Name It to Tame It: The First Step to Moving Forward

Whether you’re peeking under the rug where you’ve swept life’s challenges or diving straight into the deep end, one thing is clear: before you can move forward, you need to label what’s holding you back.

Name it. By giving it a name, you transform the mess into something tangible—something you can start to work on.

This is something I often explore with leaders in my mentoring work. From imposter syndrome to decision paralysis, or simply navigating the overwhelm of leadership, naming the challenge is the first step to addressing it. Once we’ve named it, we can dissect it, understand it, and start building strategies to overcome it.

The name might come from your own reflection or something you recognise while learning from others. It might feel simple or profound. And it’s okay if the name evolves over time as you explore and grow. What matters is that you identify it.

Without a name, it’s just chaos. But with a name, you can begin to understand it, embrace it, and work through it. Naming it unlocks the clarity and capacity to take the next step, whether that’s accepting, addressing, or ultimately transforming it.

If you’re navigating leadership challenges or feeling stuck, consider how naming the obstacle can help. Through my mentoring work, I help leaders identify what’s under their mental rug, bring it into focus, and create a way forward with calm, clarity, and confidence.

So, what’s under your mental rug? What’s the name of the thing holding you back or weighing you down?

Once you name it, you’re already on your way to taming it—and moving forward.