PP #35 | How to Instantly Be a Better Leader, and using Emotion, Cognition, and Movement to get Unstuck
Using mind, body, and emotion & Owning your leadership.
Use Emotion AND Cognition to Solve Any Problem
Most of us are either over-thinkers or over-feelers.
In this tweet, Amy Buechler offers some advice for the over-thinkers of the world:
Cognition and emotion present two different ways to approach a problem. If you overuse either, you’re likely to get stuck. A reliable path through the stuckness: switch to the other method.
Stuck in your thoughts? Switch to how you want to feel. What’s an action you can take to create that feeling?
Trapped by your feelings? Switch to what you think is the best path forward. Then take the first step.
Too often we relate to cognition and emotion with either-or thinking. With Amy’s advice, you can leverage the wisdom of both.
Get Unstuck using Physical Movement
Stuck on a hard problem? Struggling to get into a creative flow?
To get ideas flowing, get your body moving. Physical movement begets mental movement.
The next time you’re feeling stuck, go for a short walk, run, or bike ride.
Do so absent any inputs. Don’t listen to music, podcasts, or audiobooks. Don’t have a conversation. Don’t read or watch anything.
Counter-intuitively, don’t try to get unstuck, solve the problem, or generate ideas either.
Simply be present with your body in movement. Await patiently for the wisdom it has to offer.
Flow in your body to flow in your mind.
How to Instantly Level Up as a Leader
Want to instantly level up as a leader? Own the fact that you’re in a position of leadership.
Too many leaders avoid, deflect, or resent the call to leadership.An easy way to be better is simply to own it. How?
Half of being an effective leader means doing what you know needs to be done. Owning your leadership means being committed to doing those things.
The other half? Doing what you say you're going to do and holding others accountable to do the same.
Leadership really is that simple. It’s difficult, but simple. As they say:
Question(s) of the Week
For overthinkers: What challenge in your life are you overthinking? How do you want to feel about it? What action can you take to create the feeling?
For overfeelers: What challenge has you trapped in your feelings? What do you think about? What action can you take to create what what you think is best?
If you’re stuck: What’s a problem or idea that you’re stuck on? What physical movement practice can you use to get unstuck?
For Leaders: What aren’t you taking responsibility for that you need to be? What aren’t you doing that needs you to do it? How can you get started?
P.S. As the summer comes to an end, I’m committed to getting back into a consistent rhythm with the newsletter. I’m testing a new, lighter format of sharing some of the best tweets, articles, and ideas I come across or resurface that week. Send your feedback!
Succinct and still hit home for me JM! I think the short and sweet format is super valuable, as I tend to focus on the essence of the article.
And it's just enough info/inspo for me to put into action starting today.
Pura Vida!