Grow North Thursday Newsletter

Every Thursday morning, you'll get 1 actionable tip to boost your business, enhance your purpose, and help you live your best life.

Author

Catapult North

I help small and medium businesses, as well as individuals, build audience and revenue through 1:1 coaching, flexible marketing advisory, and Fractional CMO services

Fractional CMO, Marketing Advisor & Growth Coach

Saunable

After experiencing the life-changing benefits of sauna, my husband Ed and I built a high-end, custom mobile sauna. Our mission: help more people feel better through quality, accessible sauna.

Today, we offer custom-built mobile saunas for purchase and host guided sauna experiences in nature. Learn more at Saunable.com.

Founder

Emergent Software

Brought on by the leadership team as a fractional CMO to define marketing strategy aligned with business goals, build a scalable content engine, align resources for execution, elevate brand positioning, and drive awareness and lead generation.

Chief Marketing Officer

Good Plane Living

My husband Ed and I built a Vans RV-10 airplane in our garage over the course of 3.5 years. We vlog/blog about our airplane building (now flying) adventures and life as an aviation family.

Airplane builder & Content Creator

Midion (formerly LeanProject)

I helped Midion navigate the decision and execute the transition from LeanProject into a brand that truly captures its broader value beyond lean construction. I partnered with leadership to develop a comprehensive marketing strategy, including a full rebrand, a website overhaul, and various digital initiatives - while bringing in the right resources to ensure long-term success.

Fractional Chief Marketing Officer

CIOs Against Cancer

After helping build CIOs Against Cancer from the ground up, I stepped into a strategic advisory role to support the next stage of growth.

-Helped shape the plan for scaling our mission and operations beyond the founding team.
-Advised on long-term fundraising efforts, including geographic expansion.
-Supported leadership transitions to ensure continuity and momentum.

I'm proud to have played a part in this organization’s journey. My volunteer commitment to CIOs Against Cancer, cancer research, and ending cancer... for everyone, continues on.

Strategic Advisor

Co-created and launched the organization, spearheading the idea from inception to impact.

Key contributions:

-Community Building: Launched founding events and built the base for long-term engagement.
-Organizational Design: Developed structure and processes for a scalable, consistent community.
-Board Growth: Supported board expansion to ensure long-term stability.
-Fundraising Leadership: Led efforts that raised $1M+ in 4 years

Built the foundation for a mission-driven organization with lasting momentum.

Founding Executive Director

Renodis - Connectivity Technology Experts

I supported the business strategy through marketing advisory and strategic marketing vision to generate awareness, build credibility, and drive qualified leads. I also led the development of Renodis community, CIOs Against Cancer, a group of c-suite technology leaders working toward a future without cancer.

Fractional CMO

Society for Information Management - Minnesota Chapter

SIM (Society for Information Management) brings together IT leaders to share, network and give back to their communities through the collaboration.

Board of Directors - Chair of Programs and Events

Cashé Software

Cashé Software is Minnesota’s leading provider of agency management software for home and community-based services agencies.

In my Strategic Advisory role, I worked with the Marketing Team to create the strategic marketing roadmap as well as provide counsel ongoing.

Fractional CMO, Strategic Advisor

Purpose-Driven Growth Coach | Author, Grow North Thursday | Marketing Advisor | 3x Entrepreneur | Airplane & Sauna Builder

👋 Follow me for weekly thoughts on business growth, personal purpose, and life design. 

🔥 Try my free newsletter Grow North Thursday. Get 1 actionable growth system each week to align profit, purpose, and a meaningful life. 

Award-winning marketing leader with 20 years experience growing B2B technology brands, SaaS startups, and $300M+ legacy businesses.

My purpose is to help others grow in their personal and professional purpose, advancing joy and meaning in individuals and communities, and courageous choices that lead to a fulfilling life.

Personal interests: Experimental aviation, sauna building, lifting heavy weights, meditation, lifestyle design, and attacking cancer. Proud boy mom and partner in projects and dreams with my husband, my life build teammate, Ed.

