Leaders come in all shapes, sizes, genders, backgrounds, one thing is certain: leadership starts from within. One common denominator that distinguishes legendary leaders from those who are just good is Self-Mastery. Unlocking your leadership potential starts with the ability to exercise command over your “inner conflicts” and take full authority over all aspects of your life.

Exceptional leadership is not only about what you do externally but also how you manage and direct your internal world. Being aware of the “internal conflicts” that can sabotage your development both professionally and personally is crucial to develop greater mastery over how you show up. Self-Mastery is the key to leading proactively and with unshakable confidence. This concept is even more fundamental for today’s women leaders. 

But how does one cultivate the skills needed to lead from a place of self-command, calm and preparedness rather than reaction and chaos?

Developing mental fitness will increase your capacity to respond to life’s challenges with a positive mindset, an essential skill for the leaders of the new era.

At the same time, this practice of becoming mentally fit sets you on the path of Self-Mastery, where exercising self-command in times of change, challenge and uncertainty becomes effortless. This is the “unshakeable confidence” space where legendary leaders make their mark.

These concepts apply to all current and aspiring leaders regardless of what you identify as. Throughout this article, you’ll see me address women leaders in particular as my mission is to help close the gender gap in leadership.

Mental Fitness, Inner Conflicts (your personal saboteurs) & Leadership

What is mental fitness?

Mental fitness is about developing control over your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. It's about learning how to recognize and appropriately respond to stressors, negative thought patterns and any tendency that makes you react in a way that is detrimental to achieving your potential. It’s your ability to exercise command over your mind in order to achieve desired outcomes. This is where your path to Self-Mastery begins.

First you need to learn to catch and stop what we call Saboteurs. You can look at the saboteurs as “inner conflicts” within yourself and mind. They are the voices in your head/subconscious and automated patterns that bring about negative emotions and affect the way you handle everyday obstacles, sabotaging your performance, wellbeing and relationships. They’re at the root cause of self-doubt, stress, frustration, anxiety and unhappiness among others.

If you’re familiar with the concept of positive intelligence and positive psychology, these concepts may not be new to you. But how do they relate to leadership?

Adopting the Mindset of a Leader

To embrace your leadership potential you must identify your personal saboteurs, so you can exercise command over them, turn obstacles into lessons and challenges into opportunity.

• Recognize when fear or doubt take hold so you can reroute negative thought to more productive ones 
• Learn to respond to frustration or anxiety from a place of curiosity, composure and compassion
• Remain poised under pressure, change and chaos so you can lead from a place of “best-case” scenarios 

Why is Self-Mastery even more fundamental for today’s women leaders?

Despite clear shifts in the hierarchy of leadership in our society, it’s no secret Women leaders face unique challenges when it comes to succeeding in the business and corporate ladder. From gender stereotypes to lack of recognition for their accomplishments—women leaders have had to work extra hard just to be respected by their peers and superiors.

By focusing on self-mastery and mental fitness development, female leaders have the opportunity to become more powerful agents for change within their organizations and industries alike.

Regardless of what gender you identify as, these skills are invaluable when it comes to navigating today’s business landscape where change occurs at lightning speed. Learning to master them will put you at an advantage when it’s time to show up as the confident, authentic, values-driven, visionary leader that is required in this new era of leadership.

Leading with Purpose and Integrity

Leading with purpose is about coming from a place of values, principles and a bigger mission than mere business success.

Part of leading with purpose comes with taking ownership for everything that happens within your organization; it also means being willing to learn from mistakes without letting them define who you are as a leader or business owner.

Ultimately, leading with integrity comes down to being honest about who you are as a person and having the courage to stand up for what you believe in even when faced with adversity.

Unlocking your leadership potential starts from within.

Developing mental fitness requires time, intention, and effort, but the payoff is endless. When you are able to navigate challenging situations with ease while still achieving your goals without letting interruptions hijack you, that’s true power. Mastering your mindset so you can calmly conquer being under pressure, leading with integrity, purpose and from a “best-case” scenario is what will differentiate you as the legendary leader you want to be.

Stepping up as the confident, impactful, innovative leader you’re here to be, comes with a new set of challenges and it requires more than a solid business strategy. If you’re ready to powerfully lead with grace, I can help.

Explore how working together will help you achieve the level of Self-Mastery necessary for long lasting and sustainable success as a leader of the new era.

You can learn more about Akenke Adefunmi Leadership Coaching Services HERE.