I grew up, as did most of you, thinking you must 'work hard' to succeed.
... that you must always be striving and pushing for more.
... and that to get ahead you must beat someone else.
Oh, how the world has a funny way of teaching us timely lessons.
I played semi-professional hockey for two years after graduating high-school...
... and that same mindset existed in everything that I did.
Some interpret it at competitiveness...
... others as "the winning spirit"...
... and some, as what it takes to be great.
What I didn't realize at the time was the unconscious assumptions I held true.
My belief was, "I must earn the right to rest."
Instead of, "I must earn the right to work hard."
You see, now at the ripe old age of 30 I finally know the difference...
... but it came at the expense of countless injuries and setbacks.
Rest, as I now believe it, supersedes all else.
If we do not have our health, we have nothing.
A healthy man wants 1,000 things. A sick man wants just 1.
- Confucius
This insight came after a stress fracture in my left leg (that you can still see today)...
... an unfortunate injury that came as a result of me not listening to my body.
Our bodies, just as a machine, are designed to perform at optimal levels...
... when given proper fuel and maintenance.
Like a car, if you do not seek maintenance (recovery) or fuel it properly (nutrition) it will break down and you will be stuck on the side of the road.
This makes sense to most of us logically... but emotionally we respond differently.
When you change the emphasis from work to rest, you create an optimal environment for you to be able to perform at your best... and for longer.
--
Translated to business... I used to believe that I needed to be 'always on.'
That if I was caught taking a day off I would be view as unworthy or incompetent...
... when in reality, I would never be able to outperform someone who did because they would be able to be more consistent - thus taking the win.
So I shifted my focus to capitalizing on states when I create them.
- Flow States
- Rest States
- Intuitive States
- Creative States
These states allow me to view life through a seasonal lens.
... similarly to our nutrition, it's unhealthy to eat the same produce year round just as it is unhealthy to try to exist in a continual 'grinding' state.
Once you become aware of your own internal states, you'll notice things feel much more aligned... and with alignment comes an increase in quality of life.
As I've allowed myself to live in this seasonal realm more, I've found myself making less decisions based on remaining 'busy,' and more based on leverage.
Busy vs. Full is a belief for another week, but I will leave you with this.
"If busyness is your drug, then rest will feel like stress."
- Ian Simkins
It won't be dark forever, nor will it be light.
Stay consistent, never forceful... and allow consistency to compound.
*Easy to do when you take it a day at a time but viewed through a decade-long lens.
Happy Saturday!