Leadership Hangover?

I don’t know if you are like me or not.  I suspect we are all somewhat similar. Sometimes I just don’t want to lead.  I want to lay down and sleep off the leadership hangover. Sometimes it just seems too hard or I get tired….or I want something just a little too much.  I want to give up.

Rather than admit momentary defeat, I look for a noble reason to throw in the towel.  I call these “noble reasons” for a purpose – they are excuses, simply excuses, but they seem oh-so reasonable.  In their reasonable disguise, they make it easy for me to slip out the back door before you even see I’m gone.  You don’t follow to pull me back in because “I have my reasons.”

See if any of these are familiar – they are my favorites:

• I don’t have enough time (too busy, worked 2 jobs, worked all night, on a big deadline – you pick ‘em)
• I don’t have enough education
• I’m a single parent of three, how could I possibly do (fill in the blank)
• I’m too old – that ship has passed me by, or any variation thereof
• Go ahead and fill in your favorite noble reason ___________________________

Now the silliest of the above reasons is “I’m too old for that” – and it’s one I use even though I’m not really that old.  I’m too old to sing professionally.  I’m too old to go back to school.  I’m too old to fall in love again.  I’m too old to launch a multi-million dollar business.

Yesterday, I looked out my window and saw “too old” in a blaze of glory.  Here is this gorgeous bush about to go dormant.  Yep, those leaves are too old for much shade or anything else useful.  But….look at the gorgeous color.  Look at the vibrancy.  One last gasp of glorious beauty.  Reminding me that I am never too old for anything that is important to me and that my excuses are just that – excuses!

Have a glorious, burnt-orange, kind-of-gorgeous day!