Sometimes life knocks us down so hard that it feels like we’ll never get back up. The weight of discouragement, overwhelm, or even failure can press us into the darkest corners, leaving us to crawl through the muck and mud of misery. I’ve been there. I know how that feels.

My dad knew it too, as I shared in last week’s Monday Moring Boost.

Dad was a broken man. Though he never realized it, I believe he discovered what it meant to be an Intentional Leader.

Growing up, I watched him face some of the hardest battles life threw his way. But what made him my hero wasn’t the battles themselves–it was how he kept getting back up. Every single time. He didn’t just survive; he rose up, led himself out of darkness.

And he tried to help others do the same. Within his first few weeks of being in AA, he became a sponsor for others who were just starting their journey of sobriety–or restarting, as was often the case. Later on, he became a mentor in the LDS Church’s Addiction Recovery Program.

Though he battled the demons of depression longer than he fought the bottle, he continued choosing to rise, even when it was hard, and guiding others to also rise.

This is the essence of Intentional Leadership.

GETTING BACK UP

When we’re at our lowest, it’s easy to feel like we’re all alone. The pressure, the stress, the feeling of being lost–it can be suffocating. But as I learned from my dad, no matter how many times we’re knocked down, we can always choose to get back up.

Intentional Leaders understand that setbacks are part of the journey. But instead of staying down, they lead themselves back to their feet. They define a vision of where they want to be–out of the mud, standing tall–and they take small, intentional steps to get there. My dad did this time and time again. He showed me that true leadership starts with leading yourself, with making the conscious choice to stand up, no matter how hard the fall.

RISING IN HOPE

But it’s not enough just to stand. When we get back up, we must rise with hope. And hope isn’t just wishful thinking–it’s an expectation based on experience. Elder Neil L. Andersen spoke of the powerful connection between hope and confidence in General Conference this past weekend for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His simple reminder that hope isn’t a fantasy–it’s rooted in what we know to be true from past experiences. Somehow, my dad found this kind of hope.

Intentional Leaders rise with hope because they understand that hope lights the way through the darkest times. It gives us the energy to keep going when the path ahead looks impossible. As we rise in hope, it strengthens our belief in ourselves and the future we are creating.

SOARING IN CONFIDENCE

Once we rise in hope, something powerful begins to happen–we start to soar. Confidence takes root, not because everything is suddenly easy, but because we believe in our ability to navigate the hard times. This confidence doesn’t come from the absence of struggle, but from knowing that, no matter what, we will keep rising.

Intentional Leaders don’t just survive challenges–they soar through them. They use their hope and experiences to fuel their confidence, knowing that they are capable of greatness. My dad didn’t become my hero because he never faced adversity; he became my hero because he got back and chose to rise. And in his own way, I believe he also discovered he could soar.

POWER OF THREE

The path from struggle to greatness can be captured in a simple Power of Three summary.

❤️ GET UP – Intentional Leaders always get back up. No matter how many times they fall, no matter how hard life hits, they choose to stand. Every time.

❤️ RISE – Intentional Leaders rise in hope, knowing that hope is their guiding light. It’s the fuel that keeps them moving forward when the journey gets hard.

❤️ SOAR – With hope comes confidence, and with confidence, Intentional Leaders soar into their greatness, trusting in the strength they’ve built along the way.

INTENTIONAL LEADERSHIP 13 MINUTE ACTION
Take 13 minutes today to write down how you will rise and soar this week.

❤️❤️❤️

I see you, my friend. I see your courage when you choose to get back up, even when life feels overwhelming. I see the light of hope within you, growing stronger as you rise. And I see the confident greatness you are stepping into as you soar higher than you thought possible.

You are not alone on this journey. You are an Intentional Leader, and together, we will rise and soar.

I love you, friend!

Have a great Monday! Thanks for letting me share.

Les

p.s.  Did you write down how you will rise and soar???

Photos from Pixabay

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