Ever had one of those weeks where everything feels like it's falling apart, but somehow you still manage to move forward? That was me from one of my past week. I overslept, missed morning calls, dealt with sick kids who couldn't tell me what was wrong, and got hit with a health reality check that I wasn't ready for.
But here's what I learned: chaos isn't the enemy of clarity, it's the teacher.
That week taught me something profound about leadership and life: Time isn't scarce, focus is. When we stop pretending we can control time and start designing how we use it, everything changes.
The Week Everything Went "Wrong" (But Actually Went Right)
Monday morning started with me oversleeping and missing my AM calls. My oldest daughter was up all night with a stuffy nose, eyes swollen, and my youngest was crying more than usual. As a parent of non-verbal kids, the frustration is real, you just want to solve the problem and make the pain go away.
But instead of spiraling into guilt about those missed calls, something clicked. I wrote in my journal: "It's never about having time, it's about prioritization."
That simple realization shifted everything. Instead of fighting against what was happening, I leaned into it. Family Day for CPO Season became the priority. Cleaning the kitchen became intentional time with my thoughts. Even killing that hornets' nest became a metaphor for eliminating the things buzzing around my head, stealing my focus.
The IMPACT Pillar That Changes Everything: TIME
In my IMPACT framework, the TIME pillar stands on this foundation: "Design your days or drift through them." That chaotic week proved this principle in the most real way possible.
Here's the core message that every leader needs to understand: Time isn't scarce, focus is. We convince ourselves we don't have enough time, but the truth is, we don't have enough clarity on what deserves our attention.
The behavior driver for this pillar is simple but powerful: Optimization compounds progress. Every small tweak to how you use time creates exponential results over weeks and months.
The OPTIMAX Framework in Action
During that crazy week, I unknowingly ran through my OPTIMAX™ framework:
Observe → I noticed I was trying to force productivity when my family needed me most.
Prioritize → I chose to focus on girls' time instead of stressing over tasks.
Tweak → I adjusted my expectations and gave myself permission to be fully present.
Implement → When I did have calls (like with Gary G), I took action immediately after hanging up.
Maximize → Those focused actions created better results than scattered busy work.
The result? Even in a week that felt chaotic, I had productive conversations, made real estate connections, and most importantly, was the dad and leader my family needed.
The Health Reality That Shifted My Priorities
Wednesday's medical appointment delivered news that forced another level of clarity: I was told I am prediabetic. Nothing like a health scare to make you realize that all the productivity systems in the world don't matter if you're not taking care of the foundation, your body and your presence.
That appointment reinforced something I already knew but wasn't fully practicing: optimization isn't about doing more, it's about doing what matters most with the energy you have.
Quick Decisions Beat Perfect Plans
One of my biggest insights from that week came from a conversation: "Maybe is the enemy of progress." When you're juggling sick kids, work calls, and life's curveballs, you don't have the luxury of perfect information. You have to make decisions with what you know and adjust as you go.
I saw this play out in real-time. When Andrew from our mastermind community offered to make introductions for home care opportunities in Mexico, I didn't overthink it, I said yes and moved forward. When Chad from SHRM mentioned speaking opportunities, I didn't wait for the "perfect" time: I committed to checking out their next event.
These weren't massive decisions, but they were intentional ones. And intentional beats perfect every single time.
The Small Wins That Create Big Momentum
Here's what I want you to understand: that week wasn't successful because everything went according to plan. It was successful because I learned to celebrate the small wins:
✓ Taking immediate action after productive calls
✓ Choosing presence over productivity when my kids needed me
✓ Having honest conversations about health and priorities
✓ Making quick decisions instead of getting stuck in "maybe"
Each of these small wins built momentum for the next decision, the next day, the next week.
Your Intentional Day Design Challenge
If you want to turn your chaos into clarity, start with this exercise from my TIME pillar:
Morning Intention (5 minutes)
Before you check your phone, write down: "Today I will design my time around _______." Fill in the blank with your most important priority.
Midday Recalibration (3 minutes)
At lunch, ask yourself: "Am I designing my day or drifting through it?" Adjust if needed.
Evening Reflection (5 minutes)
Before bed, note: "One thing I optimized today was _______." Celebrate that small win.
This isn't about perfect execution: it's about intentional direction.
The Leadership Lesson Hidden in the Chaos
Here's what that week taught me about leadership: the best leaders aren't the ones who never face chaos. They're the ones who find clarity in the middle of it.
Your team is watching how you handle the unexpected. Your family is learning from how you prioritize when everything competes for attention. Your future self is depending on the decisions you make when things don't go according to plan.
Design your days or drift through them. The choice is always yours.
From Scattered to Systematic
By Friday of that week, I wasn't just surviving the chaos: I was learning from it. Good calls with Andrew, productive conversations about speaking opportunities, clear decisions about next steps. The week that started with missed calls ended with momentum.
The difference wasn't that I suddenly got more time. The difference was that I got more intentional about the time I had.
That's the power of the OPTIMAX™ framework working in real-time:
- Observe your patterns without judgment
- Prioritize based on what matters most, not what screams loudest
- Tweak your approach as you learn
- Implement quickly once you decide
- Maximize the impact of every intentional choice
Your Turn to Design, Not Drift
Every leader faces weeks like mine: where family needs collide with work demands, where health realities force new priorities, where chaos feels like the only constant.
The question isn't whether you'll face these weeks. The question is: will you design your response or drift through the difficulty?
Time expands when intention directs it. Start designing your days around what matters most, and watch how much clarity emerges from what used to feel like chaos.
Ready to stop drifting and start designing your leadership legacy? Let's talk about how to build your own intentional systems that work even when life doesn't go according to plan. Book a 30-minute clarity call here and let's turn your chaos into your competitive advantage.
Your future self: and everyone who depends on your leadership( will thank you for making this decision today.)
