Knowing When to Step In & Out of the Ring
Recently, I listened to the book *Juggling Elephants* by Jones Loflin and Todd Musig on Audible—and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. The authors use a powerful and relatable metaphor: life is like a three-ring circus. In those three rings? Yourself, your relationships, and your work.
And the big takeaway? You can’t perform in all three rings at the same time.
At first, I thought, “Well sure I can—I’ve done it for years!” And maybe you’ve felt the same. But the truth is, we’ve all tried to juggle too much at once. We rush from meeting to meeting, answer emails at the dinner table, and try to rest while still mentally working through tomorrow’s to-do list. And while we may be physically present in one ring, we’re mentally pulled in a dozen directions. That’s not balance. That’s burnout on a high wire.
The authors challenge us to stop thinking about life as a never-ending juggling act and start thinking like a circus director instead. Someone who knows that great performances require timing, focus, and intentional transitions. You don’t see the lion tamer, the tightrope walker, and the clowns all performing at once. The audience couldn’t possibly enjoy it—and neither can we when we try to be “on” in every part of our lives, all the time.
The Three Rings: A Quick Breakdown
Ring 1: Yourself - This ring is where you care for your body, mind, heart, and soul. It’s your health, your energy, your peace of mind. When this ring gets neglected, the other two can’t function for long.
Ring 2: Your Relationships - This ring includes your family, your closest friends, your colleagues, and even your broader community. Relationships require presence. You can’t fake connection.
Ring 3: Your Work - This is where your mission, job, business, or calling lives. But when this ring takes over all your time and energy, the others start to suffer.
You Can’t Be in All Three Rings at the Same Time - This was the wake-up call for me. If you’re trying to have dinner with your family (relationships ring) but you’re also answering texts from your board chair (work ring), you’re not truly present in either ring.
Prepare for the Next Ring Before It’s Time - You have to prepare for the next ring before it’s your turn to step into it. Take the time to plan, regroup, or reset before moving from one area of your life to another.
What This Means for Leaders, Chambers, and Teams
For Chamber Executives: Make sure you're stepping out of the work ring sometimes to refuel and reconnect with your purpose.
For Business Owners: Build transition time into your day and block off hours where you’re present with the people who support your journey.
For Nonprofit and Government Leaders: Schedule what matters. Define your “center stage” each week.
For Any Team Member or Leader: Help your team recognize and honor the need to step out of one ring before entering another.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Juggle the Elephants—Direct the Show
You are not the act. You are the director.
You decide what happens in each ring, who needs your focus right now, and when it’s time to rotate acts. You don’t have to do it all at once. You just need to know where your energy is best spent right now—and give yourself permission to move with intention between rings.
Here’s to directing the show instead of juggling elephants.
How Starfish Partnerships Can Help You Step Out of the Chaos and Into Clarity
If you or your team are feeling like you're juggling too many elephants and not getting the impact you want, you don’t have to figure it out alone.
At Starfish Partnerships, I help leaders, teams, chambers, and organizations take a breath, regroup, and move forward with purpose.
Whether you need:
- Leadership coaching or consulting to gain clarity and confidence
- Board or staff retreats to refocus your strategic direction
- Team building experiences to strengthen communication and trust
- Vision, mission, and goal-setting sessions to align your team and spark momentum
I’m here to help you create space to pause… and reenter the right ring, at the right time, with renewed energy.
Let’s work together to turn your three-ring circus into a show worth celebrating. Reach out today and let’s start planning what’s next.