In a High Pressure Job? Invest in This Skill

Why it’s more important than your proffessional skills

I'm writing this from a hotel room in Washington, D.C. I'm here to speak at NewLife Church on a surprising topic: the impact of Marxist ideology on modern American culture, drawing from both my experience growing up in the USSR and much more. Speaking three times in a row about such a niche topic, at the epicenter of where American policies are shaped, feels a bit surreal. NewLife's lead pastor and my friend, Brett Andrews, has been inviting me to do this for a while now, ever since I wrote a detailed post expressing my deep concern about the corrosive effect of Marxism in America. It should be a fun experience. If you're interested in the post, here's the link. Now, onto today's video episode.

Mental fitness takes center stage in this latest episode of Headspace, specifically focusing on the ability to combat stress quickly – a skill we all need, especially if we find ourselves in high-pressure careers. Doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, athletes, executives, pastors – our long-term success hinges more on mental fitness than on our actual professional skills for one simple reason: ultimately the impact of our professional skills is diminished if we're in the wrong headspace.

I'll be speaking on the same topic in October as part of an online summit, which will be announced soon. Mental fitness is an essential component of my coaching program for high-achievers, and it's one of my favorite topics. It's becoming more mainstream, evolving from another important concept – self-care. If you're a leader of any kind, in business or a non-profit, lack of mental fitness might be the reason why you're feeling stuck.

Here's how it happens: you start fresh, inspired, and skilled, but then things don't go according to plan, not in your direct proffessional space - in adjacent but important spaces: administration, team dynamics, the parent company, the economy, the investors, the stakeholders, the list goes on an on. Don’t you wish you can just the thing you’re good at? It doesn’t work like this in real life. And how you handle these things can make the difference between success and unnecessary pain. A scenario that is actually worse, things slowly stagnate over the years. This gradual process makes you numb to the lack of progress. You're essentially unaware that you're stuck, believing you're "doing your best," and can list all the external reasons for why things aren't going as well as they could. Mental fitness as a set of skills makes you immune to slow stagnation.

I urge you to take massive action if this resonates with you. Why? Because there's genius within you – your unique contribution to all of us that we won't get to benefit from if you remain where you are. It's time to wake up, take one step, and then the next. Before you know it, you'll be well on your way to conquering your challenges and serving those around you. Share your thoughts on this in the comment section.

In case you missed them, here are the two latest video episodes of Headspace:

1. **How to Find and Keep Love: My 17 Secrets**: I thoroughly enjoyed creating this episode during the week I celebrated my 24th wedding anniversary. In it, I share the best advice I received as a single guy, which helped me navigate single-hood in a healthy way as well as created a healthy framework for a life-long happy marriage.

2. **My 5 Rules for Work-Life Balance**: Another personal favorite of mine, where I share some fantastic life hacks that Deb and I have used for a long time to create a high-impact yet balanced and joyful life.