Finding my voice

That conversation with Alex from last week is still bouncing around in my head.

Finding my voice

I keep thinking about how nervous I was beforehand - like, actually nervous to address something that was clearly affecting our whole team dynamic. When did I become someone who avoids necessary conversations?

But here’s the thing that’s stuck with me: the moment I actually said something, it wasn’t nearly as dramatic as I’d built it up to be. Alex listened, we talked it through, and now our training sessions are so much better. The competitive energy is still there, but it’s channeled differently. More motivating, less suffocating.

Processing mode activated.

I think what I’m realizing is that leadership isn’t about having some magical authority or perfect confidence. It’s about caring enough about the people around you to have the awkward conversation when something isn’t working. And maybe that’s been the missing piece for me - I’ve been waiting to feel ready instead of just stepping up when the situation called for it.

Jake pointed out that I do this in other areas too. I’ll research running routes for weeks before suggesting a new one to Carmen, or practice explaining anatomy concepts to myself before offering to help classmates. Sometimes the overthinking is just procrastination dressed up as preparation.