It seems that everyone has a new or renewed interest in self-care these days. And for good reason. Many of us have never truly taken it seriously enough to be consistent. Yet, there is so much in the resource stratosphere about life/work balance, brain health, personal safety, diet, exercise, sleep, supplementation, change of scenery/vacations, spa days, trips to a myriad of doctors for check ups and times we’re feeling sub-par, and on and on it goes.
The Struggle to Keep Up With “Optimal Health”
Those of us who try to be proactive in attending to our health find it to be an endless pursuit that seldom meets our personal goals of optimal health. We find ourselves in a state of catch up because there never seems to be enough time to attend more to the important, rather than the urgent. As a result, we wisely seek professional support from coaches to tackle this dilemma.
The Role of Coaching in Sustainable Self-Care
We coaches can certainly help in partnering together to set up a plan and provide the level of accountability desired. Coaches can help in the process of reaching an energy level that enables increased performance and fewer ebbs and flows. This is often the solution to attaining a balanced perspective and a sustainable lifestyle that supports our personal and professional goals. However, sometimes it takes more than a plan of action and accountability to attain optimal results.
Patrick Lencioni’s Story
Patrick Lencioni has spoken out very frankly about the present state of executives he works with who find themselves running non stop from an empty tank. Patrick Lencioni is someone who knows the pulse of executives. He is a conference speaker, author and consultant himself. He has recently found himself at a crossroads of finding little joy in accomplishing things that previously energized him.
Counseling as a Form of Self-Care
He suspended his podcast, At The Table, for six months and engaged a counselor who helped him understand what has driven him over the years. The analysis helped him identify his healthy and unhealthy motives that reached back into his childhood. Through this deep dive, he has come to the conclusion that many of us need to take stock in our lives in a retrospective way through counseling. I think many can resonate with his conclusions. (You can learn more about this by tuning in to his At The Table podcast from April 1, 2025 entitled “Does Fear or Joy Drive Your Leadership Style?” It’s a great question worth considering.)
The Courage to Look Inward
Not everyone needs counseling. But, many do. If you are willing to ask yourself what truly drives your leadership, you may find a kindred spirit with Patrick Lencioni and provide a new level of self-care that you haven’t explored before. Whatever conclusion you reach, prioritizing self-care is one of the most important practice any executive can decide to take on. It may be the most important thing you can do for yourself to improve your performance at work.
To learn more about our executive coaching services, reach out to Fran for a consultation.