CEO Mindset Monday
The CEO energy shift isn’t about throwing away your steady paycheck or grinding yourself into the ground. It’s about learning to carry yourself differently—like a leader, not just an employee. I hear from so many mid-career professionals who say they want to start a business, but they’re waiting for the “right time.” They’re afraid of giving up stability. They’re afraid they’ll have to work 80 hours a week to succeed.
Here’s the truth: you don’t have to give up your day job to become a business owner. And you don’t have to work yourself to the bones to make it happen. What you do need is a shift in energy. Because the longer you wait, the more years of freedom you trade for comfort. I’ve lived that trade-off myself—what I thought would be a temporary pause turned into nearly five years before I seriously revived Backbone America. And those years flew by. “Someday” has a way of slipping into months, then years, before you even notice.
This post is about helping you make that CEO energy shift now—so you stop doubting, stop waiting, and finally step into the leadership you’ve been ready for all along.
What CEO Energy Shift Really Means
When I say CEO energy shift, I’m not talking about job titles or corner offices. It’s not about becoming the boss of a team overnight or even quitting your 9–5. It’s about the way you carry yourself when you make decisions about your future.
Employee energy looks like waiting for permission, sticking to the safe path, or telling yourself you’ll start “when things settle down.” It’s showing up every day to trade hours for a paycheck, but pushing your own dreams to the side.
CEO energy is different.
It’s not louder or flashier—it’s more grounded. It means asking “How will I make this work?” instead of “Am I ready yet?” It means treating your business idea like it matters, even if you’re only giving it two hours a week right now. It’s the shift from reacting to circumstances to leading your own path.
I had to learn this the hard way. Being laid off showed me that job security isn’t really secure at all—you can be doing good work and still be expendable. And after spending years as a stay-at-home mom, I’d already tasted what freedom felt like: setting my own pace, shaping my own days, making choices without someone else’s approval. Going back into jobs reminded me just how much I craved that kind of self-direction again.
The shift for me wasn’t about quitting a job on the spot—it was about deciding to stop waiting for the perfect time and start showing up as the founder of my own future.
And here’s the part I want you to hear: you don’t have to have every step mapped out to start shifting into that energy. You already know more than you think, and you already have what it takes to build something that fits your life. The moment you choose to see yourself as a business owner—not “someday,” but right now—you’ve already taken the most important step.
The Cost of Waiting
The hardest part of making a CEO energy shift isn’t learning new skills or setting up a website—it’s breaking free from the belief that you don’t have time to spare. That belief feels responsible, even logical. But while you’re waiting for life to calm down, you risk missing the chance to use your current position as a launchpad.
Here’s the irony: your day job is one of the greatest assets you have in starting a business. A steady paycheck buys you mental space—you’re not panicking about how to cover the mortgage while testing an idea. Benefits give you breathing room you won’t find if you leap too soon. Stability creates strength.
I know this firsthand. The first time I launched Backbone America, my funds were dwindling, and every decision felt like it carried the weight of survival. I wasn’t building from vision; I was building from panic. That’s not a place where good decisions thrive. Years later, when I returned to my business with the stability of a solid role behind me, I could finally build with clarity instead of fear.
But here’s the reality: if you let that paycheck become your excuse to wait, you’ll wake up years later with the same job, the same paycheck, and no closer to freedom. The safety net that could have supported your growth instead becomes the trap that held you still.
Your job can either buy you time to build—or cost you time you can’t get back. The difference is whether you shift into CEO energy now, while you have the strength to do it.
Common Roadblocks Employees Face
Even when you know your day job can be a position of strength, it’s easy to fall into old patterns that keep you stuck in employee energy. Here are a few of the most common:
1. Fear of losing stability.
A paycheck, benefits, and retirement contributions feel too valuable to risk. You don’t have to give that up. You can start small alongside your job. The real risk is in waiting so long that you never start at all.
2. Doubts about being “ready.”
You tell yourself you need another certification, more savings, or more time before you can start. But CEO energy isn’t about having every credential lined up—it’s about leading with what you already have and learning as you go.
3. Overthinking timing.
Many professionals wait until the kids are older, the debts are gone, or the calendar magically clears. But life rarely hands you perfect conditions. If you wait for the stars to align, you’ll still be waiting years from now.
4. Believing you don’t have the time.
I’ve wrestled with one or two of these myself. And here’s what I learned: every one of them is an employee mindset trap. They keep you focused on what you don’t have, instead of using the strengths you already do. The CEO energy shift is about refusing to let fear, doubt, or timing dictate your future.
How to Step Into CEO Energy Now
Shifting into CEO energy doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t require dramatic leaps. It’s not about resigning tomorrow or suddenly pulling 12-hour days on your side business. It’s about small, deliberate choices that start changing how you see yourself and how you use your time.
1. Decide like a CEO.
Employees ask, “Am I ready?” CEOs ask, “How will I make this work?” That single shift in language changes how you approach every decision—from carving out two hours a week to setting your first price.
2. Protect focused time.
You don’t need 40 hours a week to start a business. You need consistent, focused blocks of time. Two hours a few mornings a week can be enough to test ideas, serve your first clients, or document processes that will become the foundation of your business.
3. Put systems to work early.
Automation isn’t just for big companies. Even at the start, you can set up simple systems to save hours—like using scheduling tools for meetings, email automations for follow-up, or templates that eliminate repetitive work. Every hour you free from busywork is an hour you can reinvest in building momentum.
4. Choose action over perfection.
You’ll never have all the answers, and you’ll make mistakes along the way. CEO energy isn’t about being flawless—it’s about being willing to act, learn, and adjust. Momentum comes from moving forward, not waiting until everything feels safe.
The key is remembering this: stepping into CEO energy doesn’t mean abandoning the stability you have. It means using that stability as fuel to start leading your future instead of waiting for permission.
Why You’re More Ready Than You Think
Think about it—have you ever managed a project, trained a new team member, or figured out a process that made your job easier? Those are CEO moves. You didn’t wait for permission; you identified what needed to be done and you made it happen.
And if you’ve been the one with great ideas that never made it past leadership, that counts too. Having your creativity squashed doesn’t mean you’re not capable—it means you’ve been practicing in the wrong environment. The energy it takes to see a better way, to spot opportunities others miss—that’s CEO energy waiting to be directed toward your own vision, not someone else’s.
The fear that you’re not “ready” is an illusion. You may not feel 100% prepared—and that’s normal—but readiness grows with action. Each decision you make as a business owner, no matter how small, strengthens your confidence. Each system you set up frees more of your time for the work that matters. And each client you serve proves to you that your idea is real.
The truth is, you already have what it takes. The CEO energy shift isn’t about becoming someone else—it’s about seeing the leader you’ve already been and deciding it’s time to let that version of you lead your future.
Step Into CEO Energy Today
Here’s the bottom line: The CEO energy shift isn’t about quitting your job tomorrow or working yourself into exhaustion. It’s about deciding that your future is worth leading now—not “someday.” Every hour you keep waiting, you’re letting comfort trade away years of freedom you could be building.
Your job can be the safety net that funds your growth, or it can be the excuse that keeps you stuck. The choice is yours. You’ve already proven your ability—through projects you’ve led, processes you’ve improved, or ideas you’ve carried even when they weren’t recognized. You are more ready than you think.
What changes is the energy you bring. Stop waiting for the perfect moment. Start showing up as the founder of your own vision today.
If you want weekly tools and guidance to help you step fully into CEO energy—and build your business with clarity instead of chaos—join my newsletter here. You’ll get resources designed to help you move faster, build smarter, and claim the freedom you’ve been waiting for.
