Are You Ready to Quit?

Do you ever have those days where everything just seems to fall into the category of “too hard to do?”  Where you feel tired, frustrated, and just plain “burnt out”?  Where you secretly start planning your escape route out of the confines of your current job, and start imagining the possibilities of starting fresh and new somewhere else?  Somewhere where you are appreciated and valued, and where you can feel more empowered and light?  Somewhere where your opinion counts, and where you can create something meaningful?

News flash—you are not alone.  I can’t tell you how many of the leaders I have worked with over the years in all sorts of different organizations have shared this set of sentiments.  I have had these feelings myself.

Here’s what I know.  There are some situations that are just plain oppressive or that we have outgrown or not suited for.  That’s one situation, and we should deal with that accordingly.   Maybe it is time to go.

But most of the time, we let ourselves and our minds fall into the victim mode and willingly just surrender our power.  Our power to rise above the pettiness and everyday man-made dramas and conflicts and step up and lead.  We fall victim to the daily organizational stories and the dramas and participate in them—rather than rise above them and watch them from the top of the hill, where we are best positioned to influence them.  Our egos become attached to being right, being the best, being noticed, or being valued—and we lose sight of the bigger picture where we can have the most impact.

My challenge to you today is to notice yourself when you are losing sight of what really matters.  When you are feeling “victimized” and not able to influence.  Let go of your attachment and your ego and look at the story for what it is from 30,000 feet above, without you in it.  How can you lead the story rather than be victimized by it?

How can you help re-write the story—rather than run to another one—only to experience the exact same drama in a different form?

Isn’t that what leadership is anyway?