When we think about CEOs, we often picture corporate leaders shaping the direction of massive companies like Apple or Microsoft. But here’s the thing: you are the CEO of your own life, career, and creative endeavors. Every day, you make decisions about where to invest your time, energy, and skills. The question is, are you leading like a visionary CEO or getting bogged down in tasks that deliver the illusion of progress,?
Let’s explore what it means to embrace your role as the CEO of You and how doing so can transform the way you approach your ideas and projects.
Rethinking Work: From Tasks to Strategy
Growing up, most of us were taught to think of work as a series of tasks. School reinforced this by assigning us homework, training us to follow instructions, and rewarding us for checking off boxes. Many jobs perpetuate this mindset—showing up, doing what’s expected, and responding to the incoming.
But being a CEO means stepping beyond tasks and asking bigger questions:
- Am I focusing on what only I can do?
- What decisions will have the greatest long-term impact?
- Which tasks can I delegate or eliminate entirely?
Consider this example: a real estate broker spends their days taking photos, uploading listings, and answering phone calls. These are important tasks, but none of them require the unique skills of a great broker. By hiring a virtual assistant to handle administrative work, the broker could focus on building relationships, closing deals, and growing their business.
Key Takeaway: Stop viewing yourself as a task-doer. Start seeing yourself as the strategist who decides which tasks are worth your time.
The Cost of Doing It All
It’s easy to fall into the trap of doing everything yourself. After all, it feels productive to check things off your list. But this approach comes at a cost:
- Missed Opportunities: When you’re buried in busywork, you miss chances to innovate, connect, or grow.
- Burnout: Constantly managing low-value tasks leaves little energy for the creative and strategic work that fuels you.
- Stagnation: If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll stay where you’ve always been.
Take a moment to reflect: Are there parts of your work that could be handled by someone else? Are you holding on to tasks because it feels easier or safer than letting go?
Specializing: A CEO’s Superpower
One of the most powerful moves you can make as your own CEO is to specialize. Specialization allows you to:
- Charge More: By becoming an expert in a niche, you can command higher fees.
- Stand Out: In a crowded market, specialists are easier to remember and recommend.
- Do Better Work: Focusing on a specific area lets you refine your craft and deliver exceptional results.
Imagine a freelancer who does general graphic design. By specializing in designing book covers, they could double their rates and attract a steady stream of authors who value their expertise. That one strategic decision—a moment of CEO work—can completely transform their career.
Key Takeaway: Look for ways to narrow your focus and become known for something specific.
Building Assets, Not Just Checking Boxes
A great CEO doesn’t just think about today’s tasks—they invest in assets that will create value over time. For you, these assets might include:
- Skills: Developing expertise in areas that are in demand and hard to replicate.
- Relationships: Building a network of collaborators, mentors, and supporters.
- Content: Creating evergreen resources, like blog posts, courses, or videos, that can reach and help people long after you’ve made them.
Spending time on these activities might not feel urgent, but they’re the foundation of long-term success.
Reflection: What assets are you building right now? How can you prioritize work that creates lasting value?
Letting Go of What Got You Here
One of the hardest parts of being a CEO—whether of a company or your own life—is recognizing that the strategies that got you to this point might not take you where you want to go next.
- Maybe you’ve been doing everything yourself because it’s what you’re used to. But to scale, you need to delegate.
- Maybe you’ve been saying yes to every opportunity. But to grow, you need to focus on the right opportunities.
This kind of strategic thinking is what separates CEOs who lead with intention from those who react to whatever comes their way.
Example: A freelance photographer wanted to grow their business by taking on every type of project—weddings, portraits, commercial shoots, and events. However, they became overwhelmed and disconnected from their love of creative storytelling. A better strategy might have been specializing in documentary-style photography, allowing them to attract clients who value their unique vision and align their work with their passion for capturing authentic moments.
Key Takeaway: Don’t be afraid to re-evaluate your approach. What got you here might not get you there.
The Opportunity in Front of You
Here’s the truth: You have more freedom than you think. As the CEO of You, you get to decide:
- Where to invest your time and energy.
- Which tasks to let go of.
- How to align your work with what brings you joy and fulfillment.
The challenge is to step back, look at the bigger picture, and make decisions that reflect your values and goals. It’s not easy work, but it’s the kind of work that changes everything.
Your Challenge: Take 30 minutes this week to audit how you’re spending your time. Identify one task you can delegate or eliminate and one strategic decision you’ve been putting off. Then act on it. Start leading like the CEO you are.