My Core Values:
-Service & Integrity
-Growth & Curiosity
-Connection & Understanding
-Wellbeing & Health
-Courage & Creative Freedom

LET'S CONNECT.

I love working with smart and interesting people from all walks of life.

If you have an idea for a collaboration, want to jam out on a podcast, or hire me, then let's chat.

Colleen Kranz💡

The holidays are better with sauna.


Cold air, warm cedar, and steam rolling off the rocks… it always gets people right where they need to be.

That might be letting go of the weight, a little sauna talk, or just being silent. Good heat is simple, and it does its magic every single time.

Whether you're:

-Looking for a last-minute team outing
-Hosting family
-On the hunt for a fun friend adventure
-Or in the mood for a no-fuss solo heat soak

I’ve got a nature sauna escape ready for you, built by us from the frame up.

If you’re in the Twin Cities, DM me for a 10% off code.

See you on the bench! 🔥

Purpose-Led Growth Architect | Advisor to Founders Building Profitable, Sustainable Businesses | Author of Grow North Thursday | 3x Entrepreneur & Builder of Communities, Airplanes & Saunas

A few weeks ago I woke up, drank some coffee, and went straight into… chaos.
 
I was half-writing a newsletter, half-scrolling my calendar, making smoothies for the kids (one landed on me and the floor), and trying to get us out the door.
 
One kid had no clean underwear.  My sweater was covered in smoothie.  My mother-in-law called about Christmas plans.
 
And I blurted out:  “I can't talk right now! I’m too busy!”
 
As if the universe should have known that I, Colleen Kranz, was operating in full crisis mode.
 
Then the wiser voice chimed in: “Hey Mrs. Life Design and Purpose Work… you’re making everybody crazy.”
 
Whoops.
 
Ever been there?
 
You get spun up in your own internal urgency and suddenly everyone around you gets pulled into it.
 
Deadlines are real. People count on us. The pressure is real.
 
But there’s a better way to handle intensity without letting it run your whole system.
 
That’s what tomorrow’s Grow North Thursday newsletter is about:
 
the antidote to your own urgency story.
 
If you want to join us, the link is in the comments. 👇

Back in 2015, we completed the build of our Vans RV-10 airplane.
 
It took years of weekends, late nights, and a whole lot of learning.
 
The plane has a Garmin G3X touchscreen and an autopilot system that, once you’re at cruising altitude, can hold course for hours.
 
It’s smooth. Reliable. Honestly… a little too easy.
 
Because even with autopilot on, we still stay alert. Watching the skies. Navigating around weather. Listening to the radio. Monitoring fuel and altitude.
 
Autopilot keeps the wings level. But it doesn’t think ahead.
 
That part is still on us.
 
And it’s not all that different from how we live our lives.
 
We find our routines. We lock in a course. And suddenly we’re months or years down the line, moving fast but not checking whether we’re still headed somewhere that matters.
 
A client said this to me recently on a strategy call:
 
“I’m so busy keeping everything running that I can’t remember the last time I felt excited about any of it.”
 
She wasn’t burned out. She was disconnected.
 
Her days had turned into a checklist of things that once mattered but no longer felt alive.
 
That’s what autopilot looks like in real life. You keep moving, but you stop steering.
 
Tomorrow in Grow North Thursday newsletter, I’m sharing 5 practical ways to step out of autopilot and take back the controls in your work, your leadership, and your life.
 
If you want the guide, the link to subscribe is in the comments. ✈️ 💛

Lately I’ve been noticing how tightly I grip my schedule.


Every minute accounted for. Every block of time is ultra-efficient. 

So, I tried a small experiment.

I started leaving for appointments ten or fifteen minutes earlier.

(obvious advice, right?)
 
But those extra minutes changed how I moved through the day. I stopped rushing and showing up everywhere hot. I noticed things again, like the quiet of my car or the random flyer on the coffee shop bulletin board. I felt time soften a little instead of something I had to push against.
 
It made me wonder: how much of our stress comes not from time itself, but from how we treat it?
 
