So, tell me: how did you feel this morning?
I felt as rusty as the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz.
I OVERINDULGED this Thanksgiving. I think I ate 3000 calories on Thursday, 75% of them were carbs. All were DELICIOUS. I also made the conscious choice to engage in some hard-core chilling, too, which is pretty easy when you’re snowed in.
So, yeah: today was rough. But I knew the assignment: I’m a leader. I’ve got to fight to fall back into my Battle Rhythm. So, I set my alarm painfully early, hit the gym, and then started working my agenda.
I learned about a Battle Rhythm in the Marines. It’s the schedule a leader keeps to ensure predictability, consistency, and a steady information flow. In my business life, here’s what my rhythm looks like:
A non-negotiable morning routine
Standing weekly meetings with my team, clients
Time “chunking” where I block time on my calendar for projects and creative work
A Friday afternoon “round up,” where I close out the week with my team, clients
A rhythm is an essential commitment leaders make to drive performance. Think about it for a second. In a band, a drummer keeps the rhythm. Without the drummer, a band can’t stay in sync – they just make a lot of noise. Sadly, too many leaders I’ve met move through their weeks making a lot of commotion, a lot of noise, but no forward progress because they lack rhythm. This is sad because without rhythm, there’s no harmony.
Now, clipping into a Battle Rhythm – especially after an epic holiday weekend – isn’t without resistance. I’m sure you’re like me: after a week of sweets, sweats, and great football (GO BLUE!), it’s hard to redirect your focus to productivity and results, or even fit into your pants for that matter. Yet, as difficult as a routine is to keep, it’s worth every ounce of discomfort to have and to keep.
So here’s what I do to fight resistance and get back into my rhythm. It’s really simple:
Don’t overthink it. We talk ourselves out of progress all the time. So stop thinking about what you have to do and start doing it.
Don’t focus on the outcome. Focus, instead, on the task at hand.
Don’t look at the clock. If we think about how long something is going to take, we get stressed. Just focus on the moment.
Turn off alarms. It’s near impossible to stay focused with disruptions.
Work your plan. If you’ve got a rhythm, you know the plan – so work it. And before you know it? You’ll be back, baby!
I care about you. I know you’ve got aggressive goals that you want to complete before the new year. My guidance? Go get it. Create and step into your Battle Rhythm and before you know it you’ll be relishing the next holiday season, while preparing for 2025!
