Resilience ain't a thing!
A new way of thinking about Resilience.
InnerGuru Retreat at White Sands beach in Koh Chang
Is Resilience Not Working for You? Here's Why and What to Do About It
Are you feeling disconnected from your values and inspiration? Struggling to maintain motivation and discipline?
If so, you’re not alone. senior leaders, solopreneurs, founders, parents and students often find themselves running on empty, even when they believe they’re ‘resilient.’ But here’s the issue: resilience isn’t a one-dimensional trait. It’s not something you simply have or don’t. In fact, thinking of resilience as a fixed trait might be what’s holding you back.
Resilience isn’t a ‘Thing’—It’s a System
Resilience is often misinterpreted as a personal attribute that you either possess or lack. But this is a limited view, especially for those of us who need resilience to navigate the daily pressures of leadership or running a business.
The truth is, resilience isn’t just a thing—it’s a system. It’s made up of five core intelligences that must be aligned for you to not just survive but thrive in today’s fast-paced, ever-changing world. These intelligences are somatic (your body’s wisdom), cognitive (your thinking), intuitive (your gut instinct), emotional (your feelings), and spiritual (your sense of purpose).
Each one plays a crucial role, and neglecting even one of them can have serious consequences.
Why this matters for high performing individuals
From Senior leaders in the corporate space to founders and solopreneurs, resilience is vital. But relying on willpower alone, or focusing only on cognitive intelligence (IQ), leads to burnout, decision fatigue, and stress. When you approach resilience from a narrow perspective, you're likely to hit a wall, feeling demotivated, disconnected, and ultimately less effective.
This is where the system of the five intelligences comes in. Think of them like the strands of a rope. If one strand becomes weakened, the whole rope becomes fragile. However, when each strand is strong and in balance with the others, the rope is able to withstand tension and pressure.
Failing to cultivate all five intelligences can lead to more than just stress—it can cause long-term damage to your ability to lead, innovate, and stay motivated.
The five intelligences of resilience
Here’s a breakdown of the five intelligences and why each is essential for building the kind of resilience that lasts:
Somatic Intelligence (PQ): Your body is always sending you signals, but we often ignore them. You might push through physical discomfort or stress, thinking resilience is about endurance. But in reality, your body’s wisdom is key to long-term resilience. Somatic intelligence governs the physicality of your being. It tells you when to rest, when to move, and when to slow down. Ignoring somatic signs—like fatigue, muscle tension, or shallow breathing—can lead to burnout. To strengthen somatic intelligence, build physical practices like yoga, stretching, or even mindful walking into your routine. This ensures you are not just mentally but physically resilient.
Cognitive Intelligence (IQ): While cognitive intelligence is often seen as the most ‘important,’ it’s only one piece of the puzzle. Cognitive intelligence governs your ability to think logically, solve problems, and make decisions. For solopreneurs and leaders, this is crucial, but over-reliance on cognitive intelligence can lead to overthinking and information overload. It’s essential to challenge your assumptions regularly, take breaks from constant decision-making, and give your mind space to rest and process.
Intuitive Intelligence (iQ): Have you ever had a gut feeling about something but ignored it, only to regret it later? That’s your intuitive intelligence in action. Intuition helps you make decisions when there isn’t enough data or when the answer doesn’t seem logical but feels right. Solopreneurs, in particular, need to balance data with instinct when making crucial decisions. Strengthening intuitive intelligence means learning to trust your gut more often and quieting the mental chatter that tries to override it.
Emotional Intelligence (EQ): Emotions are powerful, and they can either help or hinder your decision-making. Emotional intelligence is about recognising, understanding, and managing your emotions. For leaders, emotional regulation is essential, especially in high-pressure situations. Ignoring emotions or allowing them to dictate your actions can lead to poor decisions and strained relationships. Instead, acknowledge your emotions, take time to process them, and don’t rush into decisions when you're feeling overwhelmed.
Spiritual Intelligence (SQ): This is the intelligence that governs your sense of purpose and interconnectedness. It’s about understanding the ‘why’ behind what you do. When you lose sight of your purpose, it’s easy to become disengaged, even if you’re successful by external measures. Reconnecting with your purpose—whether through meditation, time in nature, or simply reflecting on your values—can help you regain clarity and motivation. Spiritual intelligence isn’t about religion; it’s about understanding your role in the bigger picture and realigning with your core values.
Sound healing session at the InnerGuru Retreat
How to strengthen these Intelligences for lasting resilience
If you’re feeling disconnected or burnt out, retreats can be an amazing way to press reset and revaluate and check where you are out of balance. Taking time to take a step back and assess whether all five intelligences are aligned. Here are some simple tips to start tuning into and strengthening each intelligence:
Somatic: Pay attention to how stress manifests in your body. Regularly check in with yourself—are your muscles tense? Are you breathing shallowly? Incorporate movement into your day to release built-up tension.
Cognitive: Give your brain the rest it needs. Taking short mindfulness breaks during the day allows your mind to reset, improving clarity and decision-making.
Intuitive: Start trusting your gut more. When making decisions, take a moment to reflect on what your intuition is telling you before jumping straight to logic.
Emotional: Build emotional awareness. Recognise when you’re feeling overwhelmed or triggered and take the time to process those emotions rather than reacting impulsively.
Spiritual: Reconnect with your ‘why’. Regularly reflect on your core values and the larger purpose behind your work. When you’re in alignment with your purpose, motivation follows naturally.
The cost of ignoring these intelligences can be high.
If any one of these areas is neglected, it impacts the others. For example, if you’re not physically looking after yourself (somatic intelligence), it clouds your emotional regulation, affects your decision-making, and ultimately diminishes your resilience. Similarly, if you lose sight of your purpose (spiritual intelligence), you might find yourself disengaged and demotivated, even if you’re externally successful.
The cost of ignoring these intelligences can be high—burnout, poor decision-making, strained relationships, and ultimately, deep unfulfillment which can lead to a downward spiral. But the good news is, by paying attention to all five intelligences, you can build a resilience that not only helps you survive challenges but allows you to thrive through them.
The Mangrove Forest trail - InnerGuru retreat
It’s time to rethink resilience
If you’re a senior leader or solopreneur feeling the strain, it’s time to rethink what resilience really means. It’s not just about pushing through or relying on cognitive intelligence—it’s about aligning all five of your intelligences to build a resilience that supports you in every aspect of your life and work.
Take time to Pause - connect to natural beauty listen to those things that light up your spirit. Then explore how holistic resilience can transform the way you lead and live? Should you be curious about integrating these five intelligences so you can thrive without burning out, let's chat and drop me a email at earl@creativemuscle.co.uk
Best Selling Book
I am officially a best selling author!
A huge thank you to everyone that supported me with buying the book on the day of the release which helped it get the "best seller" status in 8 categories.
For my chapter in this book I talk about my personal story from having an Existential crisis in the corporate world to going on my first retreat in 1999. And how this leads to "innerstanding" our 5 Intelligences and how we can use them to thrive in our lives,
The paperback version is also out now as well as the kindle version, if you would like to purchase a copy click the following links
Hopefully this is just the start for a creative outlet for me, again watch this space.
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