I Have a Confession to Make

I help busy leaders and teams to create more balance, less stress and perform at a high level. My confession is that . . .

I don’t actually care about high performance!

Back when I started to make my own big shift in how I was showing up in my life a few years ago.

To stop working all the time, to feel way less overwhelmed, and to be more patient and present with the people I cared about most.

Back when I had my own enough was enough moment, and knew something had to change.

It was NOT because I needed – or wanted – to perform better. I was already viewed as a high performer. I was already effective in my work and as a leader (or so I thought).

So my problem was not that I needed to be better at work. My problem was that I felt like I was missing out on my life.

I didn’t want to be working evenings and weekends, and having little energy, presence -- or patience – left for my family.

I wanted to be at the kids’ weekly swimming lessons or at the lake on vacation and not be worrying about a big meeting or what I didn’t get done.

I wanted to stop feeling like I was drowning in everything to do and simply ENJOY MY LIFE at a pace that felt right for me.

So, for me, high performance had nothing to do with it. The same goes for today. I am intentional to do the things that help me to be (and feel) balanced.

I will prioritize my personal time, what gives me joy, and my mental health. I take care of myself especially when life is feeling messy and hard.

And the bonus is that I PERFORM EVEN BETTER WHEN I DO. That’s the paradox in all this.

Happiness and balance are KEY when it comes to high performance.

This isn't just my opinion and experience. This is hard science. It's a missing piece in how many leaders and teams are operating these days.

When I stopped working all the time, I performed better and led stronger (even getting a promotion). And when I work less now in my business, I am more effective and get better results.

Because I focus on what really matters and let go of what matters less.

And because, when we feel good and take care of our well-being, we are more focused, confident and resilient -- and perform at higher levels.

So while I don’t “care” about high performance and it’s not what drives me – it is still important.

This is the same as what I hear from many clients who decide to work with me or attend a workshop. It’s rarely about being a high performer.

They already see themselves as effective at work.

They want to be present and their best self with their family.

They want to enjoy their personal time and have more ‘me’ time to do what gives them joy.

They want to feel happier and more confident in themselves and their choices.

And yes, they often also want to feel a greater sense of accomplishment in their work too.

You see, there is a path to work less and enjoy life more.

To be more present and patient with the people you care about. To experience more joy and happiness each day.

To focus on what really matters instead of being busy, busy, busy and trying to do it all.

You will perform even better and lead even stronger when you do!

It's a choice and up to you what path you choose.

All my best,

What Next?

You can sign up for Stacey's masterclass, The Confident "No" here.

Stacey L. Olson is a Leadership and Certified Positive Psychology Coach, has 15 years of corporate experience and has gone through her own transformational change from burning out to balanced in life while performing at a high level (both in her corporate career and own business). She works with professionals who want to work less, live more and be their best even with all the demands, high expectations and messiness of everyday life. Stacey is the founder of The Balanced Leader™ program and offers executive and leadership coaching, workshops, and speaking.