Why Leaders Need to Treat Themselves Like Athletes
By Suzie Thoraval
High performance under pressure depends on sleep, recovery, focus and rhythm
“We need good judgement from leaders in moments of crisis, not just stamina.”
Recently, I was talking with a client, let’s call her Jennifer, about what happened whenever a big deadline loomed. She skipped the gym. Meals became whatever was easy and quick. Working Late nights and early mornings were common. Catching up with friends disappeared.
If the deadline had been a one-off, that might not have mattered so much. She could have picked her good habits back up again afterwards. The problem was that in Jennifer’s role, pressure and big deadlines were part of the job.
In my work with leaders, I hear this all the time. When the pressure is high and constant, the very habits that support performance are often the first to go. That is why I shared an article I read years ago that has stayed with me ever since: The Making of a Corporate Athlete from Harvard Business Review.
Its message is simple but important. Leaders in demanding environments cannot perform well over time by treating themselves like machines. They need to think more like athletes. Sustained performance depends not only on effort, but on sleep, recovery, focus and the habits that help renew energy.
Why this comparison works
Athletes understand something many leaders may forget. Performance is not just about the moment you need to deliver. It is shaped by the work you put in before the high pressure event. Training, rest, sleep, focus, diet, recovery all matter. What you do every day affects how you perform when the pressure is on.
The same is true of leadership.
If you are leading in a high-pressure environment, your performance is not only shaped by your skill or experience. It is also shaped by whether you are tired, your mental load is heavy, you are physically run down or emotionally stretched. Sleep, movement, recovery and focus are not separate from performance. They help make performance possible.
We know that poor sleep affects concentration, memory and decision-making, which is one reason tired leaders often become reactive and less clear. We also know that chronic workplace stress, left unmanaged, can lead to burnout. In that sense, the things we know help us feel our best are crucial to our effective leadership.
Ariana Huffington learned the hard way
Arianna Huffington, founder of the Huffington Post, collapsed from exhaustion and sleep deprivation, hit her head on her desk and broke her cheekbone. She later described that moment as a wake-up call, and it became a major reason she began speaking and writing so strongly about sleep, recovery and the connection between wellbeing and performance. Her company, Thrive Global, still describes that collapse as the catalyst for its focus on health and productivity.
Her story shows that even highly capable, high-achieving people can fall into the trap of treating themselves like machines. It also shows that paying attention to the things that enable you to be your best, rest, social, creative time, exercise, a balanced diet - these are not a nice to have. They are part of what allows leaders to think clearly, lead well and sustain performance over time.
Adaptive Stability supports your leadership
Adaptive Stability is about having the tools and habits to stay steady enough to think clearly, respond well and lead effectively when pressure is high and conditions are changing. That level-headed response to uncertainty becomes much harder when a leader is running on poor sleep, constant stress and very little recovery.
When people are depleted, they are more likely to become reactive, impatient and narrow in their thinking. When they are better supported, they are more likely to bring perspective, judgement and calm.
Athletes and leaders: the habits that sustain performance
The comparison between athletes and leaders becomes even clearer when you look at habits.
Athletes train consistently. Leaders need regular habits that support clear thinking and emotional steadiness.
Athletes take time to recover after heavy training or an event. Leaders need breaks, boundaries and real time to switch off.
Athletes protect sleep because they know it affects performance. Leaders need to do the same.
Athletes do not rely on adrenaline alone. Leaders cannot rely on urgency and willpower forever without paying a price.
Athletes know that strong performance is built well before the main event. The way leaders live and work each day shapes how they show up when things get hard.
A question to reflect on
What do you need to maintain so you are ready when the high pressure moment comes?
