316| Why Smart Leaders Make Dumb Decisions (And How to Stop)

Hey Friend!

You're not someone who makes decisions from panic or pressure…you're someone who leads with intentional clarity and purpose. But sometimes that clarity feels a little cloudy, doesn't it? If you're nodding your head right now, this episode is exactly what you need. Today we're talking about the mirror test and why it's a complete game-changer for leaders who are ready to stop second-guessing themselves and start leading from their true identity.

 

💬 "Self-awareness isn't a destination—it's a practice. And the leaders who commit to the practice are the ones who actually change the game." ~Tami Imlay

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🔑 Key Takeaways:

• Strategy without self-awareness is expensive chaos—you can't navigate what you can't see clearly
• The best leaders aren't the ones with perfect instincts—they're the ones who catch themselves when they go off course
• Leading from reaction instead of intention costs you team trust, consistency, and burns you out fighting the same patterns
• The Mirror Test using the 3 C's gives you a simple framework to recalibrate in real-time: Catch, Clarify, Choose
• Every decision point is a choice—serve your leadership mission or serve your ego (both are human, but only one builds the future)

✨ The One Thing You Don’t Want to Miss:

➡️ The Netflix story perfectly illustrates what happens when a leader chooses to build the future instead of protecting the past. Reed Hastings lost 800,000 subscribers in the short term, but he knew streaming was the wave of the future—and he made decisions from identity, not impulse.

💪 Challenge if you choose to accept it:

Practice the Mirror Test this week using the 3 C's. Before your next big decision, ask yourself: What's really driving this? Does this serve my leadership or my ego? What would the leader I'm becoming choose here? Even if you make the same choice, slow down the process and let your heart, gut, and mind catch up with each other.

📝 Journal Prompt for Reflection:

"When do I default to control, people-pleasing, or avoiding hard conversations? What patterns am I noticing without judgment—just as data?"

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Thank you for being here, Friend. You are capable, you are seen, and you are ready to step into your calling. Choose joy until joy chooses you! 💛

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