Start by stopping

Dear Leader,

Sometimes, the best way to start is to stop.

I have noticed that many accomplished leaders, myself included, often equate 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 with 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀.

Staying “𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯” brings a comforting feeling of forward movement. Getting “𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯” feels like a welcome alternative to the pain of stuckness.

What I’d like to offer you today, however, is the possibility of the radical opposite.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿?

Stopping the action gives us the needed space to:

🚦 Check that our desired destination is still clear;
🚦 Recalibrate our path based on changes in the environment;
🚦 Notice who or what is influencing the current direction, making possible an invitation to include who or what is missing.

I know I can sometimes default to using my busyness as a convenient excuse for why I can’t stop or slow down. The truth is, slowing down used to scare me.

To slow down meant I’d have a chance to finally hear the big questions that were whispering within my heart. To stop all action meant I had an opening for the quieted feelings to finally speak.

𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀.

I invite you, today, to include in your day a small stop. Take a few breaths, take a short walk, gaze upon the sunshine or the snow, and see how the ordinary is actually extraordinary. It’s here now if you stop to notice it.

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽. If you listen long enough, you’ll hear wisdom whispering within you.