When Leadership Sneaks Up On You

On New Year’s Eve Day, I did what every party-loving human dreams of doing…I knocked out some of my annual doctor’s appointments.

Three appointments.

Three new doctors.

And by the end of the day, I found myself asking a question I wasn’t quite prepared for:

When did all my doctors get so young?

Because just yesterday, my doctors were always older than me. Calm voices. Confident presence. That steady, “I’ve got you” energy.

And now?

They’re not only younger than me, they are also sharp, thoughtful, confident and clearly excellent at what they do - and I’m realizing I’ve crossed into a new chapter of life without a formal announcement - seriously someone should have put a letter in the mail to me or something.

Which led me to my next thought process:

Where was the middle ground? Was there a phase where we were the same age and I just…didn’t notice? Did time quietly fast-forward while I was busy living?

Because this didn’t feel gradual. It felt like a jump cut.

One minute you’re the younger one. The next minute, you’re thinking, “Wow. You’re really good at this - and your skin is so youthful. And also…how did we get here?”

And here’s the thing, I don’t think this is really about doctors. I think it’s about those moments when you suddenly realize:

• You’ve crossed an invisible line

• You’re no longer becoming experienced, you are experienced

• And time isn’t speeding up or slowing down, it’s simply unfolding

We don’t get a notification when we shift into a new season of life or leadership. There’s no alert that says, “You’ve entered the phase where people look to you for steadiness.”

It just…happens.

And if we’re not paying attention, we miss the middle. The growth. The earned confidence. The quiet wisdom that shows up without fanfare.

Leadership, I feel, can work the same way.

One day you’re learning from everyone around you. The next day, people are learning from you, even if you don’t feel all that different.

The real question isn’t how fast is time going? It’s are we noticing who we’re becoming along the way?

Because if we’re always looking backward, missing who we used to be - or looking forward - waiting for what’s next, we skip right over the power of now.

So yes…my doctors are younger. Time is moving in ways I didn’t fully see coming. And apparently, I blinked.

But there’s something grounding about realizing this: I didn’t lose time. I lived it.

And that middle ground? It wasn’t missing. I was just busy growing into myself personally and professionally.