The Oxygen Mask Principle
Imagine you are seated on a commercial airplane. Before takeoff, the flight attendants perform a mandatory safety briefing. They explain that in the rare event of a loss in cabin pressure, oxygen masks will drop from the ceiling. The instructions are always the same: Apply your own mask first before assisting others, including children.
At first glance, this feels counterintuitive and even wrong. As a parent or a leader, your instinct is to protect those under your care first. However, the logic is undeniable: if you pass out from a lack of oxygen while trying to help someone else, you become useless to everyone. Instead of being a rescuer, you become another person in need of rescue, causing further harm in an already chaotic situation.
In leadership, the same principle holds true. If you spend all your time helping others improve while neglecting your own well-being, you will eventually burn out. When that happens, you lose the ability to lead effectively at work, in your community, or at your kitchen table.
Self-Discipline Is The Way
The term "self-care" has been hijacked by a culture that often uses it as an excuse for indulgence. In Leadership That Lasts, we use a different term: Self-Discipline.
Effective leadership is founded on the idea that a leader must first take care of themselves before they can take care of anyone else. This isn't about being selfish in the negative sense. Rather, it is about being a good steward of the only tool you have to offer the world: yourself. As author Parker Palmer famously noted, "Self-care is never a selfish act; it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer others".
To be an effective leader who can sustain their influence over a lifetime, you must be healthy in three primary areas: Body, Mind, and Spirit.
1. Mental Health: Powering the Engine
Your brain is a high-performance engine. Though it is a small part of your physical body, it consumes roughly 20% of the food you eat. This means that your leadership clarity is directly tied to your nutrition.
As you lead, you will ultimately work through complex problems and will need mental sharpness. Two simple adjustments can transform your mental output:
Fuel Quality: Natural foods provide better cognitive support than processed ones. Sadly, processed foods are cheaper and, in the moment, quicker to consume. However, the lasting impact of processed foods on our body and mind doesn’t make the convenience worth it.
Hydration: Your brain is approximately 80% water. By the time you feel thirsty, you are already mildly dehydrated, which impairs decision-making. Simply reversing the trend of drinking more sodas or coffee than water can skyrocket your mental well-being.
2. Physical Health: The Energy to Lead
We often think of physical health only in terms of the gym. While exercise is vital for an effective leadership lifestyle, sleep and rest are just as important.
Think about the year-end bonus we all work so hard for. We want to take his family on vacation to create memories. But if we arrive at that vacation physically depleted because we haven't prioritized rest all year, we won't have the energy to truly lead our family into those moments of joy. Physical health gives you the staying power to remain an active participant in your own life and vocation.
3. Spiritual Health: Finding Your "Why"
Finally, we are all spiritual creatures. Whether you are a faithful member of a local church or simply a person seeking deeper purpose, spiritual health is the anchor of your leadership.
If you do not grasp the reality of your spiritual health, you will often feel empty. When a leader is spiritually empty, they become consumed with serving themselves to fill that void, rather than focusing on and helping others. Spiritual health reminds you that your leadership is a gift you were put on earth to offer others.
Why This Matters for the Reluctant Leader
If you are more introverted than extroverted, you likely find that people time drains your battery. This makes the Oxygen Mask Principle even more critical for you. Without intentional self-discipline, the demands of leading others will leave you running on empty by Tuesday afternoon.
When you prioritize your health, you aren't just treating yourself. You are ensuring that when kids ask you to play after a long day at work, or when your team at the office faces a crisis, you actually have the energy required to lead them.
Your First Small Step
You don't need to overhaul your entire life today. Leadership is built on small steps. Take 15 minutes today to do an integrity audit of your calendar and bank account. Does your schedule reflect that you value your health? Or are you hitting the snooze button and compromising on the sleep you need to be effective?
Remember, you cannot lead others to a place of health and success if you are not traveling that path yourself. Put your oxygen mask on first. Your team, your family, and your future depend on it.
