Pushing through…
I still remember the days when every step felt like wading through sand.
Moving forward, but slowly. Each decision feeling heavier than the last. Smiling on the outside, managing the politics, keeping things steady for my team. But inside? Stuck. Drained. Questioning whether any of it was really moving me (or the business) forward.
Back then, I thought I was doing what was expected. Holding it together. Saying the right things in the room. Delivering outcomes, meeting deadlines, absorbing pressure. That was leadership, right?
But I was lost in the terrain.
Last week, cycling through the sandy trails of Thetford Forest with a mate, I stopped at the Desert Rats Memorial. It marks where the 7th Armoured Division trained before D-Day. There's a Cromwell tank sitting quietly among the trees on a stone plinth. I'd come for the ride, but stayed for the reflection.
The Desert Rats trained in this forest to prepare for terrain they couldn't fully anticipate. They rehearsed, regrouped, and rolled out - through uncertainty, fatigue, and resistance. I imagine they had their own moments of doubt. But they didn't stay stuck.
Isn't that what we're all doing?
Leaders everywhere are navigating shifting sands daily. Unclear expectations. Competing demands. Quiet questions about whether this is still the right direction, or whether the map needs redrawing entirely.
But sometimes the job isn't to push through regardless.
Sometimes it's to stop. Regroup. Remember what you're aiming for, and why you started moving in the first place.
That's what I find myself doing as a coach these days.
I left corporate life not because I had all the answers, but because I'd spent too long ignoring my own stuck-ness. Since then, I've discovered a different kind of leadership - one that's grounded, not grand. One that helps others find their footing rather than just pressing on regardless.
I work with leaders who are carrying a lot. Often, they just want space to think, breathe, recalibrate. To find traction again. It's not always about fixing a problem - sometimes it's about remembering the point of the journey.
The shift to working independently hasn't just helped me support others. It's helped me find more joy in the everyday: coaching, collaborating, creating space for others to do their thinking. And yes, getting out on the bike with good people.
The sands still shift. But I'm moving with more clarity now. And I'm no longer doing it alone - just like that ride through Norfolk, hitting the sandy trails with momentum and great company.
If you're feeling stuck in the sand - weighed down, worn out, not sure what's next - I'd love to help you find your way forward.
Get in touch to start a conversation.
