PhotoCredit: DoNotDisturb
One of the questions I always ask executives is "what keeps you awake at night?" It is a question I have modified slightly in language; from a wellbeing standpoint it's not ideal to allude to sleep loss. Regardless of phrasing, I want to understand what they see as the greatest and most pressing challenge. Do you know this for your business?
The corollary is the question "what gets you leaping out of bed in the morning?" AKA what are you most excited about right now? If you struggle to answer that question, see my first question.
Having an answer to both of these questions gives you a lot of information. Digging deeper into each of the questions will give you a lot of answers. If not answers, certainly a lot of areas of inquiry. Who can you talk to about the issue that is troubling you? What is one thing you can do today that might move you forward on that challenge? How many people in the business share your concern? Are you missing something bigger and obsessing over something obvious - is there a problem behind that problem?
Delving into what is getting you amped for life is it's own bounty. Are you excited about your work or is it a hobby that is electrifying you? Is there a specific task you are doing that you are loving? Do you have a new morning ritual that is making everything in your day easy? Even just the knowledge that you still love your work is an incredible realization. If that's where you get to (and if not, time to squiggle?!)
Now, turn those questions around. Ask the morning questions in reference to your sleepless night challenge. Could you create a ritual, could you learn to love the challenge, do you still love your work, is there a hobby that might round out your life?
Then add some challenge to your mornings: who could you speak with that might challenge and stretch you, what task are you avoiding that you could focus on, how are the people in your business feeling about their work, is there a threat to your business that you should broaden your focus to see?
Obviously, I am talking about perspective. When we bring positivity and optimism to a problem, we give ourselves more space and energy to solve it. When we bring challenge to the energy of enthusiasm, we create expansive thinking that will propel us forward.
Ultimately, of course, I want you sleeping well and waking up enthused for the day, for your work, and for your life. Perspective will help you with that. Turning off your screens before you go to bed and reading will also help. As will listening to a meditation podcast or some yoga-nidra as you drift off. Bundle all of that up and you have a winning formula for greatness. Or at least a head-start.