One Thing: Pacing
Zone 5 leadership (and what it costs).
Hi friends,
I coached an endurance-focused Orangetheory class this week. Even after I explained the intended stimulus and recommended conservative pacing, I watched a member spike into Zone 5 in the first minute. Once you go out that hot, it is almost impossible to recover midstream. And quality breaks down before you even notice.
This maps perfectly to high performance myth: that you have to be “busy” and everything has to feel “urgent” to be operating at a high level.
Urgency is the leadership equivalent of living in Zone 5. It feels productive, but when you’re in adrenaline leadership, you are no longer thinking. You’re reacting.
The telltale signs are predictable: distracted listening, sloppy decisions, rework, and emotional friction. The most insidious part is that urgency feeds on itself. You start scrolling or checking email in the 30 seconds between meetings “just to stay on top of it.” Suddenly everything feels harder, even the work that normally is not taxing.
Pacing Practice
Most people don’t lack ambition. They are burning out because they are trying to sprint an endurance race. Pick one day for the week ahead to try a more sustainable pace. Here are a few ideas:
Warm up set: start the day with one meaningful rep before inputs like email, news, and Instagram. One page of writing. Five minutes of meditation. A hard decision you’ve been avoiding.
Transition reset: No phone between meetings. Stand up and take 10 slow breaths.
Cool down ritual: Turn off screens at least 15 minutes before bed. Let your nervous system come down through a hot shower, stretch, or a physical book.
If you need urgency to perform, you’re already in overdraw. Sustainable excellence starts with pace that you can maintain and recover from in real time.
Take good care,
Lisa