When was the last time you can honestly say you were feeling satisfied with your daily routine? Although your role in the organization or on the team was initially your dream job, it no longer quite feels that way. Maybe your life outside of work was once something you looked forward to but now seems less adventurous. Perhaps the gym workout doesn’t quite get you moving the same way it did in the past. Leaders can get stuck in a hamster wheel without realizing it and due to inertia, just keep going down the same path. There’s nothing wrong with maintaining the status quo if that works for you.
But what if that isn’t working for you anymore? Are you beginning to feel your heart racing a bit or your head starting to explode? Are you starting to get energized in entertaining the thought that there may be something out there that could bring you to a new place? I invite you to come along this exploration with me.
Here are five ways to lead when feeling unfulfilled:
1. Acknowledge The Hamster Wheel
Do you see what’s happening? To keep going around and around for the sake of ease can be exhausting. According to a recent Harvard Business Review article, “If you feel bored or unfulfilled by a job you once relished, you might be succumbing to what scientists call habituation: our brain’s tendency to react less and less to things that don’t change, so that what once brought joy and meaning can stop doing so over time.”
2. Listen To Your Body
Your body is a great resource of information for you. Your body tells you when you are feeling anxious and responds to let you know when you are sensing relief. This can come in many different forms including rashes on your face, tense shoulders or always feeling tired. Listening to your body is critical feedback for leaders because:
- Your mind may try to force thoughts that hide what is happening.
- Your body is authentic and tells you the truth.
- Your senses help you to form a more complete picture of what you are experiencing.
3. Embrace It’s Messy
Not every discovery leaders make will be linear and follow a specific pathway. In fact, what often happens is that your initial reasons that you may be feeling unfulfilled may not actually be the most important. Leaders may notice one thing happening in their work worlds which is also occurring in the personal lives. I have seen leaders who have a difficult time speaking up at team meetings and when they explore further, they realize that it’s also taking place in some of their situations outside of work. This new awareness of what may be getting in your way from making a shift, can be transformational.
4. Be Intentional and Open-minded
Trying to figure out what is triggering you from feeling unfulfilled can involve stepping out of your circle of comfort. It is often a time for leaders to stay open to new possibilities that you never considered before. Sure you can feel a bit off-balance while trying to identify your next steps and yet you know that without staying focused nothing will change.
- Commit to becoming an explorer.
- Don’t let fear shut down new areas to pursue.
- Find a coach to help you propel forward.
5. Execute The Plan With Joy
The final leadership strategy is to follow through on what you decided to change. Don’t leave out this step. It is essential to hold yourself accountable for bringing fulfillment back into your life. Ask yourself, “What actions will I now take to make my professional or personal life more fulfilling after what I discovered?” It is up to you to make it happen. Be creative and have fun!
How have you brought fulfillment into your leadership journey?