When Life Feels Like Too Much: What Great Leaders Do Next

Ever have one of those weeks where everything and everyone seemed to need you all at once?
Yeah… that happened to me not too long ago. Between diapers, midnight wake-ups, and a leadership letdown from one of my students, I was done.

But here’s the thing: moments like these don’t just test your patience, they reveal your patterns.

That week in general stretched me thin. My youngest was crying most nights, possibly fighting a urinary tract infection (UTI). My oldest was hiding chicken nuggets in dressers. My wife came back from a trip, and instead of feeling “whole again,” we found ourselves disconnected.

As a dad, it’s exhausting.
As a husband, it’s frustrating.
As a leader, it’s humbling.

But as I looked at the chaos; the poop on the rug, the cold silence, the late-night cries… I realized something:

This isn’t punishment. It’s practice.

Every leader I coach, from executives to parentpreneurs, faces moments where life feels like too much. And what separates those who grow from those who crumble is how they reflect before they react.

That’s where my framework — the REAL Reflection Cycle — comes in.

Applying the REAL Reflection Cycle

1. Recognize:

Recognize when you’re at your edge.
When you feel yourself about to break, pause. Name what’s really going on. For me, it wasn’t just exhaustion — it was the weight of trying to keep everything running perfectly.

👉 Leadership Lesson: You can’t fix what you won’t face.

2. Evaluate:

Ask yourself: “What’s really in my control right now?”
I couldn’t control my daughter’s pain, my wife’s jet lag, or the messy house. But I could control my presence — how I showed up, how I listened, how I led at home.

👉 Leadership Lesson: Evaluation helps you trade frustration for focus.

3. Adjust:

Adjust doesn’t mean lowering your standards, it means realigning your priorities.
So instead of forcing connection, I shifted my energy. I took the girls for ice cream. I laughed with my girl’s giggles. I reminded myself that presence beats performance.

👉 Leadership Lesson: Adjustments aren’t signs of weakness. They’re proof of growth.

4. Launch:

After reflection comes re-engagement — with renewed clarity.
Leadership isn’t about escaping the chaos. It’s about launching forward because of it.

When I finally sat down that night, boba in hand, I realized this: you can’t pour from an empty cup — but you can always refill it with purpose.

What separates those who grow from those who crumble is how they reflect before they react.

REFLECTION:

Leaders, whether you’re running a team or running after toddlers, life will test you in unexpected ways. You’ll get tired. You’ll get frustrated. You’ll feel unseen.

But the key isn’t to push harder — it’s to pause deeper.
Recognize. Evaluate. Adjust. Launch.

That’s how we stay intentional.

CALL TO ACTION:

If this hit home, I created a free resource to help you apply this same cycle to your week — even when life gets chaotic.

Download The Intentional Leader Roadmap and start realigning your daily actions with your bigger purpose.

How do you usually reset after a tough week?
Choose your reset mode:

• Take a walk and breathe
• Grab a coffee and reflect
• Dive back in with a new plan