When everything feels urgent, nothing feels important. The Juggler helps leaders name this pattern and recognize when they’re carrying too much.
I had just stepped into a big role with a brand I loved. At the same time, I was a new mom. I was learning a new organization, building relationships with new teams, and figuring out motherhood all at once.
And I loved it.
I loved being trusted and needed. I loved being the one people could count on to get it all done.That part felt good. But there was so much to carry. And what I didn’t realize at the time was this: I wasn’t just busy, I had lost my ability to distinguish what actually mattered most.
Every dish on my plate felt like a main.
Nothing felt optional.
Nothing felt like it could wait.
And the fear of dropping even one thing was real. Because I believed, truly believed, that if I dropped one, everything else would come crashing down with it. So I didn’t choose. I continued to carry all of it.
I was constantly reacting, trying to keep up, and consistently questioning whether I was doing any of it as well as I wanted to.
This is what I call a “Juggler” season
The Juggler isn’t just overwhelmed. She’s the capable one. The one everyone knows they can turn to and rely on. And there’s something that comes with that. You’re the one folks trust and need. They see you as someone who can handle a lot.
That identity can be hard to loosen your grip on. But over time, something subtle shifts. When everything feels important, you aren’t prioritizing anything. And without that, everything stays on your plate.
The Distortion
This is the part most people don’t name:
All the plates start to feel like they carry the same weight.
The truly important, urgent as well as the things that could actually wait all blur together.
So instead of leading your time and energy, you start reacting to whatever is in front of you. You’re still getting things done. But you’re no longer deciding what actually matters.
A Small Shift
What if the goal isn’t to juggle better?
What if the goal is to start putting something down… on purpose?
Not because you can’t handle it. But because you’re ready to choose what actually deserves your energy.
If this feels familiar, it may be time to name the season you’re in.
You may be in a Juggler season, and often more than one pattern is at play.
Take the Messy Middle Archetype Assessment™ to see what’s showing up for you and start choosing what matters most.
If you are curious about how this fits into the broader Messy Middle framework, you can explore all six archetypes on my blog and podcast below.
Thriving in the Messy Middle Podcast: 6 Archetypes Guiding Growth in the Messy Middle
Blog Article: 6 Archetypes of the Messy Middle Every Leader Should Know