We often tell children that it’s acceptable to make mistakes, and quotes like “Failure is the path to success” are commonly displayed on classroom walls to instill this lesson. But did you know that, as adults, we often contradict this message?

If you’re conveying to kids that they are allowed to make mistakes while secretly believing that it’s not acceptable for you to make mistakes, there is a clear inconsistency between what you’re saying and how mistakes are treated. We spend so much of our lives trying to avoid mistakes, and you can probably think of mistakes you hold yourself accountable to or that you still beat yourself up over. There is so much drama and fear associated with making mistakes, and it’s costing you.

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As the academic year comes to a close, it’s not unusual to find ourselves dwelling on our shortcomings and perceived failures. After all, as leaders, we inevitably stumble, let our emotions get the better of us, utter the wrong words, or fail to meet our objectives. That’s where the profound power of self-forgiveness comes in, a skill too often overlooked.

If you’re a perfectionist, relentlessly driving yourself to do more and better, and struggling with self-love, this episode is a personal message to you. I understand the relentless pursuit of achievement and the insatiable drive for excellence. If this resonates with you, mastering self-forgiveness is a critical part of your journey.

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Do you have relationships in your life where you have a hunch that you’re being taken advantage of? Maybe someone is gaslighting you, manipulating your thoughts and feelings, or perhaps they’re asking you to overdeliver, overwork, or overextend yourself without reciprocating.

If you identify as someone who gets taken advantage of or generally feel like people approach you with the intent to hurt you, listen in. Usually, when we feel taken advantage of, we either dismiss it or stew on it, and both options hold us back. This is a very disempowered way to lead and live your life, so what can we do about it?

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My brain loves to frolic in the place of thinking about my clients. I spend a lot of time wondering how to make things easier for them, how to get them better results faster, and the best ways to model empowered leadership. As leaders, we often think about what the right, responsible, or proactive thing to do is, and I find myself in this energy often.

If you’ve ever felt spun out by your drive to get ahead of the game, whether professionally or personally, know that you’re not alone. The energy of being swift about our actions and wanting to do the right thing can feel empowering, but if you look underneath the surface, you might see that it’s not coming from an entirely clean place.

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There tend to be two camps of principals – the data-driven principals and the data-avoidant principals. Some of us get consumed with data and love it, whilst others of us freak out about it. I was in the avoidant camp for a long time, but this week, I offer you a balanced approach to data.

Data means what you make it mean, and it doesn’t have to make you feel bad. Data is simply numbers on a screen; it’s just math. Our interpretation of what we make that data mean is what makes it feel bad to us, but you don’t have to succumb to this disempowerment.

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