Be Patient With Yourself: Growth Takes Time
October 2, 2024
Be Patient With Yourself: Growth Takes Time
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to feel pressured to achieve instant success. As leaders and educators, we often place high expectations on ourselves and want to see immediate results, whether it’s in our professional development, leadership effectiveness, or the impact we’re making on our institutions. But true growth—personal, professional, and organizational—doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, patience, and a willingness to embrace the journey.
One Thought to Consider
It’s easy to look at the accomplishments of others and assume that they’ve always been successful. We see the polished presentations, thriving teams, and transformative school cultures and think they must have happened effortlessly. But what we don’t see are the countless hours of preparation, the setbacks, the moments of doubt, and the small, incremental steps that paved the way. This is the reality of growth: it’s often invisible and rarely linear.
For educational leaders, patience is essential. Whether you’re working to build a stronger team, implement new initiatives, or enhance your own leadership skills, the process requires perseverance and grace. It’s about allowing yourself to make mistakes, celebrating small wins, and understanding that setbacks are part of the path to progress.
Two Strategies to Try
- Rethink What Progress Looks Like
Leaders who excel at fostering growth in others sometimes struggle with giving themselves the same grace. We encourage our teams and students to take risks, be resilient, and embrace a growth mindset. But when it comes to our own journeys, we often fall into the trap of self-criticism and impatience. Instead of focusing solely on the end goal, ask yourself: - What small wins can I celebrate today?
- What did I learn from this experience?
- How am I showing up differently than I did last month or last year?
By shifting your focus to growth over time, you’ll begin to see how each small step is contributing to a larger transformation. Remember, the most impactful leaders are not those who rush to the top but those who understand the value of the climb.
- Practice Grace Daily
Giving yourself grace means extending the same kindness and understanding to yourself that you would offer to others. It means acknowledging that you are a work in progress and that perfection is neither attainable nor necessary. Grace allows you to let go of unrealistic expectations, quiet the inner critic, and embrace the beauty of becoming rather than simply being.
Practical ways to practice grace: - Set realistic goals: Break down larger goals into smaller, more manageable milestones. Celebrate each milestone as a victory.
- Embrace reflection: Take time to reflect on your progress weekly. Journaling can help you track growth and recognize areas where you’ve made strides.
- Prioritize self-care: Growth can be exhausting. Make time for rest, rejuvenation, and activities that nourish your well-being.
One Question
Reflect on your current leadership journey: In what areas of your life or work are you expecting immediate results, and how might shifting your focus to the process instead of the outcome help you find more peace and fulfillment?
Action Item
Over the next week, choose one area where you tend to be hard on yourself. Commit to practicing patience and grace in that specific area. Whenever you notice negative self-talk or a sense of urgency, pause and remind yourself: “Growth takes time. I am a work in progress.”
Final Thoughts
When we show up each day with patience, grace, and a willingness to learn, we inspire others to do the same. As an educational leader, your influence extends far beyond the walls of your institution. By embracing your own growth journey, you become a beacon for others, showing them that true leadership is not about achieving perfection but about the continuous, courageous pursuit of becoming our best selves.
So, give yourself the grace to grow slowly. Trust the process. And remember that every step forward, no matter how small, is still progress.
You’re not just leading change—you’re living it.
Until we meet again: Be a Leader. Be a Learner. Be Kind.
- Dr. Roy Bishop, Jr.
