I recently posted an article that dealt with ways leaders create energy in their organizations through their beliefs and behaviors.

This article deals with how leaders sustain and increase their personal energy.

In our discussions, leaders divided energy into two dimensions - external and internal. The external dimension is what's seen - what's perceived by others through behavior. Internal energy is what occurs as a result of internal attitudes, values and beliefs - elements like optimism, curiosity, sense of self, opportunities.

Many highly successful, highly energetic people don't appear energetic in the external, Energizer Bunny, kind of way. But what they possess is the kind of internal energy that keeps them moving and asking and discovering and recharging their batteries through action.

Most leaders we talked to agreed that part of high energy, both internal and external, is probably genetic - some people's motors just run faster. But having said that, they all said the biggest elements of energy creation and renewal are passion, commitment, focus and accomplishment.

Many of the leaders we talked to used exercising as an example of how the two dimensions of energy work with - or against - each other. They described times they forced themselves to exercise even though they were angry, or frustrated, or disappointed. The effect of forcing themselves to meet their commitment to themselves lifted them up, and renewed their energy. They were proud that they fought through the negative emotions to do what they had committed to do. And even though their level of performance may have initially suffered because of the negative emotions, the action of keeping a commitment energized them - internally and externally. As one leader joked about exercise " It feels so good when I'm finished."

Leaders increase personal energy by pressing on, even when obstacles and emotions would make it easy to stop, pull back, defer. Action creates energy.

Leaders create and renew energy through accomplishment. The saying " Nothing succeeds like success" is so true - at all levels. And it's not just personal accomplishment that creates energy - it's accomplishment at the organizational, individual, workgroup and family level. Leaders look for accomplishment as a means of sustaining and growing their energy, as well as the energy of others.

Leaders take inspiration from the pleasure and achievement of others. They know there's plenty for everybody.

Leaders say breaking out - doing something they've never done before, can be terrifying, exhilarating, but always energizing. It doesn't have to be climbing Everest - it can be much more down to earth. The important thing is that it's new - new sports, new places, new physical challenges, new mental challenges. As one former teacher put it - "the only difference between a rut and a grave is a rut's longer." Ruts don't create energy - they pull it down at all levels.

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