Well, it happened again. I ran out of gas this morning while removing snow from about 800 feet of driveway (243 meters for my metric friends). When my snow blower finally sputtered and stalled, I was about as far from my fuel can as possible. So, I trudged back up the hill, grabbed the can, and made my way back down. Along the way, it got me thinking of all the times I have run out of gas, literally and metaphorically, in my life.
Given my personality style, some underlying thoughts or beliefs that run on loop in my subconscious are, “I just need to accomplish one more thing,” or, “If I just push through, I can make it.” These thoughts have brought me a lot of success over the years. Anyone who has ever worked with me knows I am all-go, no-quit until the work is finished or the goal is achieved. On the other hand…I can also push myself so hard that I become physically or emotionally spent.
⛽ I run out of gas.
My personality isn’t the only one susceptible to this. We can all run out of gas if we are not conscious of our thoughts and beliefs.
🏃♂️➡️ 💪 For driven doers, it’s the “one more task, one more achievement” challenge.
🥳 💗 Innovative initiators always want to make one more personal connection, explore one more exciting idea, or initiate one more project (even if they have 3 already going). Their potentially limiting beliefs sound like, “I need to make sure everyone is having a good time,” or, “If I slow down or take a break, I might miss out on something cool that everyone else is doing.”
🩵 🫶 Social supporters can run out of gas by attending to the needs of everyone else – and then a few more folks – before taking care of themselves. Their limiting beliefs sound like, “Everyone else’s needs and ideas are more important than my own,” or, “I shouldn’t speak up for myself if it could make others uncomfortable.”
📊 🧮 Calculated controllers can get so bogged down in analyzing situations and challenges or searching for the perfect solution that they become paralyzed, unable to take a step forward or escape their own perspective. Thoughts they may need to contend with could sound like, “If I don’t know exactly how things will go, I can’t move forward,” or, “I would rather be right and alone than go along with an idea that I think is flawed.”
Regardless of our personality styles, we need to be mindful of thoughts that may be driving our tendencies. None of the thoughts I have shared are inherently wrong. Left unchecked, however, subconscious or underlying thoughts can leave us stretched too thin, running on fumes, or completely out of gas.
The next time you are feeling depleted, take a moment to examine the thoughts that may be underlying your tendencies and behaviors. Learn to recognize when your thoughts are not helping, and when they may actually make it harder for you to achieve your goals. In time, you can also challenge those thoughts before they take root, and you can replace them with more productive thoughts that moderate your tendencies and contribute to your wellbeing.
After all, nobody likes to run out of gas.
I help leaders and teams overcome burnout, elevate performance, achieve balance, and find success in any situation. Follow me or book an introductory meeting to learn more.
