Haven’t we all had times when we wished we could’ve handled things better?
Here’s the thing: our brains panic first. Problem-solving only kicks in once we move past the paralysis.
Sometimes, before you know it, you’re up at 2AM, asking AI a simple question like: “What should I do with my life?”
And it answers:“Step one: hydrate. Step two: don’t text your ex. Step three: consider goat farming.”
This is where Redirecting matters. It’s not just about mindset—it’s about getting your brain back online when things go sideways.
Redirecting your attention isn’t about ignoring chaos. It’s about choosing what deserves your energy when everything is screaming for it.
This is the first step in my Triple R Framework— Redirecting. Reframing. Reclaiming.
Today, we focus on that first R: Redirecting.
Because progress doesn’t happen when you try to fix everything at once.
It happens when you find your next right step and focus all your energy there.
Let me show you how this saved me in the toughest moment of my life—and how you can use it when you’re dealing with low engagement, shrinking budgets, or a crisis that lands in your inbox late on a Friday.
Personal Story
I moved to China for a life-saving spinal surgery after being told I only had months to live. U.S. healthcare had failed me, so I took the biggest leap I could.
Fun fact: translating your own medical terms into Mandarin? Not ideal. That’s how you end up almost tattooed with “Made in China.”
Post-surgery, I woke up tied to the bed with no real painkillers—just ibuprofen—and was overdosed on morphine… not once, not twice, but three times.
Ever watched spiders crawl down melting walls? I have.
Oh, and my leg was broken in 8 places. No cast.
In those moments, I wasn’t thinking about recovery or resilience or any R-word except “Run,” and even that was metaphorical.
I had to REDIRECT my entire attention—out of fear, out of panic, and into just surviving the next moment.
Not the next month. Not even the next day.Just the next 10 seconds.
Let’s get nerdy for a moment:
When a crisis hits, your brain’s amygdala takes over. It’s the drama queen of your nervous system—great for running from tigers, terrible for keeping calm of the Wi-Fi crashes.
Meanwhile, your prefrontal cortex—your rational CEO—is temporarily sidelined. That’s why it feels impossible to make good decisions when everything feels like it’s on fire.
To bring your executive brain back online, you need a pattern interrupt. One powerful redirecting question:
“What’s the next thing I have to do to get me to where I want to go?”
It may sound simple. But it literally reroutes your neural traffic. You’re training your brain to move from chaos to clarity, from freak-out to forward motion.
Redirecting doesn’t mean pretending the proverbial hurricane isn’t real. It means finding the eye of the storm—so you can lead, act, or simply breathe.
Professional Application:
Here’s the thing about chaos at work: it rarely shows up when you’re ready.
It hits mid-meeting. On a Friday at 4:59. Or right before your biggest presentation of the year.
In these moments, strong leaders don’t control the storm—they redirect their team’s energy to what matters most.
✔️ What’s solvable right now?
✔️ What has the highest impact?
✔️ What doesn’t deserve our energy today?
Redirecting is how you protect bandwidth, avoid burnout, and keep your team focused under pressure.
Your team doesn’t need you to have all the answers.
They need you to model clarity in the chaos.
Because in business, clarity isn’t a luxury—it’s leadership.
Personal Application:
Here’s how to practice redirecting in your actual, beautifully messy life:
1. Name the Hurricane
What exactly is the threat? Ambiguity feeds anxiety. Clarity calms it.
2. Pick One Action
Not the whole solution. Just one thing you can actually do. (Send the email. Make the call. Pause the doom scroll.)
3. Use the 3-Second Redirect
Pause. Breathe. Say your next step out loud. Then do just that—nothing more.
Repeat when the next wave hits. Because chaos isn’t a one-time visitor—it’s seasonal.
Redirecting doesn’t always feel powerful in the moment. Sometimes, it just feels like survival.But survival is power. And with practice, redirecting becomes your first instinct instead of your last resort.
Wrap Up:
A redirect isn’t a detour—it’s a decision.
It’s the brain’s way of clearing the static to see what really matters. And it’s the first building block in moving forward with intention.
So when the storm hits? Don’t try to fix it all.
Just redirect. Just ask your next question. Just take the next small step.
Most crises don’t come with a calendar invite. This was mine—post-surgery in a foreign country, with nothing but ibuprofen, a broken leg, and multiple overdoses on morphine while trying to fight for my life. This is where my Triple R Framework began. First step? Redirecting my attention to focus on the next moment, not the big picture YET!
TWO THINGS FOR YOU TO THINK ABOUT
- Redirecting isn’t about ignoring reality—it’s about choosing what part of reality you give your energy to.
- Your brain will always follow the loudest signal. Choose wisely what gets your attention.
TWO THINGS FOR YOU TO ASK YOURSELF
- When chaos hits, where does my attention instinctively go?
- What’s one area of my life or work where a small shift in focus could create a big shift in progress?
ONE THING FOR YOU TO TRY THIS WEEK
- Set a 3-minute timer the next time you feel overwhelmed. In that window, ask yourself:
“What’s the one thing I can do right now that actually moves me forward?”
Write it down. Do just that.
Remember: Redirecting doesn’t mean shrinking—it means choosing what deserves your energy, when it matters most.
