The sponge
When soaked, is flexible, malleable and releases liquid with a slight twist. But it isn’t without its limits. There comes the point when it's nearly impossible to get more out of the sponge.
When soaked, is flexible, malleable and releases liquid with a slight twist.
But it isn’t without its limits. There comes the point when it's nearly impossible to get more out of the sponge without first replenishing it.
It’s a process of giving and taking; we have to put back what we take out.
We, humans, operate much in the same way. With downtime, good sleep and healthy habits, we give our mind, body and soul a chance to replenish.
When the moment arises, we exert our energy to reach our goals and deal with the challenges life gives us.
We step onto the field to win the match. We put in extra hours of instrument practise to reach perfection. We perform that extra set at the gym to reach failure. We refine our slide deck after hours for the perfect presentation. We dedicate our weekends to improving the codebase. We invest time with our kids.
But what happens when there are too many demands on us?
Recovery must follow intensity.
If we don't, much like the sponge, we dry up, become brittle and break down. Our performance and presence suffer, and we become more prone to outlandish reactions and behaviours that don't align with who we are and want to be.
At any moment, we must choose between replenishing or expending our reserve.
There is much cultural and societal pressure – the cult of busyness – to perform at all times. We must choose to protect our wellbeing, or the system will decide for us.
The sad truth is that we rarely choose consciously and always live with the consequences.
Miguel,
Sparknotion – Think Differently.