Let’s talk about what makes you the big bucks: stress management.
You know, the unruly bastard that gives you ulcers and gray hair? Yeah, that stress.
The truth is that top executives must become all too familiar with managing stress levels that would make most people curl in the fetal position.
Why? Because stress is the price of admission to the executive suite, my friends.
I’ve coached countless C-suite hotshots and worked with more “unicorn” startup leaders than I care to count.
Do you know what separates the wheat from the chaff?
The best thrive in dysfunction and endure enormous, soul-crushing stress with relaxed certainty.
They’re either stoic robot people or carved their executive presence from experienced stone—but either way, it’s awe-inspiring to witness.
While many run from red flags (perhaps rightfully so), others run toward them and embrace a transformational and enthusiastic mindset amidst the added stress.
The lesson is to run toward stress—not away from it.
Here’s why:
1. Pressure is a privilege: High-stress situations mean high stakes. High stakes mean bigger rewards.
2. Growth happens outside your comfort zone: You don’t build muscle by lifting feathers, and you don’t create a career by playing it safe.
3. Calm is contagious: You become a beacon of leadership when you can keep your cool while everyone else is losing theirs.
4. Stress is a bullshit detector: Nothing reveals a person’s true character faster than a high-pressure situation.
5. It’s your competitive edge: While others crumble, you’ll make clear-headed decisions and seize opportunities.
Stress management isn’t about being a masochist. It’s about building your stress tolerance like you’d build any other skill.
Start small.
Take on projects that scare you a little or are low-risk—such as volunteering for that presentation everyone else avoids.
Then, slowly increase the risk—for example, by negotiating more aggressively with a peer, then a boss, and then the board.
Push yourself beyond your limits, recover, and do it again.
Over time, you’ll find that what once felt overwhelming becomes your new normal.
And when the real trouble hits the fan – like negotiating a multi-million dollar deal or navigating a company through a crisis —you’ll be the calm in the storm.
Remember, stress isn’t the enemy. And if you want to be exceptional, you need to get comfortable being uncomfortable.
So, the next time you feel that familiar knot in your stomach, don’t run from it. Lean into it.
Embrace it.
That stress is not trying to break you. It’s making you unbreakable.
Stay fearless, friends.
See you next week.