Make It Count: A Mantra for Mindful, Purposeful Leadership

Do you find yourself drifting throughout the day, needing to switch on? Going through the motions, but not making them count?

At the start of this year I chose a phrase for the year: make it count.  I’m actually surprised how much it has helped me.  In the moments when I am doing the thing, but not really focusing on the thing I am doing, it helps me to be more mindful and present.
It’s a common challenge in leadership roles where we can be busy all day and still feel like nothing really mattered.

It’s the quiet nudge that brings me back to what matters when I ask myself what do I want to get out of this moment?   It helps me cut through the noise, and choose how I spend my time and energy, rather than running from one thing to the next letting the day happen to me.  Its helped me find moments to accumulate small wins.

If I’m about to walk into a session, take a call, exercise or walk into a networking event, I’ll pause and think: If I’m going to do this—let’s make it count.  It shifts my thinking from some of my avoidant or mindlessness behaviours and switches to intentional action.  How can I make this moment count?

It brings me back to presence

Being present is harder than it sounds. But it’s also what makes the biggest impact. I use “make it count” as a mental switch, to shift from distracted or low value add doing to focused. It reminds me to really show up in the moment. When I do, the quality of connection, insight and impact goes up dramatically.  Not to mention follow up and follow through, along with self-accountability.

It gets me moving; even when I don’t feel like it

One thing I have become heaps better at is prioritising exercise.  It’s a key component for me to have clear head space, creative thinking, strong mind and body and tune into my mindset.  It’s how I increase my energy and stay connected to my goals. On days when I turn up to exercise but am opting for the easy way out, I come back to: Make it count. I don’t need to do an epic workout, but I need to do something that honours my energy and momentum. It’s a way of investing in how I want to be and how I want to show up, not just my fitness.

It helps me connect with the right people

To be honest, I don’t love the thought of networking, or walking into a room of people where I’m not sure if I will know anyone!  Making sure I’m networking in the right places and not opting out is something I need to consciously do.  It can feel like another task, that’s where my “Make it count” comes in.  It reminds me to be intentional about who I spend time with. Am I surrounding myself with people who challenge and support me? Am I expanding, learning, sharing, and opening myself up to new thinking? Connections help us grow, and in turn create new possibilities.

It drives me toward my goals

Our roles at work and leading is full of demands, but not all of them move us forward. This mantra is my filter: Will this move me closer to what matters? Will this help me grow, contribute or be better? If not, I give myself permission to shift my focus. And if the answer is yes, I lean in with focus and intent.

Because this is how I stay connected to my bigger vision, by making the small moments count.
Those quick check-ins, the decision to go for a walk, approach someone I have never met before, they all shape who I am being. 

It’s not always about huge moves; it’s about doing the little things on purpose.