On knowing to retreat
It´s just a momentum for your next jump.
The lost art of knowing when to retreat. It has been buried deep, but it still beats, and in today´s time, knowing to retreat is a necessary ability.
Now, don´t get me wrong, retreating isn´t surrendering. We have this common misconception of seeing it as an escape instead of a necessary slowdown. Retreating means knowing when the battle is tough enough to keep a steady pace, and not keep running to it until something crashes.
Take into account your busy life. Every time you spent some time out of the stress of work or any tough project, it doesn´t mean you are giving up (yes, in some cases you might want to give up, but that´s a different story on its own), it means you are recharging for something new or rethinking a new way, a new method, a process which won´t make your mind explode.
Backing off can have the power to make your next jump. It helps with your focus, gives you peace of mind, and most importantly, it gives you a virtue that can´t be found easily in life. Yeah, I´m talking about patience.
Patience is the enemy of failure. Patience is the ally of growth. And that´s the key here. Reframing your destination, your systems, by zooming out and taking a step back helps your growth process. And in fact, retreating is part of it, not only a helpful concept.
I was hearing a recent episode of ON PURPOSE by Jay Shetty, in which he has a chat with Kevin Hart, a well-known actor, and entrepreneur these days. In a given moment, he said this line that pushed me into writing on the art of retreating “Everything is made out of stages of growth… why are we forgetting that?” Kevin Hart.
It simply struck me. Society has slowly forgotten the growth process, and now is talking about the “final stage hack” as if there´s no journey, or story behind, just hints and tricks. It´s like trying to walk down a road in the middle of the night, having no clear destination, unsteady steps, and no lantern or flashlight.
Growth doesn´t necessarily mean moving forward, it can take the form of a cozy state of relaxation, of a day out in nature, surrounded by beautiful views. It can also be reading a good book while sipping some coffee or tea, listening to music while you walk, or even better: walking with no music at all, just your memories, your thoughts.
Letting your mind and body reflect on the passing of time is necessary for complete growth. And if don´t even want to talk about growth, it´s just for your health; for it is also what you think, what you craft, and what you believe. A shift in motion can be needed from time to time.
Simplicity isn´t always simple. Strength isn´t always found on solid ground. Knowing when to back off, is not cowardice, is not being powerless, it is true strength.
Take some time off, a small break. Let me know how it goes.
The Weekly Update
❔ Jay Shetty´s chat on the “Diary of A CEO” podcast, with Steven Bartlett. A deeply moral and philosophical approach to concepts such as love, success, well-being, focus, energy, and much more. This episode is a must for overall stirring our course back to normal.
💡 Why are we letting ourselves be defined by others? We value what we see based on previous experiences, so why not be brave enough to assure our value to ourselves, not to others, not for others?
📚 This week I´ve been having problems batching content out, as I´m eager to create more and different content, but also have several projects on my plate, and much more. Life is all about balance, and I´m learning how to manage creative and knowledge work in my life. Quite the journey if I might say.
🎙️ “I had problems with my family because I was a dreamer.” A phrase told by Francis Ngannou, and that I extract from my friend´s
chat on 10 Life Lessons from Two of the Scariest Men on Earth. Must read as well. You´ll find true inspiration for good and better disruption.
What I´ve worked on this week
You can find the journey here. =)
Previous Life Brew
Hey, you might want to check it out =)
The Lonely Reflection
How many times have you thought about that special person?
How long would it take to mention you?
Thanks for tuning in. Let´s make this time a great one.
See you on the next life brew, until then: