Welcome to the Deploy Yourself Newsletter, where I share what impactful leadership looks like to show your own power. I also share the most insightful lessons and stories I encountered in the last two weeks. You can also read this issue online.
Hey,
Doing nothing is not FAILURE. It could be the best thing for you.
Do you feel the urge to fill your time with work?
Do you feel the urge to make each hour and minute of your day productive?
Does doing nothing feel like a failure or a waste of time?
I am sharing this today because I have spent most of my life trying to be busy or productive.
I am sharing this because I equated being busy or productive with success or the path to success.
But what if being busy is just an escape hatch to avoid what we don’t want to face – stillness and silence?
What if there is a huge treasure in being with oneself without any distractions or anything to do?
A powerful question to ask yourself is –
What am I consciously avoiding so much that I have to keep so busy?
If I can not be in silence in my own company, what does that tell me about myself?
Sitting in silence can be hard.
It means facing the anxiety and fear we want to avoid, and answering the questions we don’t want to answer.
If you have the courage, sit alone in solitude and do nothing.
See what questions come up and what are they pointing towards
How long can you sit with yourself without any distractions? 5 mins, 10 mins, 30 mins…
Try doing that for a few days or longer, and you will be amazed by what you discover.
Reply back with any insights or surprises in your life as you reflect on what I share. I read and respond to every reply.
PS – I have taken a stand to eradicate workplace stress. In the 21st century, stress has no place at work. If you want to transform your teams and build a culture where people wait for Mondays and not Fridays, send me a message.
Fascinating Articles & Stories
One
How to Navigate Conflict with a Coworker
No matter what type of difficult colleague you’re dealing with or what you decide to do next, these seven strategies can improve your odds of responding productively, establishing appropriate boundaries, and building stronger, more fulfilling collaborations at work.
1. Remember That Your Perspective Is Just One Among Many
2. Be Aware of Your Biases
3. Don’t Make It “Me Against Them”
For the complete list of 7 strategies, see the article on HBR
Two
Should this be a meeting? in one image
Without saying much, please find the image below or here.
From NOBL Academy
Three
New Inspiring Episodes on the Choosing Leadership Podcast
Below are the latest episodes where I have interviewed these amazing leaders. Listen to their story to know the choices they have made to be where they are now.
Leadership Journeys [28] – Gilad Regev – “Fear can be my friend“
That’s it for now. If you have any questions or feedback, or if you are new and want to introduce yourself, hit reply. I read and respond to every reply. All the best,
Sumit
P.S. – If you are in Amsterdam, I am co-leading a 5-week leadership BootCamp later this year. There are only a few seats remaining. If you want to join or send a few people from your leadership team, simply reply back. More details here
(Twitter) @SumitGupta
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