What excites and intimidates – Talk Business & Politics

In July 2017, a guest speaker asked a room full of CEOs, “How do you manage vitality?” What I remember is that the faces of the leaders in the room were a mix of confusion and uncertainty that boiled down to a collective: “Huh?

At this point, for this group, vitality was not something we had given much thought to and was seen more as a by-product than something to manage. But what I learned that day has since had a profound impact on my life and career.

I remember this day because I had 30 days left until I officially moved CEO peer groups to a new leader to fully launch into a private consulting practice. Our speaker that day showed us that vitality is a function of two factors that must both be present: What excites and what intimidates. This duality changed the situation.

Many things are exciting and fun but are not necessarily intimidating. And the things that intimidate but don’t excite, most of us would prefer to avoid. But as we processed this combo, we were able to recognize times in our lives and careers where we were involved in projects or circumstances that caused excitement and intimidation, resulting in the triggering of all the synapses and vitality we felt.

Being on the verge of leaving a known and successful platform to really hang my own shingles was certainly exciting and daunting. This pairing even became my client criterion as I looked for projects that provided both, and where one or the other was not strong, I learned to succeed.

Fast forward to 2024. My decision then to step away from this practice and join the team at Hope Cancer Resources brought me a new act of what excites and intimidates. I am joining an exceptionally strong organization doing important work, succeeding a respected retired leader in a growing healthcare region and segment with increasing demands and expectations.

Excitement and intimidation? Check and check.

I share all this to ask the question: What about you? Do you manage vitality? Are you looking for things that excite and intimidate? Please know that I am not advocating a career change. Most of you are exactly where you need to be, and the rest of us need you to do what you do as a profession. Yet, are you aware of what excites and intimidates you, so that it brings out the best in you and has a different level of impact as a result?

Let’s leave the workplace for a minute. And with us? There are choices that can be made there in terms of what we pursue as families and that give us vitality as we grow together. Hobbies and personal interests are another front to inject vitality into our lives. Where could you explore something new as an area of ​​personal growth or new experiences?

I wouldn’t claim to have mastered this. I am very much a work in progress. What I’ve learned along the way is that looking at my commitments and opportunities through this lens has brought me to a place of serving cancer patients and their caregivers, being a husband and father, the causes I invest in in the community, and what I personally pursue Wellness has created levels of vitality that I rely on. And I hope this lens can do the same for you.

Editor’s note: Chuck Hyde is president and CEO of Hope Cancer Resources, a nonprofit organization that provides cancer support and education to patients and their families in Northwest Arkansas. The opinions expressed are those of the author.

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