When the world feels turbulent—when headlines shake you, inboxes flood you, and your calendar looks more like a game of Tetris than a plan—it’s easy to feel unmoored and cast away at sea.
But here’s the thing about storms: they don’t last forever. And the people who weather them best aren’t the ones who try to outrun them. They’re the ones who anchor down. They find stillness inside the swirl.
Just ask Cole Brauer.
At 29 years old, Cole Brauer became the first American woman to sail single-handed, non-stop, around the world in the Global Solo Challenge, taking second place after being at sea for 130 days. No crew. No stops. Just her, the sea, and a whole lot of resilience.
That kind of voyage isn’t just a physical feat—it’s a masterclass in mental discipline. Cole endured bruised ribs, hurricane-force winds, and a torn sail in the Indian Ocean. She battled sleep deprivation, extreme isolation, and an endless horizon of uncertainty. And through it all, she stayed focused. Anchored—not to the shore, but to her purpose and what was within her control.
So, how did she do it?
She built systems. She practiced rituals. She cultivated community.
Cole developed a daily routine at sea: conducting thorough equipment checks, reviewing and adjusting course using weather data, managing her mindset through journaling, staying connected with loved ones through calls, and sharing her journey online with a community of 500K people that showed up for her—commenting, encouraging, witnessing. That digital tether gave her both accountability and purpose beyond survival.
It’s no wonder her story captured global attention. Yes, for the history she made—but also for the calm, collected presence she modeled in the face of chaos.
Leadership works the same way.
When markets shift, teams change, and your “strategy” feels like a moving target, great leaders don’t try to white-knuckle their way through. They pause. They assess. They drop anchor.
It’s not about pretending the storm isn’t happening. It’s about grounding yourself and recognizing what is within your control.
How do you do that?
At SNP, we use a tool called the Sphere of Influence.
When stress levels rise, our instinct is often to try and control everything—the timeline, the outcome, how other people show up. But trying to control the uncontrollable? That’s a fast track to burnout.
Instead, we ask three simple questions:
- What is truly within my control?
- What can I influence but not own?
- What do I need to let go of?
We visualize it in three circles:
- Center (Control): This is your anchor point—your mindset, your attitude, your calendar, your next step. You control how you communicate, how you show up, and how you respond.
- Middle (Influence): You can’t control your stakeholders’ decisions, but you can shape the narrative. You can’t control your team’s reaction, but you can clarify the why.
- Outer (Concern): These are the waves you can’t stop—organizational changes, industry shifts, world events. Acknowledge them, yes. But don’t invest your energy trying to fix them.
Spend more time in the center and middle circles. That’s where traction lives. That’s where progress happens.
And just like Cole, create your own stabilizing rituals:
- Start the day by resetting your priorities—what must get done, and what can wait.
- Build moments of connection: a team huddle, a midday check-in, a 15-minute walk to reset your brain.
- When things feel out of control, write it down. Sort it into your three spheres. Name it. Own what’s yours. Release what’s not.
Steady as she goes.
Leadership isn’t about keeping the waters calm. It’s about knowing where to drop anchor—and giving others a reason to trust the boat.
So the next time you’re in the thick of it—confusion, conflict, or change—channel a little Cole Brauer energy.
Stay grounded. Focus on your next action. Stick to your routines. Speak clearly, even when you don’t have all the answers.
Because when you lead with focus, you help others find theirs too.
And in a world full of chaos, that is what leadership looks like.