Over the past few months I’ve been learning to relate to my schedule differently. Not to dominate it with more rules, but to calm it.
 
In tomorrow’s Grow North Thursday email, I’m sharing four simple shifts that helped me get there.

Want to follow along? Link is in the comments. ↓


📌 Which one are you: leave-early, right-on-time, or always-rushing?

“Berry rich.”


Last weekend I was sitting around a bonfire with friends when someone used this phrase I'd never heard before.

It means you can afford to buy berries in the middle of winter.

I laughed out loud. When I was growing up, we had wild black raspberries that grew along every edge of our farm. Each summer, we’d fill old ice cream buckets with them until our fingers were stained purple. My parents froze what we couldn't eat - small containers stacked in the freezer, waiting for winter.

I can't even remember buying berries from a store, but man... did it feel rich.

So when I heard "berry rich,” it got me thinking. 

Maybe richness isn’t just about what we can buy. Maybe it’s also about what we can still appreciate.

If you’ve ever wondered what “rich” really means, or how to keep the good things from losing their meaning, tomorrow's Thanksgiving-edition newsletter is for you.

We’ll explore what it means to define richness for yourself, and how to protect what makes your life feel full.

Want to join us? Link is in the comments ↓

Purpose-Led Growth Architect | Author, Grow North Thursday | Advisor to Entrepreneurs Who Want Profit, Purpose & Wellbeing | 3x Entrepreneur & Builder of Communities, Airplanes & Saunas

You'd be surprised how many people are out there doing it completely terrified.

Some people have just figured out how to take action anyway.

Nobody does brave things alone.

Every bold move I’ve ever made was easier because of the people in my corner. The ones who remind me who I am, and nudge me toward the version of myself I’m building.

Fear shrinks when your inner circle is strong.

The friend who listens without judgment. Bhavika Tilwani
The one who tells you the truth gently. Laura Krafka
The one who reminds you you’ve done hard things before. Jenica Pospisil
The one who believes in you on the days you forget to. Keri Lappi 

If you’re stepping into something new right now and feeling that familiar fear… don’t white-knuckle it alone.

Lean on your people.  
Accept support.  
Let yourself be lifted.

Your fear doesn't disqualify you from success.
 
What bold step are 𝘺𝘰𝘶 taking this week? ✌️


📸 image cred: Lake Superior sunrise moment in Two Harbors with the lovely Laura Krafka. She’s bringing something meaningful to the North Shore - a place for people to slow down, reconnect, and grow!

Who do you know that could benefit from your kindness at this time?


Not your money or your advice. Your kindness.

This might look like a genuine check-in, a thoughtful message. Or a reminder that they’re not alone in what they’re building, facing, or carrying.

Business isn’t just about strategy, sales, or scaling. It’s about humanity. And often, the most powerful growth lever we have isn’t another tactic, it's our presence.

So today, I’m choosing to slow down for a moment and ask:

Who could use a little extra kindness from me?

And I’ll challenge you to do the same. Pick one person, reach out, and be genuine.

Because this is what growing on purpose really looks like in the day-to-day.

We rise by lifting others, especially when there's no ROI expected.

📌 Tag someone who’s shown you that kind of kindness. Let’s spread what the world could use more of right now.

I’m grateful for you.


Whether you’ve been in my corner for years or we just connected recently, thank you for reading, supporting, sharing your wins, asking thoughtful questions, and doing the hard work of growing with intention.
 
It’s easy to rush through the year without stopping to notice what (and who) is actually helping us move forward.
 
So today, I hope you get a moment of stillness. A moment to breathe. A moment to appreciate how far you’ve come, even if it doesn’t always feel like it.
 
Happy Thanksgiving, my friends. Cheering for you always. 🤍

I’ve noticed a pattern this year across the leaders I work with.

 
Many of them are growing, but not always in a direction that feels meaningful to them.
 
They’re busy. They’re hitting milestones. They’re moving things forward.
 
But the progress doesn’t feel like the right kind of growth.
 
