(Transcribed by TurboScribe. Go Unlimited to remove this message.)
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What if the reason you're struggling to make good decisions isn't a lack of discipline, faith, or motivation? What if you're simply exhausted? Welcome back to the Decision Fitness Series. We've talked about protecting priorities. We've talked about identifying your five moves.
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But none of that really matters if you're trying to make important decisions while running on fumes. Because tired people don't think clearly. Tired people tend to second-guess themselves.
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And often, tired people mistake temporary emotions for permanent truth. What's even more heartbreaking is when tired people abandon the goals that they care most about, simply because they're exhausted. And that's why today's principle is simple.
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Energy before execution. Because if you try to run your five moves on an empty tank, you'll stall. You'll spiral.
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And you'll spend your entire day rearranging tasks, instead of advancing your goals and your purpose. Today, we're going to prime your body, mind, and spirit so that when it's time to execute, you're already in motion. This is Goals and Grace with Certified High-Performance Coach, Rev. Dr. Juliet Spencer.
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Ready to lead with love, not depletion? Let's go! You don't rise to the level of your ambitions. You fall to the level of your energy routines. High performers don't wait to feel motivated.
They generate the state that makes execution possible. Think of energy as the runway beneath an airplane. If the runway is short, cluttered, or broken, the plane never gets airborne.
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But when the runway is clear and long, takeoff becomes inevitable. The same is true for your goals. The question isn't only, what do I need to do? The question is, who do I need to be and what energy do I need to bring to do it well? So first, let's flip the guilt script.
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Caring for your energy isn't selfish. It's stewardship. Many of us were taught that rest is optional and recovery is indulgent.
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That pushing through is somehow more faithful. We wear exhaustion like a badge of honor. I know I certainly did.
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But Scripture tells a different story. Think about Elijah. He had just experienced one of the greatest victories recorded in Scripture.
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Through him, God defeated the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. Fire fell from heaven. The people witnessed God's power.
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It was a mountaintop moment in every sense of the word. And then, one threat from Jezebel sent Elijah running into the wilderness. He was exhausted, afraid, and emotionally depleted.
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He sat beneath a broom tree and told God that he had had enough. In his despair, he wished he could simply die. But notice what God did not do.
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God did not lecture him. God did not tell him to work harder. God didn't hand him a strategic plan.
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God let him sleep. And then, God fed him and let him sleep again. Only after recovery came renewed direction.
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That's an important lesson for every high-achieving woman listening today. Fatigue distorts perspective. Exhaustion can make a faithful person, well, feel like a failure.
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Sleep deprivation is no joke. And it can make a temporary challenge feel permanent. When you compromise your sleep, nutrition, and recovery, the truth is you don't really save time.
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You borrow against tomorrow. The regret of snapping at your family, of abandoning your goals, or of questioning your calling and your purpose, often costs far more than the 20 minutes you thought you would gain by skipping your reset. Strategic self-care isn't selfish.
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It's intelligent service to everyone you love and everything you're building. So, now let's put simple practices where they matter most, in your transitions. Between activities, pause for 60 seconds.
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Take a deep breath, relax your shoulders, unclench your jaw, and then ask yourself, what energy do I choose to bring into this next block of time? Then, release the tension. And set your intention. And that's it.
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This tiny habit keeps you from dragging the last meeting or the last disappointment, the last conflict, or the last social media rabbit trail, into your next responsibility. And it's one of the simplest ways to turn scattered days into composed momentum. So, now let's talk about the two most common culprits behind low energy.
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The first is what I call mental hooks. Let's say something has annoyed you or someone has disappointed you. Maybe you've had a conversation that, well, hurt your feelings.
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Or a decision didn't go your way. And now it is riding around in your mind like a passenger who refuses to get out of the car. I recommend, name it.
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And I really mean, name it. Question it. Ask yourself, what if the opposite could be true? Maybe your boss didn't ignore your idea because it was bad.
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Maybe they were distracted. Maybe your friend hasn't texted back because she's upset with you. Maybe she's overwhelmed.
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Maybe that presentation didn't go as poorly as you think. Maybe you're just replaying the awkward 30 seconds instead of remembering the 20 good minutes. I know I've done that.
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A room full of people can respond positively. Meaningful conversations can happen afterward. And yet, my brain wants to focus on the one sentence I wish I had phrased differently.
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Sound familiar? When that happens, pause and ask yourself, what evidence do I have that this is the whole story? If 10 people thanked you and one person looked bored, why are you giving the bored person all the voting power? If a project moved forward but wasn't perfect, why are you acting as though imperfect means unsuccessful? If someone seemed distant, do you actually know they're upset with you? Or are you filling in the blanks? Our brains are constantly trying to make sense of incomplete information. The problem is that they often default to the interpretation that confirms our fears and insecurities or our frustrations. So challenge the story your brain is telling you.
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Ask, what else might be true? What would I tell a friend who came to me with this exact situation? What evidence supports a different conclusion? You're not trying to talk yourself out of reality, but you are trying to see reality more clearly. And often, when you do that, the thing that was draining your energy begins to lose its grip. When you challenge the first interpretation, you create space for a healthier one.
