When the Wobbles Hit

I'll be honest. I had a wobble over Christmas.

You know the kind. The one that creeps in when you're supposed to be relaxing. When you've got time to think. Time to look at the spreadsheet. Time to notice that next quarter looks... thin.

I was doing some working-on-the-business work - logging invoices, tracking expected income, all that joy - when I noticed something. Whilst 2025 had some brilliant moments (projects that took me around the globe, reconnecting with organisations I care about, finding new clients doing genuinely interesting work), 2026 was looking really sparse.

And of course, all the old demons started kicking in.

Maybe that's it. Maybe that's all the work I'm going to get. How do I stand out? Am I going to be able to make this work? What about the people who rely on me?

Wobble after wobble after wobble.

The grumpy bit

It didn't put me in a great mood. I was properly grumpy. And I was with lifelong friends - people I should have been enjoying time with, soaking up the connection, the humour, the reminiscence. Instead, I was somewhere else entirely, stuck in my head.

That's the thing about wobbles, isn't it? They don't just affect you. They leak out. They show up in your mood, your energy, how present you are with the people around you. Even when you're trying to hide it.

I took a step back and asked myself: what would I say to a client facing a similar moment of doubt? How would I help them navigate this kind of transition?

The perspective shift

So I changed my perspective. Literally.

I pulled on my lycra, popped on a woolly hat (it was freezing), grabbed my gravel bike, and headed out into the forests around Kielder Water.

That ride gave me what I needed. As I worked my way up and down the undulations, something shifted. The wind-down at the end of the year is normal. The quiet period before ramping back up is just part of the business cycle. I know this. I've lived it in organisations for decades.

But here's what I'd forgotten: I'm not on a monthly salary anymore. Those predictable payments that smoothed out the blips don't exist now. The structure I was used to - fairly consistent across the year - isn't the reality I'm living in.

What I needed to remember was this: all the great work I did in 2025, I created for myself. And I can continue to create it again.

By the time I got back - tired but properly refreshed - I was ready for another round of quizzing, a strange cocktail, and dipping my hand into that big box of chocolates.

What this has to do with you

If you're leading at a senior level right now, you've probably had your own version of this wobble. Maybe over Christmas. Maybe it's happening as you read this.

That moment when you look at what's ahead and think: is this sustainable? Can I keep doing this? What if it all goes sideways?

You might be questioning whether the role still fits. Whether you've got what it takes for the next phase. Whether anyone would notice if you admitted you're finding it hard.

The wobbles show up differently for everyone. Sometimes it's the spreadsheet (like mine). Sometimes it's a difficult conversation that didn't land the way you hoped. Sometimes it's just the accumulated weight of being the person everyone else looks to for clarity and direction.

And here's what makes it harder: you're used to being the one with the answers. The one who helps others navigate uncertainty. The one who stays steady when everything else is shifting.

So when you're the one wobbling, it can feel like failure. Like you should have this sorted by now. Like admitting it would somehow diminish your credibility.

The thing about wobbles

I know I'll wobble again. That's not a failure of resilience or a sign I'm not cut out for this. It's just part of the territory when you're navigating complexity and building something that matters.

But here's what I need to remind myself when I do: perspective shifts don't come from sitting with the spreadsheet. They come from stepping away and remembering what you know to be true.

You've navigated complexity before. You've built credibility. You've delivered results through uncertainty. The wobbles don't erase that - they're just part of the territory.

The question isn't whether you'll have moments of doubt. It's whether you've got ways to step back, get perspective, and remember what you're capable of creating.

Sometimes that's a bike ride through the forest. Sometimes it's a conversation with someone who gets it. Sometimes it's both.

Where to go from here

If you're carrying weight right now - if you're questioning what's next or whether you've got what it takes - you're not alone. Most senior leaders I work with are navigating some version of this, even when they look perfectly composed on the outside.

The difference between staying stuck and finding your way through isn't having all the answers. It's giving yourself permission to step back, get perspective, and remember what you already know.

If that sounds like what you need, let's talk. Not about fixing you (you're not broken). About helping you find the clarity and confidence to lead through whatever comes next.

Happy New Year. Let's make 2026 one to remember.