Every two weeks I share lessons and tools from my work as a coach, host of mastermind groups and podcast conversations. Today’s thoughts: The calendar says you should be ready to go. But perhaps you don’t feel like it. You’re not alone. Winter is still here.
Spring is coming, but winter is still here.
These days, many of the entrepreneurs I coach or host in circles share questions of doubt ánd that they feel tired.
They’re having thoughts of needing a complete rethink of their business. Am I doing it right?
Even questions whether or not they’re the person for the job. Or whether this path is still right for them.
And, the tiredness. Not having the energy to do the work. Sick of endlessly having to dust themselves up and take the load on their shoulders.
Maybe you can relate.
Now, these feelings are definitely true. They’re simply there. Claiming otherwise only leads to stress.
What’s more interesting is the question why the tiredness is there, combined with the feelings of doubt. And if there’s a causal link, what causes what?
Are you tired because you’re chasing the wrong thing the wrong way? On a path that can’t lead to success?
Could be true.
What I know to be always true is that when you’re tired, you’re more likely to feel less effective, feel insecure and have doubts.
It could be that we’re simply tired. That winter has not run its full course yet.
That there’s a mismatch between what our internal and natural system needs from us, and what we (and our calendars) demand from it.
Lean in to more self-care. Take on less this week. Get sleep. Take rest. Give yourself space to refresh.
See how you think about your business then.
Rediscovering parts of yourself
I often listen to podcasts when riding my bike (no surprise there).
When I return to a road or place after a long while, suddenly the exact part of an interview I listened to the last time I rode there comes back to me.
Often I didn’t even remember listening to them. Let alone remember what they talked about.
But evidently I did.
So many experiences we have can lay dormant in us.
We kind of lose touch with them. Because we’ve been out of it for a while or focused on different things.
You know you’ve done loads of projects in a field, but can’t seem to recall the details, clients or lessons learned from them.
It can feel like you’ve actually lost the experience. But the body still remembers.
And you can re-activate it.
Conversations are great for this. Coming back to a place. Putting your old books back in your bookshelves.
Also a great way to have strength in you come back.
Emergence Magazine Podcast - A Path Older Than Memory – a conversation with Paul Salopek
10 years ago, journalist Paul Salopek embarked on a project to retrace the migration pathway of early humans out of Africa, and aims to get all the way to Patagonia, through Siberia.
Such a cool projects. Slow journalism, leading to completely different journalistic stories.
Now in Liaoning, China, he shares how his personal relationship to time has deepened while moving through the world at three miles per hour.
It’s interesting to me how the pace and his journey has changed his perception of distances; how little of the land he walks is not completely touched by human activity; and, how he has a different experience of time in cities than in rural environments.
It’s also a great reminder of longer time frames for work or progress, than the deadline of the day.
Listen here on Spotify or Overcast.