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And once you do that, then release it physically. Stand up, take a walk, pray, stretch, shake out the tension, and breathe deeply. You want to clear the clutter so your spirit has room to breathe again.
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The second culprit is your last 72 hours. Your current state isn't based only on this moment. It's the cumulative result of your sleep, your movement, hydration, and nutrition over the last three days.
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So if you've been skimping, you'll feel it now. Recommit. Earlier lights out, water before caffeine, protein and greens before sweets, and movement before marathon sitting sessions.
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When I've had long seasons of preaching, teaching, coaching, or leading, I don't ask, why am I struggling today? I ask, how have I fueled my body, moved and recovered over the last three days? And then, I make adjustments. So let's build your pre-execution ritual. I call it the Energy First Five.
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And it's simple, and even better, it's repeatable. And it works even during busy seasons. First, wake with intention.
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Before checking your phone, place your feet on the floor and ask, who needs me to be at my best today, and how will I show up for them? Because purpose creates energy. And purpose fuels presence. Second, hydrate and oxygenate.
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Drink water. Many of you have heard me say, I love a good strong cup of joe. But before I head with my favorite mug to get that favorite cup of dark coffee, I drink a glass of room temperature water.
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Because your body dehydrates overnight. Take two minutes for slow, intentional breathing. Bring your nervous system online before the world starts demanding things from you.
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Third, move your body. Now, we're not talking about necessarily a whole workout at this point. Just five to ten minutes is enough.
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Stretch, walk a few minutes, do a few squats, or do what I do, which is dance in the kitchen. We're not training for the Olympics. We're just sending a signal to our bodies that says, hey, we're in motion.
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Fourth, prime your mindset. Speak your intention out loud. Today's mission is... Today's focus is... And today, I will bring calm, confidence, joyful discipline, and focused energy.
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Words shape state, don't you think? And state influences behavior. Fifth, protect your first deep work block. Even 25 focused minutes beats three distracted hours.
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Now, you know, I personally love a 50-minute block with a 10-minute break. Whatever you choose, 25 minutes or 50, block the time like it's an appointment with your future self. You show up for everybody else, so show up for yourself too.
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Throughout the day, sustain that flame with touch points, not heroics. So at midday, ask, what's been great so far? Recognition fuels motivation. And then ask, how do I finish with excellence? Choose one important move and finish it.
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And anytime you transition from one activity to another, return to that 60-second reset. Release the tension, set your intention, and you'll be amazed at how much energy it saves. Evening is where many people lose tomorrow's momentum.
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Let me say that again. Evening is where many people lose tomorrow's momentum. Create a wind-down rhythm.
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Now, this isn't a rigid rule, but a rhythm. Dim the lights. Prepare tomorrow's environment.
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Journal your most important move. Lay out your clothes. Set an alarm that reminds you to begin winding down, not one that catches you when you're already exhausted.
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Schedule your prayer time. There are plenty of times where I have to schedule time with God. Schedule your workout.
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Schedule your social commitments. Honor your bandwidth. Now, this isn't about being fussy.
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It's about creating freedom. And when your rhythms are clear, your brain can relax and your spirit, your mind can recover. So do those things the night before.
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And if you're in a particularly demanding season, such as caring for family or navigating through grief or leading through uncertainty, or maybe just carrying responsibilities that feel overwhelming, don't try to white knuckle your way through it. Seek wise counsel. Talk to a coach or a mentor.
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Invite someone to help you assess your habits and your plan. You know, the way you'd want a physician to evaluate your health or a consultant to assess your business, sometimes you just need an outside perspective to help you see what you can't see yourself. And then measure what matters.
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Track your sleep and your movements. Track your focus. Believe it or not, a simple scorecard beats vague hope every time.
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Because excellence isn't built by impulse. And I know that you already know that. It's built by deliberate choices repeated consistently.
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And as we close, remember this. You are not a machine. You are a beloved human being created by God with limits, rhythms, and needs.
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The goal isn't to squeeze more productivity out of every minute. The goal is to become the kind of person who can consistently show up with clarity and wisdom, who can be present and have strength of body, mind, and spirit. That's what decision fitness is really about.
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It's not about making one better decision, but it is about building a life that supports better decisions every day. So this week, practice the mantra, Energy Before Execution. So before you push harder, ask whether you need to recover better.
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Before you demand more discipline, ask whether you need more sleep. Before you question your calling, ask whether you're simply caring too much for too long. Prime the state, the state of your mind, the state of your soul, the state of your body.
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And then press start. Next week, we're going to take this one step further. Because once your energy is aligned, the next challenge isn't knowing what to do, it's getting yourself to begin.
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We'll talk about why the first five minutes of any task often determine whether you follow through or fall back into procrastination, and how to master those moments so momentum becomes your default setting. Until then, my friends, protect your energy, trust God's leading, and remember who you become is built one decision at a time. Be well, my friend, and may God bless you with goals and grace.
(Transcribed by TurboScribe. Go Unlimited to remove this message.)
