For those of you who have been reading this newsletter for a while, you surely have noticed that my updates are much less frequent lately. It is mostly due to the fact that I am traveling a lot. I am near constantly criss-crossing the globe inspiring, educating and empowering leaders to build what matters. In many ways it is an incredibly privileged position to be in. And in many other ways it is stressful and often lonely.
That being said, it taught me a lot.
For starters you better do something which truly feeds you. For me it is being on a stage – I have come to hate the travel, but the moment I am in front of a group of people, my batteries recharge immediately. And it quickly becomes unsustainable when you do something you only half love (or worse).
Secondly you need to find your sanctuary. I need down- and alone-time; time where I can be my introverted self and stare at a screen, read a book or explore a place by just walking around. Find what decompresses you – some decompress in the absence of people, others need people to get to the same outcome.
Lastly I believe it is of paramount importance to stay connected. I minimize travel as much as I can to spend time with Jane, our dog and horse. We text and speak and video chat permanently. I have seen too many people become detached not just from their loved ones but from the world at large by being on a constant chase.
Over the years I have met many driven, successful people – they all experience some or all of the issues above. And all the ones who kept their sanity and therefore keep performing at the highest level have found their version of what I describe above.
We need you to keep your sanity. Changing the world is hard.