The Secret Mental Skill Most Business Leaders Never Train
The holidays are often framed as a time to slow down. For many leaders, they are anything but quiet.
Deadlines linger. Decisions pile up. The inner voice gets louder.
If you have ever promised yourself that next year will be different, only to repeat the same cycle of stress and overthinking, you are not alone. Most business leaders are taught to refine strategy, sharpen execution, and optimize performance. Very few are taught how to train their mind.
That is where Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine comes in.
It is one of the most recommended books for leaders who are tired of advice that sounds good but does not hold up under pressure. The premise is simple but powerful. Mental fitness matters more than motivation. Training your mind works better than trying to coach it into behaving.
Why mindset work often falls short
Many leaders try to “fix” their mindset by thinking positive thoughts or pushing themselves harder when stress appears. This approach rarely lasts. Under pressure, old patterns take over.
Positive Intelligence explains why.
Inside every leader live internal saboteurs. These are mental habits that once helped you survive or succeed, but now drain energy and limit growth. They feel familiar, convincing, and urgent. They are also the real source of burnout, stress, and stalled momentum.
According to the book, some of the most common saboteurs include:
The Judge, which fuels self criticism and harsh evaluation.
The Controller, which demands certainty and control.
The Stickler, which pushes perfectionism.
The Avoider, which sidesteps discomfort.
The Pleaser, which seeks approval at personal cost.
The Hyper Achiever, which ties worth to performance.
The Hyper Vigilant, which expects problems everywhere.
The Hyper Rational, which overthinks instead of acting.
The Restless, which chases distraction.
The Victim, which falls into self pity.
Every leader has at least one. Most have several.
Saboteurs are not flaws, but they are costly
Saboteurs do not make you weak. They make you human. But when they run the show, growth slows down.
They keep you stuck in problem solving mode, drain creativity, and make pressure feel heavier than it needs to be.
The rebel truth is simple: you can only scale as high as you can see. If your mind is crowded with judgment, fear, or compulsive striving, your vision narrows.
Winning in business requires inner resilience, not just outer discipline.
The Sage perspective changes everything
Instead of fighting negative thoughts, Positive Intelligence teaches you to shift perspectives.
The Sage is the part of you that sees opportunity, learns from challenge, and responds with clarity. It does not ignore difficulty. It meets it with calm strength.
One of the most practical tools in the book is the 10 second Sage reset.
When a saboteur shows up, pause. Do not argue with it. Focus intensely on a physical sensation for ten seconds, such as your breath, the pressure of your feet on the ground, or the feeling in your hands. Then choose a productive, positive response.
This short interruption creates space. Over time, it rewires your default reactions.
Mental fitness becomes a skill you train, not a mood you hope for.
Why this matters for growth
Leaders often search for the next strategy or framework to scale. Strategy matters, but without mental fitness it collapses under pressure.
If saboteurs are driving your decisions, mediocrity becomes comfortable. Stress feels normal. Burnout becomes predictable.
When the Sage leads, clarity returns. You respond instead of react. You build instead of brace.
This is why mental fitness training outperforms mindset coaching alone. It creates durability.
A gift worth giving yourself
The best gift you can give yourself this holiday season is a quieter inner critic and a stronger inner foundation.
Positive Intelligence offers a clear, practical way to train your mind so growth does not cost you your well being. It is especially powerful for leaders who feel ready for new advice and deeper tools.
If you want to build the structures that support resilient growth, our February programs are opening soon with early bird pricing available until January 31. When you are ready, take the next step with us.
Growth feels different when your inner mental state is strong.