Stop Toughening Up. Start Paying Attention.
90 SECONDS A DAY... BUILDING RESILIENCE
THE STRATEGY
Resilient Leaders
Jacqueline V. Twillie, MBA
You're not burned out. You forgot what you actually want.
Ten years in and you've done everything right. Hit the goals. Earned the title. Got the respect you had to fight twice as hard for.
So why does it feel like you're wearing someone else's life?
Most resilience advice is garbage. It tells you to get tougher, build thicker skin, learn to handle more. Like you're the problem.
But here's what nobody says: if you've made it this far, especially as an underrepresented leader, you're already resilient as hell. You don't need more armor. You need to recognize when it's time to move.
If You Weren't Scared, What Would You Actually Say?
You're in the airport. Late for your flight. You see an old friend you haven't talked to in years.
"Hey! What's new with you?"
You've got five minutes. What do you say?
Not the LinkedIn version. Not the modest, qualified, "oh you know, just staying busy" version. What would you say if you weren't editing yourself?
That thing you cut? That's the work.
90 Seconds a Day. That's It.
Here's what actually builds resilience: doing something small every single day that keeps your head pointed at where you want to go instead of just what you're trying to avoid.
90 seconds. That's all.
Every day, bullet point that airport conversation. Your best case scenario. What you'd say if you weren't scared or performing or managing everyone else's expectations.
3 ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS
Steps for You to Do Today
1. Visualize Your Best-Case Scenario
Take 2–3 minutes and picture yourself bumping into an old friend at the airport. In this imagined quick catch-up, describe where you are professionally and personally in your best-case future. Say it out loud or write it down.
2. Build Your 90-Second Habit
Every day for the next week, spend 90 seconds jotting down bullet points about that best-case scenario. The point is consistency. This daily ritual quietly strengthens your resilience muscle.
3. Celebrate and Reflect Strategically
When you hit a small win, mark it. Celebrate it in a way that feels real to you. Then take five minutes to run through the L.A.T.T.E. reflection (Look, Anticipate, Think, Talk, Evaluate).
P.S. If these practices resonated with you, my book Dear Resilient Leader goes deeper into the frameworks and reflections that help mid-career professionals pivot with clarity and confidence.
GET YOUR COPY HERE
Resilient Leaders
Jacqueline V. Twillie, MBA

Reply

or to participate