push aside the shadows so you can light the path ahead for yourself and anyone who gratefully follows you.  

To support you in igniting that light inside you so you can continue making great choices—and to help you stay with these choices until they become the new habits of your new life, I urge you to become a member of our growing community and take full advantage of the free resources at our newly-launched website: CoreCoachingConsulting.com. Once there, you will be able to:

• Sign up to attend our PARTY on Friday 12/18 to launch my newest book: 6 Steps to Leading Your Life and Work (from the Inside Out) Door prize includes this e-book!!
• To get your new year off to a fantastic start, check out the Leading Your Life and Work seminar (1/14/21), A New Kind of Productivity seminar (1/28/21), and the Leading Your Life and Work Implementation Program (starting 2/11/21).
• Help yourself to free assessments on the CCC site that will reveal your major strength & weakness for the transitions coming up in your life and work.
• Download the free SOS: Switch Off Stress App and learn really fast techniques to release anxiety.
• Get free guides from the CCC website on Career Transition, Leadership Development, and Improving Learning.
• Review other resources we have to help you survive and transform these worst of times. These include The Balancing Act, other books, instructional videos, and Premium Profiles with comprehensive reports.