Life and leadership don’t come with a playbook. No matter how much we prepare, how disciplined we are, or how many frameworks we adopt—things will happen that throw us off balance. A tough conversation. A personal tragedy. A shifting business priority. The moment when you open your calendar and realize you’ll never get it all done by noon.

In those moments, the easy thing is to react. To get frustrated. To assume the day is lost. To spiral.

But the truth? Those are the exact moments that define us. They’re the tests of resourcefulness, grit, and perspective. And they remind us that thriving under pressure isn’t about never facing challenges. It’s about how we recalibrate when the challenges hit.

Resourcefulness Begins with Mindset

Hylke Faber shared in our recent Connected Teamwork Podcast that he started his day feeling overwhelmed. He caught himself about to spiral—but instead of giving into frustration, he paused. He asked: What story am I telling myself? What am I grateful for?

That simple pause reframed the day.

I’ve been there myself more times than I can count. I’ve faced days where I didn’t even want to get out of bed—after rejection, loss, or when carrying the constant pressure to perform. Yet resourcefulness begins with this: stepping back, challenging your assumptions, and focusing on gratitude and possibilities instead of problems.

Because every story we tell ourselves has a choice embedded in it: this is impossible… or this is challenge accepted.

The Balcony View

One of the most valuable tools I’ve leaned on is what Hylke and I call the “balcony view.”

When life piles on, zoom out. From the balcony, you can see the big picture: which of the balls you’re juggling are glass (must not drop) and which are rubber (can bounce back if you miss them).

This shift is game-changing. It helps me move from panic to perspective. Instead of obsessing over what’s on fire, I ask: What’s mission critical today? Who do I need to invest in? What can actually wait?

That balcony perspective separates good leaders from great ones. It’s not about doing it all—it’s about doing what matters most.

The Sphere of Care

Here’s something I emphasize with my teams constantly: you cannot serve everyone equally, every moment of every day.

Define your sphere of care. For me, that’s my wife, my kids, my team, my boss, my customers—and yes, myself.

When I prioritize that sphere, I can focus on the people and commitments that truly matter. And if something has to move? It’s almost always outside that core circle.

Resourcefulness isn’t about heroics—it’s about clarity. Knowing what’s yours to do, and what isn’t.

Ruthless Discipline and Self-Care

Resourcefulness also requires discipline. For me, that’s daily non-negotiables—exercise, reflection, creating time to think. Sometimes that looks like taking a meeting on the treadmill. Sometimes it’s a walk outside between calls.

It may sound small, but self-care is not indulgence—it’s strategy. It’s how we summon the energy to serve our teams, our families, and our customers. When you show up depleted, you can’t possibly give your best.

So I practice what I call ruthless discipline with my schedule. Not everything gets my time. But the things that do? They get my best.

Humility and Asking for Help

Here’s another lesson resourcefulness has taught me: it’s not all about me.

My ego wants to believe every challenge is mine alone to solve, right now. But that’s simply not true.

Others are facing similar challenges. I can ask for help. I can tap into the wisdom of a mentor, a peer, or even just a trusted friend. Sometimes the most resourceful move is admitting you don’t have all the answers—and inviting someone else’s perspective into the conversation.

That humility doesn’t make you weak. It makes you stronger.

Leading Through Fires That Aren’t Fires

Every leader has experienced this: someone comes to you declaring that everything is on fire. The deadline is today. The sky is falling.

Nine times out of ten? It’s not.

You can’t just dismiss them, though. They need to feel seen and heard. The art is slowing down the conversation—asking questions, holding up a mirror, helping them reprioritize. Sometimes you do need to drop everything and respond. More often, you don’t.

The key is making that a conscious choice—not just reacting to noise.

When Overwhelmed, Shrink the Bubble

When I’m overwhelmed, I shrink my bubble to the basics:

Am I centered myself?What does my boss need from me?What does my team need from me?What does my family need from me?

Everything else can wait. From that foundation, I expand outward again.

It’s not about perfect conditions or flawless execution. It’s about giving your best with what’s in front of you—right now.

Challenge Accepted

There’s a line I’ve always loved from Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother: “Challenge accepted.”

That’s how I try to approach life’s “impossible” moments.

Reframe the problem. Lean on your sphere. Tap into your relationships, your creativity, your grit. And when you don’t see the way forward? Step back. Because often, resourcefulness means discovering possibilities you didn’t see before.

So the next time you’re overwhelmed, remember: you have a choice. To react, or to recalibrate. To give in to panic, or to give your best.

Resourcefulness is the difference between getting stuck in the story of “I can’t”… and rewriting it as “Challenge accepted.”

What about you? When was the last time you faced a situation that seemed unmanageable—and how did you summon resourcefulness to move forward?