When Your Body Says Stop | Protect | Hidden Potential
Hello there! Welcome to my weekly LEAPS.
You’re receiving this email because you subscribed to my weekly Wednesday feature or our mailing list. Every Wednesday, I share 5 things using our LEAPS approach:
Learn: something new or an idea
Energy: an energy (good or bad) word and it’s meaning
Action: something to do
Processing: a question to consider
Shout out: something or someone that I want to celebrate or acknowledge
When Your Body Says Stop
I once knew someone who fell asleep at an Aerosmith concert - actually during it.
He'd chosen to go, paid for the ticket, gone with friends and been looking forward to it. Yet somehow, surrounded by the noise of a live rock concert, he slept.
At the time, it was one of those stories that made us laugh. Years later and looking back, I see it differently.
He was carrying an extraordinary amount at the time: work, responsibility, other people's needs, and things at home. All of them were things he couldn't simply put down.
I've been researching motivation and exhaustion while writing Passport, the third book in my trilogy, and something has really stayed with me.
We tend to think of exhaustion as evidence that something has gone wrong. That we've worked too hard, haven't managed ourselves properly, or simply need to become more resilient. But fatigue can also be protective.
Sometimes the body reduces what we are capable of giving because the demands upon us have exceeded what we can sustain.
Sometimes exhaustion isn't the system failing. It's the system protecting itself and doing what it needs to do.
Exhaustion isn't necessarily the end result of hard work. It can be the end result of overcompensating. Being responsible for too much. Being the capable one for too long. Never saying no. Carrying what should have been shared.
The difficult part is that these things can feel like responsibility, loyalty, competence and care - all virtuous things. Exhaustion is the bill.
We can often look for the signal when it’s too late. Maybe it's much earlier, when the things that normally restore us stop restoring us.
The weekend away. The walk. The hobby you love. Time with people who normally make you feel better.
Or even an Aerosmith concert!
ENERGY
Focusing on an emotion or energy; a stand-out word / s
Protect
From Latin protegere meaning "to protect, defend, cover over, cover in front". It is formed from pro "before" + tegere "to cover". This is where we often use overcompensating to ‘cover’.
ACTION
Something small that you can do that might make a big difference
Put It Down
Put down one thing that isn’t yours to carry - ask for help, delegate or simply don’t do it!
PROCESSING
A question to think about and consider (you can discuss this with someone or write your thoughts down)
“What am I protecting that isn’t mine to protect?”
Consider where you might be stepping in, covering, carrying or taking responsibility for something that actually belongs to someone else.
This question will be added to the Community Space in the Leapers Club for you to share your thoughts.
SHOUT OUT
Who / what I think deserves recognition, my gratitude or to be celebrated.
Rest
Rest isn’t the opposite of doing. It’s what allows us to keep going. Sometimes the most productive thing we can do is give our system what it has been asking for! A big shout out to resting when we need to.
Are You Busy or Effective?
WHEN: Thursday 24th September
TIME: 12noon (BST)CLICK TO REGISTER
BONUS GIFT FOR YOU
This week’s little extra for you - from me.
This week’s gift is the visual for Hidden Potential by Adam Grant.
This is available to you for free (for 7 days) using the code: FUTUREPOTENTIAL when you check out. Access is via the link / button below.
Please note that if you miss the 7-day offer, we cannot extend this for you. You can, however, always access the download for a nominal charge.
The artwork featured in this section is all copyrighted and for private use only. If you wish to use these online, in blogs / features or in presentations etc - we are happy to discuss licences. Please get in touch. The downloads do not have watermarks.
If you’d like to discuss having your ideas, business or culture captured visually - you can also let me know via email.
Join The Leapers Club
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A private community space
Dedicated chat areas for focused conversations
Curated non-fiction book recommendations
Themed 90 day self-led Sets with online and downloadable Playbooks
L.E.A.P.S spaces to share your Learn, Energy word, Action, Processing, and Shout Out
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Check in quizzes to deepen reflection
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A simple way to identify where balance exists, where pressure may be building, and where conversations may be needed across a family business.
Complete the quick scorecard and receive a personalised PDF report.
LEAPS is a process used by our team and clients all the time - and even my own family on a daily basis.
I’ll be sharing a set of LEAPS each week with you and encourage you to do your own version:
L: what have you learned?
E: what’s your energy / feeling word
A: what’s one thing you need to do?
P: what are you thinking / processing?
S: who or what can you shout out?
