As summer begins to fade and fall inches closer, there’s a unique window of opportunity that many leaders miss.
It’s the moment to pause.
Not because everything is falling apart. Not because you’ve failed. But because this point in the year is the perfect time to reflect, recalibrate, and refocus.
Most of us push through without stopping. Our schedules are full, the meetings keep coming, and before we know it, we’ve crossed into a new season without ever asking if we’re still on the right track.
But clarity doesn’t come from constant motion. It comes from intentional reflection.
Why Resets Matter
For me, a mid-year reset is all about focus. Are my strategies still aligned? Are the things I committed to at the beginning of the year still working? Have my goals changed? Do I need to pivot or stay the course?
I ask these questions a lot in August, because honestly, this is one of the busiest seasons of my year. Between HOPE Calloway, Fulcra, and my Maxwell Leadership responsibilities, the second half of the year fills up fast. That’s why I’ve learned to step back now, before the momentum carries me too far down the road.
One of the most powerful resets I ever experienced happened nearly twenty years ago. I was in the middle of a whirlwind season. Events, activities, and programs were in full swing, and I found myself trying to juggle it all while also searching for my own personal mission.
So I hit pause.
I carved out two days. I turned off my phone. I went off grid, told my family how to reach me in an emergency, and I spent time in scripture, prayer, and quiet. I surrounded myself with nature. I created space to think and listen.
I didn’t get all the answers. But I did get clarity.
Some of the direction and values I uncovered in that two-day retreat still influence my life today. It helped me let go of distractions, narrow my focus, and move forward with renewed purpose.
Signs You Might Need a Reset
You don’t have to wait for burnout to hit before you pause. In fact, there are a few signs that a mid-year reset might be exactly what you need:
- You’re having the same meetings over and over, with little movement.
- You’re constantly busy, but not making meaningful progress.
- You feel exhausted in a way that rest doesn’t fix.
I’m not talking about normal end-of-day tiredness. I’m talking about that drained, unfulfilled feeling that follows a day where nothing really got traction. That’s the kind of fatigue that comes from drifting. And it’s a signal that something needs to shift.
How to Reset When You Don’t Know Where to Start
When leaders tell me they feel stuck, the first thing I help them do is find a pocket of time to pause. It might be a couple of days like I had years ago, or it might just be an hour or two of uninterrupted space. Either way, the goal is the same: to step away from the noise long enough to hear what matters most.
Then I walk them through these three questions:
1. What’s working—and what’s not?
Which activities, habits, or commitments have moved you closer to your goals? Which ones have drained your time or energy without much return?
This question forces clarity. And clarity is always the first step toward better decisions.
2. Am I living and leading from my priorities?
Where are your time, energy, and focus actually going? Are they aligned with what matters most?
John Maxwell often talks about blocking his calendar around his core priorities. This question helps reveal the distractions that may have crept in.
3. What adjustments do I need to make to finish the year with purpose and impact?
This is where it shifts from reflection to action. Once you’ve taken inventory, what needs to change? What do you need to say no to? What do you need to re-commit to?
Resetting doesn’t mean throwing everything out. Sometimes, it’s just a halftime adjustment.
Bring Your Team Along
Once you’ve paused and reflected, don’t stop there.
One of the biggest mistakes leaders make is assuming their team sees what they see. But if you’re recalibrating, your team needs to hear that. They need to know where you’re headed, what matters most in this next season, and how they fit into that picture.
Vision leaks over time. A reset is a great chance to refill it.
Take time to communicate what’s shifting, what’s staying the same, and what matters most. A unified team can move mountains. A disconnected team can’t even move forward.
This Is What Leverage Looks Like
At Fulcra, we believe leadership is about leverage. And you can’t leverage what you’re unwilling to evaluate.
That’s why this mid-year moment matters. It’s not about reinventing yourself. It’s about recognizing what already exists, what needs to shift, and where your next steps will carry the most weight.
Coaching can be a powerful part of this process. Sometimes the best way to gain clarity is to invite a trusted outside voice into the conversation. A coach can help you define what matters, challenge what’s holding you back, and offer accountability as you move forward.
Your Moment to Pause
My encouragement to you is simple:
Push pause.
Reflect deeply.
Realign your focus.
Share the vision.
And finish strong.
You don’t have to do it all in one day. But you do have to start.
This is your moment. Leverage it.