Across my client work (fractional CMO, growth coach, and strategist), the same three themes keep showing up. 

 
1. Clarity is beating speed  

More leaders are slowing down long enough to ask better questions. Where are we heading? Why does it matter?
 
The companies growing in a healthy direction are defining their reason for existing, choosing a direction and a specific market position, cutting noise, and making decisions with intention. They know speed without clarity just creates burnout.

 
2. Simplicity is becoming an advantage  

So many teams feel the weight of complexity. Too many tools, tactics, and competing ideas.
 
What’s working now is much simpler: clear messaging, focused offers, and systems people can actually follow through on. Leaders want work to feel cleaner, not heavier.

 
3. Well-being is becoming a business strategy  

This is one of the most encouraging shifts.
 
More founders are recognizing that sustainable growth depends on their capacity. They’re choosing fewer priorities, setting boundaries, and designing healthier rhythms. Overwhelmed leaders make overwhelmed decisions.

 
The bottom line  
 
The leaders who pause, simplify, and realign are the ones creating growth that actually feels like success.

A big part of being happy is letting yourself be excited about things.
 

And I’m not talking about big milestones. I mean the tiny, ordinary moments that make up most of your life.
 
My son Dash reminds me of this. His superpower is feeling excited about things. A new house project we’re working on, a new friend, hot chocolate, something we mentioned two weeks ago.
 
His excitement fills the whole house.
 
We adults, especially leaders and entrepreneurs, often lose this skill.
 
We stop letting ourselves look forward to things unless they are big or “productive.” We move from one responsibility to the next. We forget how energizing simple excitement can be.
 
I’ve been trying to bring more of it back into my week.
 
Sauna Fridays.  
Planning a meal I love.  
Cheering for my friends and clients.  
Anything that gives the week a spark of excitement.
 
When you let yourself get excited about everyday things, life feels more alive. More meaningful. More yours.
 
📌 What’s something you’re excited about today?

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

This quote from Viktor Frankl has been on my mind lately, especially around the tension between two skills that shape how we grow:

Self-honesty: facing reality as it is.
Self-freedom: loosening our grip on the identities and stories that keep us stuck.

Most of us lean hard toward one side.

Some of us are great at being honest. We see the numbers. We see the patterns. We see the strain we keep calling “a busy season.” But honesty without freedom can feel like a cage. You stare at the truth, judge yourself for it, and stay rooted in the same spot.

Others lean toward freedom. We love new ideas and possibilities. We detach from old beliefs quickly. But freedom without honesty can drift into avoidance. No grounding.

I believe real growth happens when both are present:

➽ Honesty says: Here’s what’s true right now.
➽ Freedom says: And here’s how I’m willing to respond.

So here’s a simple practice for this week:

Where do I need more honesty?
(What am I avoiding, downplaying, or rationalizing?)

Where do I need more freedom?
(Where am I gripping too tightly to old roles, expectations, or stories?)

If you can hold both, you’ll make clearer decisions and stay far more resilient through change.

Which one do you need more of right now?

I'll go first 👇

What did you love before you got so busy?


It's easy to focus on productivity and results while unintentionally sidelining the things that replenish our energy and reconnect us to joy.

For me, that’s music. That’s community. It’s creating something together that’s bigger than what any one of us could do alone.

So this year, I decided to sing again - and joined a choir!

If you’re local, I’d love to invite you to come see what we've been working on:

📍 Hastings High School Auditorium  
📅 Sunday, December 14 | 2–3pm  
🎟️ Free admission, donations accepted to support the chorale

But wherever you are, and whatever’s on your plate right now, I hope you find a few minutes this week to reconnect with your thing - whatever brings you joy, no ROI required.

p.s. We're singing with an orchestra (yes, we’re fancy)

4 years ago, I started my business helping companies build more intentional marketing strategies.
 
Like many founders, I thought the biggest hurdles would be tactical: positioning, pricing, pipeline.
 
But here’s what I’ve learned - growth is mostly internal.
 
