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He was becoming kinder on himself. He was not having to justify his own existence. ” He was pacing himself much better and allowing himself to feel a sense of joy as he stepped up to take on bigger responsibilities. 48 DEFINING MOMENTS Stepping up can create a sense of burden and responsibility. But it can also lead to a strong sense of satisfaction and the knowledge that you are making good progress and are now able to deploy the full range of your abilities and experience to wider effect. Seeing and embracing joy in the day-to-day Joy is not just about big successes.

This milestone moment has had a profound influence on Adam’s career; the tests of simplicity and clarity have become central to any decision he is responsible for communicating. Milestone moments might well be about recognizing clear, simple truths and then communicating them effectively. They are about not allowing our lack of clarity or muddled thinking to deflect us from a relentless focus on clarity and simplicity when we communicate complex messages. Recognizing that you have stepped up In my book Raise Your Game: How to Succeed at Work, I suggest that stepping up effectively depends on a powerful blend of: ■ Self-belief that comes from a combination of inner confidence and clarity of values ■ Practical action that is realistic, determined and planned I suggest that stepping up depends on a balance between being and doing.

I want to encourage you to see moments of joy not as indulgence or as escapism but as times of special significance which are to be treasured, remembered and repeated. Jeanette’s story Jeanette had a tough job as a hospital consultant. The routine was relentless. She had to be engaging with so many people, and the patients placed demands on her time and energy. She sometimes felt pushed around by her colleagues. There was no time to do anything other than work, work and work until she went home exhausted at the end of her shift.