Reprise: Work got you worn out? Try this Jedi mind trick.

by | Jul 25, 2022 | Monthly-ish tips

This post is part of our Monthly-ish Tips series.


I wrote the first version of this Tip back in 2018. So much has changed. And yet some things haven’t. I was tired back then and shared a way I had found to re-energize myself at work that I thought would be helpful. Fast forward a few years, through (and still in) a pandemic along with many other challenging things in the world. I bet I’m not the only one who’s feeling at least a little worn at the edges. Hence the reprise.

We all have our own small (or big) signs that we’re on the verge of a flame-out. I’m a professional speaker and facilitator who is lucky enough to absolutely love what I do for a living, but I know I’m in need of a recharge when I find myself anticipating my next keynote or workshop with thoughts like, “I can’t wait until this one’s over.” It happened just the other day.

Fortunately, passion and focus kick in almost immediately once the classroom doors open (virtual or actual). But the lead-up is draining for me. Plus it’s anything but conducive to creating a life-changing experience for participants.

Enter the Jedi mind trick that I use on myself: I pretend this is the last workshop I’m ever going to deliver in this lifetime.

While this may sound overly dramatic and maybe even morose, it really works. It helps me bring renewed energy to things like an opening slide sequence that I have shared in some variation hundreds of times. It gets me tuned in to what I especially love and appreciate about what I do. It has me present to the aha moments that can totally change the trajectory of someone’s challenging client relationship. Or life.

Managing day-to-day life has demanded a lot of us lately. It’s not unusual to feel worn out, and to lose touch with your passion for your work. It’s critical to do something about that if you want to bring your best to your interactions with others.

So the next time you can’t actually take time to rest and recharge, create your own little mind game and see how big a lift it gives you.

Make It Real

This week, devise your own self-directed Jedi mind trick—carbon copy or a variation—so you’ll have it at the ready the next time you need it.

Learn More

Refresh on why mindset drives sales effectiveness, too, or brush up on other ways to get the focus back on them in Chapter 4 of The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook.

May the force be with you.

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Andrea Howe

As the founder of The Get Real Project, I am the steward of our vision and our service offerings, as well as a workshop leader and keynote speaker. Above all else, I am an entrepreneur on a mission: to kick conventional business wisdom to the curb and transform how people work together as a result. I am also the co-author, with Charles H. Green, of The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook (Wiley, 2012).

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