The Logic of Overwhelm
More things to do than it’s possible for any one person to do.
That’s the logic of overwhelm.
It’s true for everyone these days — but for leaders it’s on another level.
Like being the only plumber in town, you’re flooded with jobs and have agreed an obligation to everyone.
You’re there to serve the customer, the team, the investors, your family, and yourself.
Overwhelm feels like swimming against the tide. It comes from focusing on everything you’re NOT doing but think you should be:
I should be helping more at home
I should be supporting my team
I should be connecting with customers
I should be keeping the board happy
I should be taking care of my health
That mountain of “shoulds” makes the hopelessness grow.
The first step I ask my clients to take is simple: let go of the shoulds. Even for a while.
Instead, document precisely what you ARE doing.
Bring yourself out of thought and into reality.
Almost always, they discover two things:
They’re already doing far more than they give themselves credit for.
They’re also doing plenty that slows them down, holds them back, and fuels overwhelm.
So we don’t begin by adding more. We begin by taking away.
The freedom this creates is extraordinary. By stripping out the unhelpful habits and behaviours, they not only do less — they actually serve customers, investors, their team, their family, and themselves more.
If you’re overwhelmed, don’t put your attention on speed. Put it on clearly aligning your actions with your true direction.