Building a business will ask you to confront every piece of armor you’ve ever put on:  

→ The fear of failing publicly  
→ The instinct to over-deliver and prove your worth  
→ The urge to play it safe instead of play it true
 
That armor helps at first. It protects. It gets you through the messy beginning.
 
But at some point, it becomes a weight.
 
If you’re in a season where you're outgrowing your old habits, I see you.
 
The discomfort is a sign you’re on the right path. 

Keep going. Let it be messy. Let it be real.

There’s clarity, freedom, and impact on the other side.

Do you struggle to switch off from work?


You’re not alone. I’ve worn a lot of hats in my life: consultant, entrepreneur, volunteer, creator. For a long time, work slipped into corners of my day that should have stayed personal.

Even after hours, my mind kept running through ideas, problems, and the next thing on my list.

If that feels familiar, I get it.

I eventually realized that if we want to make a long-term impact, we have to protect our personal time.

So how do you switch off?

Here are three things that helped me build a clearer line between work and the rest of my life:

1 - Digital Detox

Set Do Not Disturb, remove work apps from your phone, and stay off work platforms once the day is done.

2 - Shutdown Meeting

A simple end-of-day routine that wraps up loose ends, lowers stress, and gives you a clean start for tomorrow.

3 - Transition Ritual

A small activity that helps your brain shift gears. A walk, a book, a moment of quiet. Anything that pulls you out of work mode. My go-to is a walk with the pup.

These habits made a noticeable difference in how I felt and how I worked.

How do you switch off from work?

LinkedIn's year in review is out, and look who's at the top of my list...

Joe Raasch, I have a tremendous amount of respect for you and your ability to clear the clutter when it comes to impactful executive writing and corporate communications.

Plus, I love all the tips like 30 at 3, mindful baking, and pups as presence.

Follow my friend Joe Raasch if you'd like to see more of the good stuff in your feed.

#YearinReview

Staying informed without getting swallowed whole by the news cycle feels like a modern-life tightrope.

I want to know what’s happening in the world. But I also want to protect my mental bandwidth so I can do good work and show up well for the people around me.

For a long time, I swung between two extremes.

⮕ Total avoidance or total overload.

Neither felt great.

Lately, I’ve landed on something that works well enough. A quick morning radio update.
Audio only. Short. Intentional.

Just enough to feel informed without the emotional pull that comes from watching video or scrolling headlines.

How do you stay up to date without getting pulled into the vortex?

Here’s the process that works for me right now:

𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿
For me, that's five to ten minutes in the morning. No doom-scrolling before bed. No mid-day “quick checks” that turn into spirals.

𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺
Audio is easier on my mind than video. Short summaries beat commentary. And local news helps me feel grounded.

𝗕𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀
I'm choosing outlets that focus on facts. My goal is clarity.

𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗽
After I get the information I need, I move on. This is the part I used to skip. Intentional consumption requires an intentional exit.

I haven’t found a perfect system for me yet, but this has helped me stay aware without feeling weighed down. 


I'm looking for more tips. What’s your preference for consuming news?

I make leadership growth less stressful and more joyful for introverted leaders working in the IT industry | Executive Coach & Mental Fitness Coach

Is your career stuck, lacking direction? 
Feel overshadowed despite deep expertise?
Struggling with work-life imbalance, conflicts, and workplace politics?

Ever thought:

"Leadership is overwhelming."
"Why do I feel overlooked despite hard work?"
"Am I cut out for leadership with all these politics?"

These thoughts reflect self-doubt holding you back. 

Now let us shift your focus.  Imagine a world where 

“Radiate with Authenticity”
“You make decisions with self-awareness & clarity"
"A world where you confidently navigate through challenges feeling less stressed"
"Emotionally balanced, and equipped with an arsenal of winning skill sets"

Think about the transformation – from being fearful of public speaking and conflict to confidently saying 'no' and drawing boundaries. 

"Taking strategic bets, thinking entrepreneurial"
"Inspiring your teams with your authentic strengths"

This is not just a dream; it’s a realistic goal that you can achieve.

