There are perks to leadership and there is a price to leadership. Nowhere is this better demonstrated than what keeps leaders awake at 2:00 AM.
All leaders have all been there. The anxiousness, stress dreams, hard decisions and the pit in your stomach sometimes come with the leadership responsibilities we carry. It is very difficult NOT to carry these issues to bed each night. They are often unwelcome companions. The following list are things which often keep leaders awake at night.
- New Ideas – This is actually a welcome interruption. Sometimes creative energy generates thoughts when least expected. I do not mind having this occur. I recommend always keeping a notepad and pen in your nightstand to capture these nocturnal bits of genius.
- Defining Moments – For leaders, this is similar to being a child the night before Christmas. Whenever I have a big speech, meeting, or significant activity about to take place, sometimes I have so much anticipation I simply replay an event in my mind has yet to happen. While ideas are part of my creative process, this activity is part of the preparatory process. I do not mind waking up to this one either.
- Difficult Conversations – Difficult conversations either the previous or following day many times keep me awake.
- Missed Expectations – If either myself or my team are not hitting goals, it can and often does interrupt my evenings.
- Fear – I know it is a sin but am I the only one worries about the future? What about the job, or a client, or the pending contract, or a health issue, or something with my family, or the A/C breaking, or…..you get the picture.
- Intuition – Do you ever get the sense something is wrong or you forgot something? I have learned to trust my still small voice.
- Money Issues – There are very few things that weigh you down like financial responsibilities. Whether it is a company you may lead or your personal bank account, I have probably spent more sleepless nights over this issue than any other.
- Market Changes – This is something you really cannot help as a leader but it will keep you awake. I know many loan officers, construction workers, bankers, and pastors who have struggled over the impact of an economic crisis they simply have no control of.
- Family – Nothing attacks the fiber of your being and burdens a leader like family issues. Enough said.
- Mistakes – I have never understood people who say “I wouldn’t change any of the mistakes I’ve made because they’ve made me the person I am today.” Really??? I would love to have a series of do-overs! Matter of fact, I know of something I would like to change that happened yesterday.
This is my list. What keeps you up at night and we can talk about it…just not at 2:00 AM!
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