Our aim at Athena is to give you your time back so you can spend it in the ways that matter most.

In each issue of our newsletter you’ll get unique delegation tips and leadership inspiration.

Goldstein on Accepting Fear

Don’t worry, it’s just a routine test. Nothing urgent.

Then the nurse calls: "The doctor needs to follow up in person, as soon as you can."

The gap between knowing and not knowing becomes an iron grip. Your mind starts racing.

What if it's bad? What if it's worse than bad?

Joseph Goldstein (highly respected American meditation teacher) breaks fear into two moves:

1. Recognition: "Fear is here."

2. Acceptance: "It's okay for fear to be here."

Most people stop at recognition. They see fear and immediately fight it. Push against it. Try to logic their way out.

Acceptance works differently.

You acknowledge fear like you'd acknowledge rain. It's here. It's real. Fighting it only adds suffering to suffering.

When you stop treating fear as an enemy, your body responds.

Shoulders drop. Breathing slows.

The chemical surge of panic loses its fuel. Your mind shifts too. Instead of burning energy on resistance, you have bandwidth for actual decisions.

→ Should I call someone?
→ What questions do I need to ask?
→ What's my next move?

Fear becomes data, not dictator. It stays in the room. But it stops running the show. You can think around it, through it, despite it.

Goldstein spent decades watching people wrestle with uncertainty. The ones who navigate best don't eliminate fear. They change their relationship to it.

First, know it's here.

Then, let it be here.

The 70-20-10 Model

Intel CEO Andy Grove introduced Task-Relevant Maturity (TRM) as a framework for adjusting oversight based on a person’s expertise in a specific task.

Delegation works most effectively when it aligns with TRM:

• Low TRM → Micromanagement (step-by-step guidance and corrections)

• High TRM → Autonomy (independent decision-making)

Building TRM takes forever if you rely on trial and error. The 70-20-10 model speeds the process up:

70% On-the-Job Experience

Your assistant learns fastest by doing real work. Give them projects slightly beyond their current ability.

→ They usually prepare internal reports? Have them draft your board presentation. → They schedule meetings? Let them plan your trip, including who to meet.

The stretch forces growth.

20% Coaching & Feedback

Review their work together. Show them why you changed that email tone. Explain the politics behind that scheduling decision. Share the context they missed.

This transforms mistakes into learning moments.

10% Formal Training

Some skills need structured education.

→ Your assistant struggles with financial models? Send them to an Excel course.
→ They need better writing? Invest in business communication training.

Target the specific gaps holding them back.

Apply this split deliberately. Track what percentage of their development falls into each category. Most people accidentally do 90% on-the-job with zero coaching. That's why progress slows.