Any parent of a current college student likely spent a lot of time watching Hannah Montana with their young child a decade ago. Hannah once observed, “Everybody makes mistakes. Everybody has those days.” In her song Nobody’s Perfect, the chorus goes, “Nobody’s perfect! I gotta work it again and again ’til I get it right. Nobody’s perfect! You live and you learn it! And if I mess it up sometimes, nobody’s perfect.”
As leaders, we all have those days – bad days. These are times when nothing goes right and everything we touch goes sour. We have all been there. You cannot be a leader and not have those type of days. Nobody’s perfect!
So the question becomes how do we handle those days we just wish would end. Here is the truth about bad days:
- Bad days are normal. Come in off the ledge!!! You are not alone and we have all been there.
- Bad days confirm your task is not easy. If you read the Bible from cover to cover, you will not find an instance where God ever called a leader to an easy task.
- Bad days remind us we are leaders. This sounds counterintuitive but it is true. If you feel you are constantly being kicked in the backside, it simply means you are out in the front.
- Bad days are why leadership is desperately needed. It is when things are difficult or unclear that leaders are needed most. Leaders bring solutions and help individuals navigate turbulent times.
- Bad days are times for personal development. Struggle is necessary for strength. Sometimes events take place as a result of our actions or poor decisions. We need to accept that and learn from them.
- Bad days will eventually come to an end. All storms have one thing in common – they end. Every day, whether good or bad, eventually comes to a close. Tomorrow is a new day and the sun will rise again.
- Bad days need to be compartmentalized by leaders. If you have a bad day at the office, it should n0t affect your home. Your home should be a sanctuary. Work is what you do. Home is what you are.
- Bad days remind us of the importance of healthy priorities. It is my relationship with Jesus Christ and my family that are the most important things in my life. They will love me when I feel no one else does. Their love for me in unconditional. Regardless of my numbers or KPIs, they just love me.
- Bad days are put in their proper light by solitude. As leaders, tough times force us to step back, get alone, and gain a proper perspective of the situation.
- Bad days can be a gift. Yes, that is right. As leaders, difficult people and situations force us to press into Jesus and trust Him for our next steps. Bad days and difficult times bring a deeper level of intimacy with the One who loves us most.
I hope this post encourages you. Leadership has great bandwidth. It has the highest of highs and lowest of lows.
Leadership has incredible perks but also comes with an equally incredible price. When you are paying the price of bad days, pull out this list, look at the bigger picture, and be reminded this is part of the leadership journey. You are being shaped into the leader God meant for you to be.
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