Have you felt like you’re struggling lately as a CEO? Technology and AI are rapidly changing, and you’re expected to continually learn to keep up – and keeping up can be incredibly stressful.
It’s easy to tell yourself you don’t know what you’re doing and your business won’t succeed. But we’re here to talk about a better way to approach these obstacles today – and it starts with your mindset and the thoughts you tell yourself.
The Importance of Training Your Mind
The pace of change in business and the world is rapid. Research shows that the rate of change has increased by 33% year over year, leaving leaders scrambling to keep up. It’s no wonder that 71% of CEOs struggle with imposter syndrome, wondering if they’re capable of leading through uncertainty.
This self-doubt often leads to overwhelm, distraction, or getting caught up in busy work. If you’ve ever felt stuck in the weeds, unsure of your next move, or paralyzed by the fear of failure, you’re not alone. But the truth is, the stories we tell ourselves matter. If you’re telling yourself, “It’s not possible,” or, “We can’t do this right now,” you’re training your mind to believe those limitations.
Training Your Mind and Shifting Your Mindset
One of the most powerful shifts you can make as a leader is to train your mind to lean into possibility, even when the path forward isn’t clear. This doesn’t mean ignoring challenges like budget constraints, market shifts, or team turnover. Instead, it’s about choosing to embrace the fear of the unknown over the fear of staying stagnant.
Take this example: A business I oversee faced a tough year with external challenges like a fire and key team members leaving. The easy mindset would have been, “We can’t do this because of X, Y, and Z.” But by asking, “What are we training our minds to believe?” we shifted to, “We’ll figure it out.” That mindset allowed us to navigate through the obstacle and find solutions we didn’t initially see.
Leaning Into the Unknown
The unknown is scary, but it’s also where innovation lives. As leaders, we need to train ourselves to approach uncertainty with curiosity and confidence. Maybe you have a bold new idea for a product or service but no roadmap to make it happen. Or perhaps you’re staring down technological shifts like AI or economic challenges and wondering how to adapt. Whatever the scenario, embracing the unknown is the first step toward progress.
Expanding Your Identity as a Leader
Good leadership today starts from within. To lead others effectively, you must first master the thoughts and beliefs that drive your actions. Expanding your identity as a leader means:
- Recognizing self-doubt as a normal reaction to the unknown
- Reframing challenges as opportunities to grow, learn, and innovate
- Betting on yourself and your ability to navigate uncertainty
When you expand your identity, you open yourself up to the possibilities you’ve been too afraid to consider. You’re no longer limited by “what’s always been” or “what didn’t work last time.” Instead, you’re building a mindset of resilience, creativity, and belief in what’s possible.
Training Your Mind: Take Action
If you’re ready to retrain your mind and expand your identity as a leader, don’t do it alone. Working with a coach, joining mastermind groups, or finding a mentor can give you the tools and support you need to level up. You can book a virtual coffee chat with me to discuss how to take your leadership to the next level.
What are you training your mind to do as a CEO? As we move into a new year, let’s commit to training our minds to believe in the possible – for ourselves, our teams, and the future we’re building.
Resources Mentioned
☕️ Schedule a Virtual Coffee with Theresa
📝 Uncover Your Biggest Blindspots with the Entrepreneur Quiz
Related Episodes
The Importance of Leadership and Lifelong Learning
Embrace R&D: How Experimentation Fuels Creativity, Empathy, and Growth
Choose Your Own Hard: How to Keep Going When Times Get Tough
