Pick Up Your Feet

Fatigue is a state of mind (sometimes). Even though it’s September, the Texas heat is so brutal that I often do not feel like starting my run, much less finishing it. When I begin to shuffle, I know that heat-induced fatigue is setting in. Rather than my normal running gait, I shorten my stride and lift my feet just high enough to keep from scraping the ground. But here’s the interesting thing. When I tell myself to pick up my feet, my stride improves and so does my mental state. I actually feel better as I start to run a little faster. Leaders also get fatigued, and sometimes it may be state of mind as much as reality. Note that I didn’t say the fatigue is imagined. The Texas heat isn’t imagined. But how I think about the heat – my state of mind – affects how I react to the heat. In the same way, a difficult circumstance facing a leader is very real – an angry church member, disappointing results from a new program, a staff person who isn’t meeting expectations. But there are a variety of ways to think about the circumstance. You might catastrophize it, believing it will cause your downfall. Or you might give up because “you can’t do anything about it.” Or you might be consumed by worry and uncertainty, thinking of all the different options and wondering which is right. All of those are like me focusing on the stifling heat is and how difficult my run is. There is another option in challenging situations. Choose a different mindset. The church member may be angry, but that doesn’t mean you’re to blame. The disappointing results are an opportunity to learn and make positive changes. The staff person needs some additional coaching. And in all these examples, you also have the opportunity to reflect on the many things that are going well and the many reasons you should be grateful. I’m not thankful for suffocating heat and humidity, but I am thankful that I am able to run. If you think this sounds like pop psychology positivity, I think it sounds biblical. “Do not worry about tomorrow” (Matt. 6:34), “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil. 4:4), and “If we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” (1 Tim. 6:78) are three verses that come to mind. One final note. There are times when changing my mindset won’t overcome the fact that my energy has been depleted by the heat. And there will be times when you need a genuine break after (or during) a challenging season of ministry. (See my blog, “When Leaders are Fatigued,” for more on this.) But the next time you’re feeling overwhelmed or under attack, see if picking up your feet makes a difference. It’s easy to receive my blogs by email. Just sign-up on Feedburner by clicking here.]]>