LET'S BE CLEAR

In high-performance cultures, it's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the daily grind, especially when the pace is lightning-fast, deadlines loom, and the pressure to perform is on. In our well-intended pursuit of efficiency, productivity, and results, we can quickly fall into bad patterns, get caught up in the grind, and wear busy as a badge. I've done it, and I've also seen it first-hand. In fact, I recently heard this conversation below in the lobby of a Fortune 100 accounting firm. (Names have been slightly altered to protect the participants' identity)…

Hustle: "How you doing?"
Bustle: "Totally swamped."
Hustle: "I hear you. I'm paddling upstream myself."
Bustle: "I got you. I'm just trying to stay above water."
Hustle: "No joke, I'm barely coming up for air."
Bustle: "I kid you not, I'm drowning."
Hustle: "Hang in there."
Bustle: "Will do. Keep up the good work."

With exchanges like this, no wonder so many are so wiped out. We're trying to out-busy one another. We're normalizing being overwhelmed. We're battling to the bottom of the sea…and there are no winners in this competition. So, what gives, and more importantly, how can we flip the switch on our conversations, this mindset, these patterns, and stay above water?

In Game On terms, we address these issues by focusing on the importance of resting, fueling, and moving well, and these pillars are the driving force behind one of our signature Communication programs called "Connecting with Clarity". We see this practical approach as a powerful and proven pathway for clear communication and authentic connection…with ourselves, with others, and with our message.

Here's how we break it down in practical terms:

"REST"…WITH INTENTION

Sleeping well is key…but what about seeing rest as pausing, disconnecting, taking a step back, breathing, and reflecting? This perspective can go a long way in helping to better handle high-pressure decision making, allow for a different and possibly healthier perspective to drive our navigational skills, and improve our overall clarity.

"FUEL"…RESPONSIBLY

Fueling well is often interpreted as what we eat and drink…but what about what we take in, what we digest, what we consume in general? With this new lens, we may realize the content we read, the shows we watch, the things we listen to, and the information we gather, all play a major role in our mindset and temperament and can massively affect our clarity and ability to connect with others.

"MOVE" AND BE MOVED

Moving well - and exercising in general - is important for our overall well-being…but what about also seeing movement as things that move us and how we move others? Identifying what lights us up, and making it a priority to genuinely impact others can give us clarity of purpose and help motivate us to get out there and make genuine connections.

In our noble pursuit to connect with clarity - to our purpose, to others, to a message, to an audience, to our community, to a mission - it doesn't matter how wonderful the words are, how cool the stage looks, how polished the script is, how well the PowerPoint slides flow…if we aren't resting well, fueling well, and moving well, we're all in jeopardy of getting swept up in the hustle and bustle and getting caught in the current.

To stay above water, let's be intentional about connecting with clarity. Let's prioritize what matters. In other words… let's be clear.

Rest On. Fuel On. Move On. Game On.