I had just gotten off the 20th plane in 28 days, dodged the latest ass grab in the boardroom, and was on the verge of collapsing.
I was exhausted, but hey—I had just closed a $34 million deal. This put me at the number one sales position in my company, so I should just suck it up, right?
What I Was Doing Then
I was doing all the *supposedly* right things. I consistently put in 16-hour days. My focus was solely and aggressively on getting deals done; I put in 100%, and never accepted failure.
For me to get to the number one spot, I couldn’t be:
- Compassionate (It’s hard to be when the job is presented as war.)
- Creative (The plan was preordained, and we were soldiers ordered to execute.)
- Still (There was no time for reflection or introspection; I was always forging forward with no regard for collateral damage.)
- Collaborative (It was an every man for themself mentality—even across teams.)
We focus so much on the goals, the getting things “done”, the doing despite the repercussions to our mental, physical, and emotional health. What’s more, it’s often to the detriment of our personal relationships and family. When we also pay attention to our being, we can have energy left in our tank to be of service to our communities and loved ones.
If you’ve been there, I get it. And guess what? You don’t have to blow it all up and take two years off to get back to balance and thriving. (You can, but you shouldn’t have to.)
For me personally, if more women were in leadership positions in that company, I truly believe I wouldn’t have had to leave in order to survive.
How I Am Being Now
Now, I am able to:
- Honor my body’s need for rest (instead of medicating it to stay awake)
- Still have a sales role, but allow room for a balance of flow and force
- Only work with clients that are aligned with my values of integrity and inclusion
If all you know right now is the doing—pushing ahead, forcing the deal, burning yourself out, and hating your days—you’re not alone.
You can make money and still sell while also embracing your feminine, leaning into your intuition, and finding more flow and ease. Doing is not the only way to make money.
Ready to bring more being (collaboration, allowing, ease) into your professional life? Join us for a free leadership webinar, “Female Leaders in a Male-Dominated Industry.” You’ll learn how to sell authentically, stay on the partner track, and get your voice heard without sacrificing your values, family, or workouts to get there.