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1 Truth · 2 Strategies · 1 Reflection Weekly Leadership Lift with Dr. Roy Bishop, Jr. If you want to avoid burnout, start your day with yourself before you give it away to everyone else. Most educational leaders wake up and immediately jump into emails, messages, or mental checklists of what needs to get done. Before the day even begins, you’re already reacting instead of leading. And when every day starts like that, burnout isn’t a possibility; it’s a guarantee. You can’t lead others well if you don’t lead your own morning first. 1 Truth The tone of your morning sets the temperature for your leadership. When you wake up rushing, your day stays rushed. When you wake up grounded, your day follows your rhythm, not everyone else’s. The best leaders don’t wait for peace to find them; they create it. That’s why every morning should begin with intentional stillness, a quiet moment to connect with yourself before the demands of the day take over. Whether it’s reflection, working out, journaling, or silence, those first minutes shape how you think, decide, and show up for others. 2 Strategies to Live It Out 1. Create a “No Noise” Zone (I have to do this in my car sometimes…) Spend your first 15–20 minutes without screens, texts, or social media. Instead, check in with your mindset. Ask yourself: What do I need to feel centered today? Maybe it’s gratitude, calm, or focus. When you take control of your internal environment, you can handle anything that happens in your external one. 2. Set an Intention, Not Just a Schedule. Before you dive into your calendar, decide how you want to be today, not just what you want to do. For example: “Today I will lead with patience.” “Today I will listen more than I speak.” This simple shift helps you lead from clarity instead of chaos. 1 Reflection Question What’s the first thing you focus on each morning and how does it impact the rest of your day? Take Action Tomorrow morning, try this: wake up 15 minutes earlier. Don’t check your phone. Don’t open your email. Just sit with your thoughts, breathe, stretch, or write. Give yourself the first and best part of your day. That single act of discipline will protect your energy more than any time-management strategy ever could. Final Word Avoiding burnout doesn’t require a total life overhaul, it requires a consistent commitment to start your day on purpose. You can’t pour into others if you’re already empty when the day begins. Lead your morning, and you’ll lead your mindset. Lead your mindset, and you’ll lead your day. Lead your day, and you’ll lead your life. Until next time, Be a Leader. Be a Learner. Be Kind. Let’s keep leading together. Dr. Roy Bishop, Jr. Founder of The Be Team I help leaders and future leaders, from the classroom to the boardroom, build confidence, protect their peace, and grow into the best version of themselves by learning to grow through the seasons of feeling stuck, burnt out, or overlooked. It happens to all of us at some point so why not prepare for it? Because leadership isn’t about titles; it’s about becoming. And I believe that everyone, no matter their age or experience, deserves the chance to be the leader they were meant to be.
1 Truth · 2 Strategies · 1 Reflection Somewhere along the way, I started confusing being busy with being effective. I’ve always been told that working longer hours and sacrificing rest somehow proves our dedication. But being exhausted isn’t a sign that you’re doing great work. It’s a sign that you’re doing too much of the wrong work (there is such a thing), the kind that drains your purpose instead of fueling it. As educational leaders, we pour into everyone else, students, staff, and families and often forget to pour back into ourselves. Leadership isn’t about doing it all. It’s about doing what matters most, with energy, clarity, and intention. You can’t lead effectively if you’re constantly running on fumes (I have never seen this done well). 1 Truth You’re not tired because you’re weak. You’re tired because you’re operating without renewal. When you ignore rest, reflection, and boundaries, you trade long-term effectiveness for short-term validation. Exhaustion might look like dedication, but it’s really depletion. Strong leaders understand that protecting their energy isn’t selfish, it’s smart. The best version of you isn’t the busiest one. It’s the one that’s focused, fueled, and fully present for your team, your students, and yourself (we often forget about ourselves in the equation). 2 Strategies to Live It Out Audit Your Energy Before the week gets away from you, take a few minutes to ask yourself: What gives me energy? What drains it? Then make one small adjustment. Maybe it’s saying no to an extra meeting, taking a short walk instead of scrolling your phone, or turning off notifications after hours. Awareness creates alignment, and alignment builds sustainability. Rest Without Guilt Rest is not a reward for getting everything done. It’s a requirement for showing up as your best self. Schedule your recovery time like any other meeting (seriously, put it on your calendar now or it won’t happen). Sleep, quiet reflection, and personal time don’t make you soft. They make you last. The leaders who thrive long-term are the ones who protect their peace and model balance for others (I used to be really bad at this). 1 Reflection Question What is one responsibility or mindset I’ve been holding onto that no longer deserves my energy? Take Action Take ten minutes today to define your energy boundaries. Write down three things that drain you and three things that refuel you. Keep that list somewhere visible. Every time you start to feel overwhelmed, go back to it. Your energy is your leadership advantage so protect it. Final Word Exhaustion is not a requirement of leadership; it’s a signal that something needs to change. You don’t have to prove your worth by overworking yourself. You prove it by showing up whole, grounded, and consistent. When you protect your peace, you amplify your presence. When you slow down, you gain clarity. When you take care of yourself, you give everyone around you permission to do the same. Until next time, Be a Leader. Be a Learner. Be Kind. Let’s keep leading together. Dr. Roy Bishop, Jr. Founder of The Be Team — helping educational leaders lead with purpose, balance, and mindset. I help leaders and future leaders from the classroom to the boardroom, build confidence, protect their peace, and grow into the best version of themselves by learning to grow through the seasons of feeling stuck, burnt out, or overlooked. It happens to all of us at some point, so why not prepare for it? Because leadership isn’t about titles; it’s about becoming. And I believe that everyone, no matter their age or experience, deserves the chance to be the leader they were meant to be.
