I’m writing this at 4:10PM on September 1st. I set the goal for the month of less than 3 hours of screen time a day, every day.
Last time I checked, I was at 2 hours and 18 minutes. Not bad. I’m trying to figure out how I can download music to my watch, that way I can go for runs and workouts without my phone.
My life, and my mind, are noticeably quieter. I’ve always been one for goal setting, I think it’s rooted in growing up in a gym setting. There was always a mentality of seeking the next personal record. This led to a dangerously committed mindset of constant growth.
I used to love the quote “anything in life worth doing, is worth overdoing.”
Truth be told, I still do. I’m not one for moderation, or going halfway.
That mindset isn’t always the most effective, I read today that Napoleon would wait three weeks to open mail.
Imagine waiting three weeks to open a text, or an email. He did that every time, because almost every time, the situations would resolve themselves.
If they didn’t, he would hear about it another way and address the situation.
He did this, because he knew he could not let himself get spread too thin.
Most likely, Napoleon was also an “anything in life worth doing, is worth overdoing” type of guy.
I think he had to pick and choose where he would put his energy, because it was not unlimited.
Genius decisions.
I’m finding in life, that for something to grow, it has to be in or out.
Nothing in the middle can exist.
Funny enough, I have that tattooed on my leg.
That’s not to say I go grocery shopping with the same aggression as I approach a heavy squat.
It’s more to understand that when I apply my mind, body, or soul to something, I apply the entire thing.
When I apply a medium amount of my brain, nothing gets done. A medium amount of application from my body leads to an injury. And a medium application of my soul leads to nothing but a forgotten passion.
None of those outcomes are desired.
But a lot of times, I want to do lots of things!
I want to learn a new language, talk to that person, or play that video game.
But, am I growing with that? Will anything great come from my half hearted effort?
Probably not.
Sometimes the effort needs to be an absence.
Absence leads to growth, clay formed with an absence becomes a jar.
The walls around you, the absence they leave creates your room.
Absence tends to lead to something, be it creation, growth, or something else I don’t understand yet.
Not saying it’s easy. I’m finding out just how hard it is.
Today is a question I’ve been pondering.
What’s going on in your life that you will, one day, tell your grandkids about? Or your friends’ kids, if you don’t want kids.
Also, I write a weekly post about my path to becoming resilient. If you’re into that, you can check it out here.
Here’s to a life with a little more absence, see ya tomorrow.