You, as an IT leader, are already equipped with some incredible qualities – active listening, humility, empathy, a strong work ethic, and dependability. 

These form the foundation upon which we can build your journey to strategic influence.

How would it feel to have a professional life where your work is not just a job, but a journey of meaningful impact, where your accomplishments are recognized, and your skills are constantly evolving and being mastered?

Imagine you achieving success in your life & and leadership while pursuing growth and fulfillment and not trading one for the other. 

This is where I come in.

Hi, I’m Dilip Solasa.

I bring over 28+ years of diverse professional experience, encompassing a wide range of roles and responsibilities. This journey has given me a deep understanding of various business practices and organizational dynamics. For 15 years, I served in leadership roles across multiple geographies. This part of my career was particularly enriching as it involved leading cross-cultural teams, adapting to different market conditions, and understanding the intricacies of global business operations.

In 2021, I transitioned into the role of an executive coach. This shift was driven by my desire to use my extensive experience to mentor and guide other leaders, helping them to unlock their potential and navigate their unique professional challenges, and coached over 100 leaders so far. 

I help you maximize your potential. Commit to your personal growth and together, we'll create a journey encompassing growth, fulfillment, joy, and impact. 

You can also reach me at www.clareominds.in

Dilip Kumar Solasa, Raise The Vibe

I have been considering becoming a strategy coach for the last few years and have been looking for the right platform.  

Finally, it happened. 

Thanks, Jeroen Kraaijenbrink Timothy Timur Tiryaki, for creating the Big5 Strategy Coach Program and providing a common language for a complex and most sought-after leadership skill. 

Delighted to be part of the First 100 coaches of this signature program

#coachdilip

Dilip Kumar Solasa

Helping Silent, Hardworking Leaders Break the Invisible Ceiling, Fast-Track Career by Strengthening Executive Presence & Strategic Thinking | Executive Coach | TEDx Speaker | ICF PCC | 2+ Decades of Leadership Experience

The recent layoffs across companies like Microsoft, Twitter, Meta, Google, and Amazon reveals us ONE thing.

For a long time, we all believed this.
That once we enter a “dream” company, our career is safe.

The brand name and role felt like secure.
It gave a sense of long term stability.

But events like these remind us how quickly external stability can change.
But the truth is here.

Career safety does not come from where you work.
It comes from the value you carry with you.

Over time, these 5 key principles consistently prove important in uncertain times:

1. Do not tie your identity only to a job title.
↳ Strong professionals understand and communicate the impact they create and the strengths they bring, beyond a designation.

2. Focus on staying relevant, not just accumulating years of experience.
↳ Industries evolve faster than roles, and relevance protects long term growth.

3. Invest consciously in leadership skills.
↳ How you communicate, make decisions, and handle pressure matters across every role and organisation.

4. Understand that good work alone is not enough.
↳ Impact needs to be visible and clearly understood by the right stakeholders.

5. Build relationships before you need them.
↳ Not for favours, but for perspective, trust, and long term professional connection.

Layoffs are difficult and unsettling. They affect real lives.
But they also highlight an important truth.

The smartest move is not chasing the perfect company.
It is becoming a professional who can adapt, grow, and lead in any environment.

Companies will change.
Markets will shift.
But what you build within yourself stays with you.

Follow Dilip Kumar Solasa for more updates related to career and leadership.

If this perspective resonated, feel free to repost♻️ so others can reflect on it too.

#coachdilip #gravitas

I paid ₹35L / year for a mistake, I did not even know I was making.

I once reached a stage where my career felt stuck even though my work was solid.

I was delivering consistently, receiving appreciation, and taking on responsibilities beyond my role.

But somehow, the growth I expected never showed up.

At that time, I thought working harder and proving myself would fix everything.

But reality did not work that way.

After speaking to many experienced professionals, I started seeing the real pattern.

Many skilled professionals struggle because their value is not recognised by the right people.

This is where frustration begins.

You know what you bring.
You know the effort you put in.
Yet the system does not reward you in the way you expected.

It feels unfair, but it is more structural than personal.

