Last week, we reminded you about our simple Pause framework, as a way to interrupt your reactivity so that you can show up in a way that’s in alignment with your goals.

As a reminder, this is what the PAUSE framework looks like:

  • When you feel yourself getting reactive, PAUSE.
  • In that moment of pausing, take a breath, a sip of water, a walk down the hall…
  • Ask yourself, “is what I’m about to do or say truly in alignment with my goals?”
  • If the answer is “no”, then consider how you might respond as a leader versus reacting.

Some of you mentioned that you’re getting stuck with the “…alignment with my goals” part of this framework. So, today, we’d like to support you in thinking about what your goal(s) might be.Here’s what we’ve found helpful:


First, consider what matters most to you in this life.

If you haven’t done our Life Priorities exercise yet, we encourage you to do it.


Second, define what a successful and satisfying life looks like for you.

Get as detailed as possible. You could answer any or all of these questions:

  • Given your life priorities, what role do you want work and your important relationships to play in your life?
  • What do you need from work and your important relationships in order to live your life priorities?
  • If you’re living according to your life priorities, how does work fit? How about your important relationships?
  • Considering your life priorities, your work, and your important relationships, what will a successful life look, live, feel, smell, sound, and taste like?


Third, consider your goal(s).

Now that you’ve defined success, how do you want to show up in order to create that success?

You may find that you have one overall goal for how you want to show up in life, or you may have different goals for different situations and people. You could use any or all of the following suggestions to help you:

  • What type of a leader/manager/supervisor do you want to be?
  • What type of a human being do you want to show up as?
  • How do you want to show up in certain meeting? In a certain relationship?

Spend some time this week thinking about your goals. Then, try to PAUSE regularly to check in with yourself to see if you’re living in alignment them.

And remember, while it’s a simple framework, it’s not always easy. Like any other muscle, it takes practice and consistency to retrain our brains (also known as positive neuroplasticity)!

Next week, we’ll talk a bit more about how you might start to retrain your brain to pause and respond in a way that’s in alignment with your goals.

If you’d like support
adding the Pause to your days,
contact us today.