When I named my coaching and training company, innertelligence, I wanted a snapshot statement that captured the most important daily practice for my client leaders. One day it came to me: “Before You Go Out, Go In”. It spoke deeply to what I have believed and practiced my whole life.
It’s more than my tagline. It’s a leadership philosophy and a daily practice. It’s about building mastery of your internal environment, your thoughts, your emotions, your biology and your inner compass.
And yes, your soul. I don’t shy away from that word. Neither do the leaders I work with who are ready to lead beyond their ego.
When you regularly pause to tune into your inner dialogue, emotional state, physical signals, and deeper knowing, something shifts. You begin to see what’s driving you. You notice patterns. You recognize how your inner state shapes your impact. You realize you are more than your reactions, habits, or ego.
A consistent practice of “going in before you go out” gives you access to an internal reservoir of wisdom. You become more attuned to subtle cues from the body that signal what to lean into and what to step away from. Decision-making becomes more intuitive. Energy is managed with more care. Performance improves without forcing it.
This regular practice sharpens your ability to witness yourself. You notice how you show up under pressure. You catch yourself sooner. You widen the space between stimulus and response. That space is where conscious leadership lives.
Going in before you go out reminds you that you are not your thoughts. You can observe them. You can choose them. And by choosing them intentionally, you shape your outcomes.
So what does it actually look like to “go in before you go out”?
There is no single doorway. That’s the strength of the practice.
- You can “go in” through meditation or prayer.
- You can” go in” through intentional breathing, using the breath as a direct bridge between mind and body.
- You can” go in” on a quiet walk in nature noticing how the external environment influences your internal environment.
- You can “go in” through an experience of eye-to-eye presence with a trusted partner.
- Music, chanting, or hymns can take you inward.
- Movement such as running, swimming, yoga, tai chi, or dancing allows the body and mind to harmonize and release what’s not serving.
- Journaling, guided imagery and deep listening are all pathways to the wisdom within you.
Each of these practices invites you beneath the noise. They help you see past fear and conditioned thinking. They reconnect you with the part of you that already knows what to do and how to respond, even when your ego argues otherwise.
These are the practices that build steadiness and strengthen self-trust, helping confidence to become embodied, not performative.
When leaders take time to go inward, they access something reliable, especially in times of uncertainty and difficult change. It’s a journey to the source of wisdom that doesn’t disappear when the answers aren’t obvious.
How to Get Started: Simple Actions You Can Take Now
You don’t need more time. You need more intention.
Start here:
- Create a daily pause
Two to ten minutes. Before your day starts. Before email. Before meetings. Before decisions. Before conversations. - Choose one way in
Breathwork. Meditation. Prayer. Movement. Journaling. Nature. Pick one and stay with it for a week. - Listen to the body first
Ask, What am I noticing right now in my body? Energy. Tension. Ease. Don’t analyze. Observe. What wisdom is here for me? - Name your inner state before you lead
How am I arriving? How can I serve the greater good? This awareness alone changes how you show up. - Return often
Before you go out, go in. Then go back in again. Your leadership success comes from within.
If you want to lead with confidence and self-assurance, the work starts within.
Before you go out, go in.