At senior levels, career progress depends on more than merit.

It relies on presence, identity, narrative, and the way you show up in important conversations.

People rise when others can see their value, not just when they deliver it.

This was a difficult lesson, but also a liberating one.

Because once you understand that growth is shaped by positioning and self awareness, not just performance, the path forward becomes clearer.

If your career feels stuck despite consistent effort, I can help you decode the real block. DM me.

#coachdilip #gravitas

The difference between a 20LPA and a 35LPA career often comes down to this.

For years, we were conditioned to believe that saying yes means being supportive, being a team player, or being a high performer.

But over time, it costs your time, focus and boundaries.
And eventually, it costs your growth.

Saying yes to everything trains others to assume you are always available, and always ready to take more.

Without realising it, you become the reliable one, the go to person, the fixer for every problem.

Which looks good on the surface, but inside it leaves you exhausted, and overloaded.

Leaders who rise quickly learn the skill of saying no without guilt.

They say it with clarity, respect, and intention.
They protect their energy, focus, and boundaries without damaging trust.

If you have ever felt overwhelmed because you could not decline tasks, because you agreed too quickly, or guilty for protecting your time, you are not alone.

This is one of the most common challenges across all levels of leadership.

And learning to say no professionally can completely change how you manage your time, communicate your value, and show up with confidence.

To help with this, I am hosting a free live session on “How to professionally say NO at work” on Dec 13th 8 AM IST

If saying no feels difficult, this session will make it easier. 
Link in the comments section.

#coachdilip #gravitas

The 4 Types of Burnout Professionals Face and How to Identify Yours.

Most professionals think burnout only means exhaustion, but it actually shows up in four very different ways.

Recognizing your type is the first step in reclaiming your energy and direction.

Here are the four types:

1. Emotional burnout
This shows up as feeling overwhelmed even when the workload is normal.
Your patience drops, small issues feel heavier, and you sense emotional fatigue that builds quietly over time.

2. Physical burnout
Your body starts signalling what your mind has been trying to hide.
Low energy, poor sleep, headaches, loss of stamina, or a constant sense of heaviness become your everyday experience.

3. Cognitive burnout
You are working, but not thinking at your best.
Decision making feels slow, focus slips, mistakes increase, and tasks that were once simple start feeling mentally draining.

4. Leadership burnout
This is common among high performers and managers.
You feel responsible for everything, struggle to switch off, carry emotional load for others, and slowly lose the joy of leading.

If any of these feel familiar, it is not a weakness.

It is your system telling you that something needs realignment.

When you understand your burnout type, you can take the right steps to recover, rebuild, and lead from a healthier place.

#coachdilip #gravitas

What if the real reason you feel stuck has nothing to do with skills at all?

You can read, learn, and collect frameworks, but growth accelerates only when someone helps you see yourself clearly.

This year, I worked with a senior leader who joined our executive coaching program with a simple intention:

To grow into a more grounded, confident, and emotionally aware version of herself.

What she experienced was far deeper than skill building.

The Awareness Shift and Mindset Shift sessions helped her understand why she reacted the way she did, how her decisions were shaped by old patterns, and what needed to change to show up with more presence.

She shared something powerful in her reflection later.

She said the biggest difference was not the framework, but the experience of being pushed just enough to break her limitations.

Every conversation helped her challenge long held beliefs, reframe situations with clarity, and step into a calmer, more grounded version of herself.

This is the part many people underestimate.

Transformation does not come from more knowledge.
It comes from guided awareness, honest reflection, and the right nudges at the right time.

And seeing leaders experience this kind of internal change is the most rewarding part of my life.

If you want to strengthen your leadership identity from the inside out, DM me.

#coachdilip #gravitas

🚩 The 6-Word Mistake That Keeps Introverts Overlooked.

Introverts often believe they need to change who they are to grow as leaders.

Speak more. Push harder. Be louder in meetings.

That belief quietly holds many capable professionals back.

Usually, many introverted professionals struggle with 3 things.

