Years ago, I worked in a team where “urgent” had become a constant state.

Late nights. Sudden requests. Everyone sprinting, few stepping back to ask why.

One week, I proposed something simple: let’s map our priorities every Monday.

What mattered most, what could wait, what needed revisiting.

That small shift changed everything. Stress eased. Clarity returned.

Every decision carries a cognitive cost.

Every choice, every “yes,” every micro-decision you didn’t need to make quietly drains your clarity and authority.

It quietly accumulates and could lead to decision fatigue.

And a fatigued mind confuses movement with progress.

We often overlook the emotional dimension of leadership — because performance is what gets measured. Yet it’s our inner state that determines how sustainably we achieve them.

Emotions drive behaviour.

Behaviour drives impact.

And when reaction becomes habit, clarity and authority begin to erode.

Contrary to what is often portrayed, the most effective leaders aren’t emotionless.

They notice their triggers, regulate their responses, and act with intention — even under pressure.

From a young age, we’re taught not to be “selfish.”

So in interviews — or even in self-reflection — we default to the safe answers: “I want to contribute. I want to help people.”

But those surface-level whys are rarely the whole truth.

The desire for financial security, freedom of choice, and independence isn’t shallow. It makes you human.

When you can name both your internal drivers (salary, security, lifestyle) and your external ones (purpose, growth, impact), your motivation gains real strength. It becomes sharper, clearer, more resilient.

Because honesty about what fuels you is not going to dilute your ambition. On the contrary, it gives it depth.