How do you stay engaged, enthusiastic, and empowered when the world feels too heavy to hold?
Tragedy (noun): An event causing great suffering, destruction, or distress.
We’re not just seeing tragedy.
We’re swimming in it.
We’re swimming in it.
And if you’ve felt powerless lately, numb, overwhelmed, unsure how to respond, you’re not alone.
In the face of repeated heartbreak, the most human thing we can do is retreat. We protect our hearts. We focus inward. We survive. But when disconnection becomes our default, we lose something bigger than just our sense of safety; we lose our sense of purpose.
Over time, that numbness turns to apathy. And apathy doesn’t just rob us of empathy, it erodes our capacity for real leadership.
The good news? There is a different path.
My colleague Jason said something that hasn’t left me:
“We are at a crucial inflection point.”
And we are.
We can shrink, or we can choose to lead.
We can be the one who stays open.
The one who chooses presence over protection.
The one who leads with vision, even in uncertainty.
The one who chooses presence over protection.
The one who leads with vision, even in uncertainty.
Here’s what helps me to anchor that choice:
4 Anchors for Vision-Led Leadership in a Disconnected World
1. Clarity – Choose your direction on purpose, even when the path isn’t clear. Lead with hope and conviction, not panic.
2. Curiosity – Stay open. Ask questions. Let go of being right. Commit to growth.
3. Compassion – Speak truth, even when it’s hard. Choose connection over comfort. Give, even when it’s inconvenient.
4. Consciousness – Practice reflection. Take personal responsibility. Create time for checking in with yourself through solitude, not isolation.
We may not be able to stop tragedy.
But we can stop letting it steal our presence.
But we can stop letting it steal our presence.
When we live on purpose, out loud, we create ripples that become waves of change, compassion, and connection.