Leading with a Clear Mind: Unlocking Clarity with a Growth Mindset

Hi Meaningful Leaders,

Last week, I had a thought-provoking conversation with a friend about the definition of success. It’s fascinating how the meaning of this word shifts depending on who you ask. For some, success looks like a luxury car, a dream house, or a corner office with executive perks. For others, it's a simplified lifestyle, the flexibility to live as a nomad, or achieving financial freedom.

As leaders, we carry the torch for our teams. We can't afford to let our minds and emotions dictate our actions, regardless of what's happening in our personal lives. Our role demands that we stay focused. But how do we maintain that focus when life gets complicated?

I've learned from my own journey that repressing emotions is just as unhealthy as letting them run wild without proper direction. The key is finding a balance, and that starts with adjusting our mindset.

For me, this was a revelation. I discovered a way to retrain my mind so I could adjust my thinking as needed and stop worrying about the past or future. Instead of pushing my feelings aside—hoping they'd leave me alone, which they never did—I found ways to prevent myself from getting stuck in endless loops of thoughts and emotions. This approach helped me strip my emotions of their power and prevent them from triggering me in the first place. By dealing with my emotions at their root, I regained clarity, peace, and focus—both for myself and for my business.

These steps have been instrumental in helping me stay productive and on point, enabling me to take decisive actions calmly in my relationships and work. I gained the clarity and confidence to recognize when a relationship no longer served me and to make the decision to move on, returning my life to peace.

Here are three straightforward strategies I used back then—and still use today:

1. Break Down What’s Overwhelming You

At one point, my feelings and thoughts felt like a tangled mess—totally overwhelming. I realized I needed to break things down into smaller, manageable pieces. So, I took a deep dive to understand what was really going on inside me. I discovered I was: 1) avoiding important decisions, 2) dealing with low self-esteem, 3) feeling confused, 4) feeling off track, and 5) feeling overly emotional.

2. Find Targeted Solutions for Each Issue

Once I pinpointed these issues, I realized something important: each required a different approach. Low self-esteem needed a confidence boost; confusion called for decision-making; being off track meant finding direction; procrastination needed discipline and organization; and emotional overwhelm required emotional clarity.

By understanding exactly what was happening within me, I moved from feeling overwhelmed to having a clear sense of what I needed to address. If this step feels challenging, a good coach can be invaluable in helping you gain this clarity.

3. Address Issues at the Root for Lasting Change

I learned that while each issue had its unique aspects, they all required me to change my thinking, reactions, and feelings at their core so that they wouldn't keep resurfacing.

• Confidence: I traced the roots of my lack of confidence back to its origin, long before the troubled relationship. Addressing it at its source provided lasting growth in my confidence.
• Confusion: I got myself out of a state of limbo—a disempowered state—by creating a mind map, listing options, weighing pros and cons, and making a decision. It wasn’t easy, but it freed up mental and emotional space.
• Emotional Overwhelm: I learned to release the emotional charge and to act rather than react.
• Feeling Off Track: Much like addressing confusion, I clarified where I wanted to be, tackled the underlying emotional reasons for being off track, and created a plan to realign myself.

These steps offer a powerful framework to manage what feels like insurmountable problems and emotional rollercoasters, turning them into manageable challenges with permanent solutions instead of temporary fixes.

By using these strategies, I've found myself feeling more aligned, connected, present, and centered. This inner calm has empowered me to handle conflicts and challenges in life and business with greater ease. And in turn, it has made me more productive, improved my decision-making, and enhanced my overall effectiveness.

A clear mind has the power to change your life, and journaling has been a fantastic tool for me in achieving that clarity. Yet, the biggest challenge with journaling is staying consistent, especially when time is limited. That's why I created a journal that takes just 5 minutes in the evening before bed and another 5 minutes in the morning to start the day right. It’s a simple yet powerful way to bring focus and peace into your daily routine. If you want to learn more, check out the link below:

The 5-Minute High-Performance Daily Journal

If you find this article useful, please like, comment and share with your network. This truly helps us to reach more awesome leaders just like you.

Thanks for reading and God bless you,

Yours in leadership and growth,