EP183: Stay the Course - Trust the Path You Chose
IT’S EASY TO GET DISTRACTED
Staying the course is possible!
Enjoy!
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(The notes below are only a brief bullet point summary of what is discussed in the podcast. Be sure to listen to get all of the goodness! If you would like a full transcription of the episode, please send an email request to: angie@angie-robinson.com. We’d be happy to provide that!)
Have you ever caught yourself wondering, “Does this really matter?”
Whether it's the work you do, the meetings on your calendar, or the LinkedIn posts you share—it’s a question many of us ask, especially in uncertain or heavy times.
That question has been sitting with me lately, and it was brought to the forefront after reading a powerful post by Vanessa Force of CultureAbility Consulting. She wrote:
“I’ve been intentionally quiet lately, sitting with a question I haven’t been able to shake. Does any of this really matter? The work, the meetings, the LinkedIn posts… I’ll be honest, I don’t always land on a solid yes.”
Her post reminded me that I’m not alone in feeling this way. And I suspect many of you—especially those in leadership—have asked yourself that same question.
In this episode, I explore what it means to stay the course when the course still makes sense… even when things get hard, messy, or uncertain.
When You’re Tempted to Veer Off Course
Life happens. Chaos unfolds. Doubt creeps in. And suddenly, that clear intention or plan you once had begins to feel distant.
Sometimes veering off course is intentional—and even necessary:
New insights or data emerge
Values shift
Burnout sets in
External circumstances force a change
But other times, the drift is subtle:
You get distracted by a shiny new idea
You start people-pleasing or responding reactively
Your inner critic starts to run the show
The lack of clarity makes it easy to lose focus
The real question becomes: Are you veering off course for the right reasons?
An Inspiring Example of Staying the Course
I recently sat in on a company update with a client organization I’ve worked with for years. They’re in a challenging season—facing funding cuts, political shifts, and uncertainty around DEI-related work.
And yet, the CEO stood up and said:
“We are going to stay the course.”
I was so inspired by that declaration. Not just by the words, but by the way the organization is living them out. I took notes during the meeting and walked away with nine powerful observations on what it looks like to stay the course—lessons that apply to both individuals and teams.
10 Ways to Stay the Course (When It Still Makes Sense)
1. Reconnect to Your Mission
Get crystal clear on your why and who. Why are you doing what you're doing? Who are you serving? Talk about it. Remind yourself and others often.
2. Define the Desired Impact
It’s not enough to say you want to “make a difference.” What does impact look like in practice? What will be different for the people you serve?
3. Acknowledge the Hard—and the Wins
Make space for both. Talk about stressors and uncertainties honestly and celebrate small (and big) wins along the way.
4. Commit to Constant Communication
Keep talking, even when you don’t have all the answers. "I don’t know" is better than silence. Communication keeps the team (and yourself) aligned.
5. Keep Learning About Each Other
This client continually makes time to understand one another as whole people—not just coworkers. They use tools like Insights Discovery and even create space for things like book clubs and movie discussions.
6. Lead with Love, Not Ego
Their core value is to lead with love—and it shows. Curiosity, compassion, and humility are front and center in how they operate.
7. Get Support (Internally and Externally)
They offer wellness resources, coaching, and peer support—all of which help people stay grounded through uncertainty.
8. Make Time for Fun
Even during heavy seasons, they intentionally prioritize joy. Fun is not frivolous—it’s fuel.
9. Honor the Whole Person
No “check your personal life at the door” mentality here. This team sees and supports each other as full humans—with feelings, challenges, and gifts.
My Personal Takeaway
I had to come back to my own “why” too.
I do this work—coaching, speaking, creating content—because I believe that good leadership matters. That human-centered leadership must exist in every level of every kind of organization. And that even if we can't fix everything, how we show up matters.
When the noise of the world feels overwhelming or your energy is low, remember this:
✨ If the course still aligns with your values, your purpose, and the impact you want to make… stay with it.
Because yes—what you're doing does matter.
What Do You Think?
Do you ever find yourself veering off course? How do you course correct?
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