1. Their thinking stays inside their head.
They are often trapped by the six silent words: "I'll wait until my idea is perfect." By the time they speak, the conversation has moved on.

2. Feedback feels personal.
Because introverts reflect internally, criticism stays longer and affects confidence more than it should.

3. They mistake calmness for passivity.
They assume leadership requires constant assertion, when in reality it requires grounded decision making.

What helps introverted leaders grow is not becoming louder.
It is becoming clearer.

Clarity about what they stand for.
Clarity about how they add value.
Clarity about when to speak and when silence is strategic.

If you are an introverted professional feeling overlooked, the issue is rarely capability.

It is usually positioning, presence, and inner confidence.

And those are skills that can be built without changing who you are.

#coachdilip #gravitas

ONE habit you rely on is the same habit that slows you down. I bet.

Most professionals careers do not slow down because of lack of capability.

They slow down because the person keeps repeating the same safe behaviours that once helped them succeed.

Playing safe feels responsible.
- It feels predictable.
- It feels like the right thing to do.
- But over time, it quietly limits visibility and leadership readiness.

When you avoid risk for too long, you stop stretching yourself.
 You avoid bigger decisions.
 You avoid important conversations.
 You avoid situations where your leadership can actually be seen.

And that sends a signal that you are dependable but not ready for the next level.

Leaders who move faster are not the ones with perfect answers.

They are the ones who can:
 • Make decisions without waiting for full clarity
 • Speak in rooms that feel intimidating
 • Influence even when they are not the senior person

That is what organizations notice.
And that is what accelerates careers.

If your career feels slower than your effort, ask yourself:
❓Am I playing safe without realising it?

#coachdilip #gravitas

This is what I’d tell my 29-year-old self:

There is a point in your career where experience teaches you things no book, courses, or certification can.

Looking back, there are lessons I wish I had understood much earlier.

Not because life would have been easier, but because growth would have felt clearer and less confusing.

9. Your career will not move in a straight line.
Some seasons accelerate you, others shape you. Both matter.

8. Say no earlier and with confidence.
Time and energy are limited. Protect what matters.

7. Perfection is overrated.
Consistency builds trust more than brilliance ever will.

6. Grow your leadership identity.
How you think and show up will matter more than what you know.

5. Take more calculated risks.
Playing safe feels good now but slows you down later.

4. Build relationships before you need them.
A strong network is created through presence, not urgency.

3. Guard your energy.
Burnout begins quietly and steals ambition slowly.

2. Do not wait for confidence.
Confidence grows through action, not preparation.

1. Your next level will require a different version of you.
Focus on who you are becoming, not just what you are achieving.

📌 If you are in your late 20s or 30s, remember this:

Career growth is not about speed. 
It is about direction, identity, and the courage to make choices that your future self will thank you for.

#coachdilip #gravitas

Promotions are never about being quiet or loud. 

They are about your visibility and impact.

I recently had a conversation with a senior leader who described himself as deeply introverted and uncomfortable with conflict.

He preferred keeping the peace, avoiding disagreements, and saying yes even when it cost him personally.

Technically, he was strong.

But when the role demanded influence, or leadership presence, he pulled back.

He felt unsure about speaking to senior leaders.
He struggled to take accountability for team outcomes.
He found it difficult to express what he needed or expected from others.

This is not unusual.

Many professionals who want to grow into leadership feel this inner tension -
the desire to lead, mixed with the fear of being seen, judged, or misunderstood.

The real turning point came when he realised this was not a personality issue.
It was a belief issue.

He believed that introversion meant he should stay quiet.
He believed that conflict would damage relationships.

But leadership today looks very different.

With AI taking over more tasks, organisations are looking for people who can think clearly, communicate well, and take ownership of outcomes.

They want individuals who can navigate people, customers, and technology, not just execute assignments.

The shift begins when you stop limiting your potential to the version of yourself you were comfortable being.

If you see yourself in this story, remember:
Your nature is not the barrier.
Your assumptions are.
 
#coachdilip #gravitas

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Dilip Kumar Solasa, Raise The Vibe

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