Keeping Your Cool Takes Practice

You're there again—staring down another day where it feels like everything that could go wrong, does.

Ping. Another message pops up, a silent yet piercing reminder of the relentless pace. Deadlines aren’t just approaching; they’re taunting you, each tick of the clock a glaring reminder of the time slipping away.

Ping. Yet another urgent update request, as if the pressure wasn't already suffocating enough. The projects you’ve poured your soul into are fraying around the edges, despite your meticulous planning and sleepless nights. And your team?

Ping. Another deviation from the plan, another fire to put out. The ones you've coached, mentored, and believed in? They're suddenly coloring outside the lines you painstakingly drew, leaving you to question where the disconnect lies. The frustration isn't simmering; it's boiling over.

Ping. With each notification, the heat of anger in your chest grows, a raging inferno that threatens to consume your carefully curated composure. Words once wielded with precision now sharpen into weapons of irritation, ready to lash out at the next available target. It's maddening.

Ping. The sheer audacity of things not aligning with your vision, despite your clear instructions and relentless effort. It feels like shouting into a void, expecting harmony but greeted with dissonance. You’re at the brink, teetering on the edge of unleashing a torrent of frustration on anyone who dares cross your path.

Ping. The injustice of it all... of unrecognized effort, of unmet expectations. Why can't everyone just do things how you want them to? It festers like a wound, turning your resolve into resentment.

But then, you look around at other people or other instant message groups and you pause. Nobody else seems to feel chaotic. Nobody else is angry typing. Once your anger subsides, a choice emerges. This moment of clarity, hard-earned and fragile, pulls you in a different direction. It whispers of strength in the calm that follows.

Ping. Another message, but this time, it's different. With a deep, grounding breath, the choice becomes clear.

You silence the notifications, reclaiming your control. Ignoring them isn't an option here but you do need to go through them with purpose. You realize that the true test of leadership can't be completed by avoiding the fires but bringing a bucket without holes, channeling the intensity of your emotions into a force for change.

And next time, you welcome the pressure because you're ready to get through the next wave with resilience and resolve.