breathe, pause, live a little

Nobody performs well when stretched in a half dozen directions

Look at nature itself. Trees don't apologise for shedding their leaves. Bears don't feel guilty about hibernating. The moon doesn't try to stay full all month. Yet we've convinced ourselves that constant output, constant consumption, constant "productivity" is the only way forward.

It’s madness.

Before we can move forward, we have to make space for what’s ending and sit in the uncertainty that follows. That uncomfortable, in-between space—the neutral zone, the abyss—isn’t a problem to solve. It’s where change and realignment happens.

Sitting in lostness can feel excruciating for ambitious types who are so used to doing. But when you’re lost... See more

Banker and archaeologist John Lubbock on the value of downtime:

"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time."

“People get drunk on the idea of needing to know every little thing that happened right now: just pull to refresh!” he said. “But I think the single best way to hedge against burning out on the news is to have a more dedicated reading experience.

“We really need to find places to stop and take a break on the internet.”

As individuals, if we want to be creative, we need to give ourselves space to play and experiment without a set agenda. Amos Tversky famously said that the secret to doing good work is being a little unemployed so you always have hours in the day to waste as you wish. During that wasted time, you’ll likely have your best, most creative ideas.

“hedgehog cake fails”

Imagine what you could accomplish if you weren't focused on being right all the time.