Last week, I stopped mid-run to type a note into my phone.
A solution to a problem I’d been wrestling with for days suddenly clicked into place.
That wasn’t the first time. Running often clears the fog for me in ways grinding at my desk never does.
For years, I thought “mindfulness” was a soft skill, something abstract and definitely not something that belonged at work where I was developing strategy, driving results or leading organizations. But here’s what I learned: I was already practicing mindfulness without knowing it.
From Skepticism to Clarity
Running has always been more than exercise for me. It’s where ideas surface, stress falls away, and clarity replaces chaos. I used to chalk it up to fresh air or endorphins. But over time, I began noticing a pattern.
Every run seemed to move me through a repeatable sequence:
- I’d start by shaking off distractions.
- Then I’d become more aware of my body and my surroundings.
- At some point, intuition and logic and considerations about external factors would click together.
- And by the end, I’d have finished both the run and developed a solution to the work challenge I’d been carrying with me.
That sequence wasn’t random. It was mindfulness in motion.
The G.E.A.R. Framework
What I discovered on those runs is exactly what we teach in Awakening Performance through the G.E.A.R. framework:
- Ground – The first steps are about settling in, focusing on my breath, and letting distractions fall away.
- Explore – As I find my rhythm, I notice the terrain, my pace, even the weather (hot) and adjusting with awareness.
- Attune – Somewhere mid-run, my body and mind sync. Logic, intuition, outside factors and even emotion align into flow.
- Resolve – The finish is about commitment. Even when it’s hard (did I mention hot), I choose to keep building strength and resilience that follows me back into leadership.
This process gives leaders a simple way to protect their mental bandwidth in high-stakes moments. It’s not about slowing down. It’s about creating space for the right decisions to surface.
Why This Matters for Leaders
Spotlight moments like investor pitches, board meetings, critical decisions demand clarity. But too often, leaders show up carrying stress, fatigue, or scattered thoughts. Just like running clears my head, G.E.A.R. gives leaders a reliable reset before those high-pressure calls.
The result?
- More presence in the room
- Stronger communication
- Better decisions made under fire
And just like your everyday runs where you train for a race, the more you practice mindfulness, the more natural it becomes.
Your Next Step
I run because it keeps me clear, resilient, and present. But I also run because it taught me a lesson I now share with other leaders: mindfulness isn’t woo-woo. It’s a performance tool.
That’s what Awakening Performance is all about. We help leaders build the clarity they need to make confident decisions, lead under pressure, and protect their mental bandwidth.
Clarity doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you train for it.
