The Mindset Shift That Has Lead To Greater Performance and More Overall Life Satisfaction

Real quick - can we please talk about a mindset shift that needs to happen if we want to create more sustainable success and foster more work/life satisfaction?

Ok, great. But first - a quick story.

In 2008, I was selected by the Detroit Lions in the NFL draft. Hearing my name being called is something I'll always remember but what I will remember even more is what happened a few short hours later.

I eventually found myself back at West Point and alone in my room. Physically and emotionally exhausted from the day, I wanted nothing more but to close my eyes and fall asleep. But, every time I tried, my mind would race with thoughts as I was replaying the live interviews that I had on ESPN and the NFL network over and over again.

And then it hit me.

The entire football world just watched me live on national television. Everyone knows my name and is now watching me to see if I'll make it. What if I fail? What if I'm not who they think I am?

In a matter of seconds, my heart began to pound so viciously I could feel it in my ears, my chest began to tighten, and my vision began to blur. I didn't have a damn clue what was happening and so I did my best to grab my bearings and make my way across the hallway and into the showers where I would sit for several minutes trying to catch my breath as the water washed over me.

I didn't know it at the time but I would later realize that on the night of my childhood dream coming true, I experienced my first ever panic attack.

The moment that should have meant everything to me, actually became a moment that ended up fracturing me.

And looking back, it's so clear to me that this was an invitation for me to do life differently. This old way of doing life - maxing out my capacity to get the results that I want is now costing me in a real tangible way.

But, in my head, this panic attack was an obstacle in my way so I did everything I could to push it aside and drive on. And eventually, as you might imagine, pushing it all aside took a toll on my performance, my self-esteem and my self-confidence. I eventually found myself at war with my life and I was my own worst enemy.

Now, let's talk about the mindset shift.

As I work with high-achieving leaders and teams, this old mindset of seeing our feelings and our fears as an obstacle in our way is crippling us when it comes to creating more sustainable success while also fostering more work/life satisfaction.

Because the avoidance of our feelings and fear in the name of productivity and pursuit of success is robbing us of our inner capacity.

And if we don't have the capacity within ourselves, or within our teams, the inevitable increase of pressure that comes with the next level of success and trying to sustain that level of success can actually become the thing that breaks you. And as a result, the success that you've worked so hard for, isn't sustainable.

And, even more importantly, when we're spending all of our energy and time holding on and trying to maintain this new level of success, we don't have capacity for the things that matter the most to us - our physical health, our relationships and our emotional wellness.

And it's robbing us of our overall life satisfaction.

So, shift your mindset, today.

Your feelings and fears are not obstacles in the way, but they are the way. They are not obstacles in your path, but they are your path.

Embrace this new mindset and watch how much more emotional bandwidth and margin you create in your life.