1 Truth · 2 Strategies · 1 Reflection Somewhere along the way, I started confusing being busy with being effective. I’ve always been told that working longer hours and sacrificing rest somehow proves our dedication. But being exhausted isn’t a sign that you’re doing great work. It’s a sign that you’re doing too much of the wrong work (there is such a thing), the kind that drains your purpose instead of fueling it. As educational leaders, we pour into everyone else, students, staff, and families and often forget to pour back into ourselves. Leadership isn’t about doing it all. It’s about doing what matters most, with energy, clarity, and intention. You can’t lead effectively if you’re constantly running on fumes (I have never seen this done well). 1 Truth You’re not tired because you’re weak. You’re tired because you’re operating without renewal. When you ignore rest, reflection, and boundaries, you trade long-term effectiveness for short-term validation. Exhaustion might look like dedication, but it’s really depletion. Strong leaders understand that protecting their energy isn’t selfish, it’s smart. The best version of you isn’t the busiest one. It’s the one that’s focused, fueled, and fully present for your team, your students, and yourself (we often forget about ourselves in the equation). 2 Strategies to Live It Out 1. Audit Your Energy Before the week gets away from you, take a few minutes to ask yourself: What gives me energy? What drains it? Then make one small adjustment. Maybe it’s saying no to an extra meeting, taking a short walk instead of scrolling your phone, or turning off notifications after hours. Awareness creates alignment, and alignment builds sustainability. 2. Rest Without Guilt Rest is not a reward for getting everything done. It’s a requirement for showing up as your best self. Schedule your recovery time like any other meeting (seriously, put it on your calendar now or it won’t happen). Sleep, quiet reflection, and personal time don’t make you soft. They make you last. The leaders who thrive long-term are the ones who protect their peace and model balance for others (I used to be really bad at this). 1 Reflection Question What is one responsibility or mindset I’ve been holding onto that no longer deserves my energy? Take Action Take ten minutes today to define your energy boundaries. Write down three things that drain you and three things that refuel you. Keep that list somewhere visible. Every time you start to feel overwhelmed, go back to it. Your energy is your leadership advantage so protect it. Final Word Exhaustion is not a requirement of leadership; it’s a signal that something needs to change. You don’t have to prove your worth by overworking yourself. You prove it by showing up whole, grounded, and consistent. When you protect your peace, you amplify your presence. When you slow down, you gain clarity. When you take care of yourself, you give everyone around you permission to do the same. Until next time, Be a Leader. Be a Learner. Be Kind. Let’s keep leading together. Dr. Roy Bishop, Jr. Founder of The Be Team — helping educational leaders lead with purpose, balance, and mindset. I help leaders and future leaders from the classroom to the boardroom, build confidence, protect their peace, and grow into the best version of themselves by learning to grow through the seasons of feeling stuck, burnt out, or overlooked. It happens to all of us at some point, so why not prepare for it? Because leadership isn’t about titles; it’s about becoming. And I believe that everyone, no matter their age or experience, deserves the chance to be the leader they were meant to be.
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