131: That One Question All Ops Execs Eventually Ask Me

Find the full transcript at YourFutureRealized.com/131.

This is something I always hear from ops execs: “I just can’t make time for strategy.”

On the surface, it sounds like a scheduling thing. But underneath, there’s usually a deeper worry:“What if I’ve gotten too far from my best thinking and can’t find my way back?” There’s usually also background pressure when the bigger priorities keep slipping.

Not long ago, when a calf strain benched me from running, I wasn’t just frustrated — I was scared my get-up-and-go would die. That I’d lose the part of me that comes alive when I run, the rhythm and the mental reset.

That led me to a simple practice I use with leaders who want strategy time back in the real world. In this episode, I’ll share it so you can reconnect with what you truly miss and start moving again on the big priorities. 

Transcript

This is something I always hear from ops execs: “I just can’t make time for strategy.”

On the surface, it sounds like a scheduling thing. But underneath, there’s usually a deeper worry: “What if I’ve gotten too far from my best thinking and can’t find my way back?” There’s usually also background pressure when the bigger priorities keep slipping.

Not long ago, when a calf strain benched me from running, I wasn’t just frustrated — I was scared my get-up-and-go would die. That I’d lose the part of me that comes alive when I run, the rhythm and the mental reset.

That led me to a simple practice I use with leaders who want strategy time back in the real world. In this episode, I’ll share it so you can reconnect with what you truly miss and start moving again on the big priorities. Find the full transcript at YourFutureRealized.com/131.

Hey Ops Execs,

Why “I Don’t Have Time” Isn’t the Real Problem

It’s all about momentum, isn’t it? Keeping things moving is your superpower — and yeah, it’s also what wears you out the fastest. When everything piles up and your calendar is packed wall to wall, your instinct is to push harder. But that same drive can disconnect you from the part of leadership that actually energizes you.

You tell yourself, “It’s fine, I’ll get back to it when things calm down.” Only things rarely calm down. A temporary pause turns into a quiet drift—away from the creative, strategic, even satisfying parts of work that once made you really excited to go to work. 

That’s when discipline can turn into disconnection.

That’s what happened to me when I was benched from running. I tried to fill the gap—worked a bit more, wrote more, reorganized things—but nothing hit that same note. Eventually it clicked—it wasn’t the workout I missed. It was the rhythm, that alive feeling, the getting‑lost‑in‑it part. The feeling of being in sync with myself.

A Surprising Way to Reconnect with What Drives You

That’s when I found a simple habit that I sometimes recommend to clients: creating an “I miss…” list for whatever part of your leadership—or your life—has slipped away. That’s where this comes in.

When you’re trying to get yourself back into motion, the details matter. It’s not enough to say you miss developing your team; the point is to name the specific detail that actually makes the difference, like watching someone’s face light up when the dots connect. That’s what brings the feeling back. And once you can name it that specifically, the whole thing shifts. Guilt starts to loosen its grip, and “I should make time for that” turns into something more alive, like “Wow, I really want that back.” 

One leader I work with realized she missed mentoring—those spontaneous hallway moments that reminded her why she loved being a leader. Within a week, she carved out fifteen minutes for a walk‑and‑talk. That small step didn’t free up her calendar—but it cracked something open in her energy.

Her takeaway was: “Discipline keeps the wheels turning, but desire is what makes you want to show up.” When that little pang of ‘I miss this’ shows up—it’s a breadcrumb trail. It’s your own system pointing you back to what matters.

Your Turn: Write Yourself Back into Motion

So, I leave you with this homework: Take three minutes today to make your own “I miss…” list. Pick one piece of your leadership or life that’s been on the back burner. Note the little details you miss most, and ask yourself, What’s one small way I could bring a micro-dose of this back this week?

And if you’ve been sitting in one of those long pauses yourself, Episode 125 might help you remember the leader you still are. Listen in at YourFutureRealized.com/125. 

You can’t stop the chaos, but you can choose what gets your attention — and I’m always in your corner.