When the world feels like it’s spinning faster than you can keep up with…
When headlines weigh heavy and decisions feel impossible…
It’s natural to crave control.
We all do it.
We want to predict the outcome.
We want to fix what’s broken.
We want to keep everyone safe, steady, and strong—including ourselves.
But here’s something I’ve had to learn—and relearn—many times as a leader:
Control is an illusion.
But response? Response is your superpower.
The Stoics Had It Right
The ancient Stoic philosophers taught that the only things truly within our control are our thoughts, our choices, and our actions.
Not other people.
Not outcomes.
Not circumstances.
As a leader, this can feel terrifying—especially when people are looking to you for answers.
But it’s also freeing.
Because it means that even in chaos, you can still choose how to show up.
You can choose:
- To take a breath before reacting.
- To admit you don’t know, and still stand strong in your values.
- To create calm in the room, even when you feel the storm inside.
- To lead with kindness when fear is shouting for urgency.
Real Leadership Isn’t About Control
It’s about presence.
It’s about responding rather than reacting.
It’s about holding space—not just making moves.
This is especially true in uncertain times.
When fear runs high, people don’t need someone who pretends to have everything under control.
They need someone who knows how to respond with clarity, grace, and groundedness.
You May Not Be Able to Fix the World—But You Can Change the Moment
Leadership isn’t always big speeches or bold strategies.
Sometimes, it’s in the tiny, almost invisible acts of choosing your response.
Choosing to listen.
Choosing to pause.
Choosing to say, “Let’s figure this out together.”
And when you do that, you model something incredibly powerful:
That power isn’t about controlling everything.
It’s about staying true to yourself in how you respond.
Final thought:
Your response sets the tone.
And in a world where so much feels out of reach, that kind of power is more than enough.
What’s one moment recently when you chose to respond with intention, even when everything felt out of control?
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