Walt Disney said he knew his animators were working at peak performance when he saw them sitting and staring out of the office window for hours.
Not drawing.
Not doing research.
Not stuck in draining meetings.
Just listening to themselves.
Paying attention to what was coming up.
The ability to listen to ourselves has become a lost art.
We live in a culture of go, go, go.
If you’re not doing you're dying.
Social media convinces us that everyone is ten steps ahead and that we’re never doing enough.
To take a few hours to stop and think with no distractions would be insane.
To go on a walk without our phones feels impossible.
So, we let others decide for us.
We wait for the next inspirational video or the new self improvement book to tell us what to do.
We think the answers will come from elsewhere.
Without realizing that we already have them.
All of them.
But they require that we get quiet. That we put away the phones. The distractions. The incessant chatter.
That we give ourselves the required space to look around.
To look within.
To allow the solutions to voice themselves.
And when we do.
We’ll be guided exactly to where we need to go.
Love,
Matt
Check this out: Our podcast in collaboration with Headspace is now out! You’re going to love it. We cover everything from how to break free from stagnation, to how to grow in relationships, and even go into detail on the future of Yes Theory.
Also, Seekers Day is only 8 days away!! July 30th. Mark your calendars. It’s the only time of the year where we bring back the Seek Discomfort best sellers and the whole site is 30% off.
So hyped!
This is 100% true! I have recently been feeling very down about myself and my life and was ashamed to admit to the people in my life that I was depressed. Every interaction I had I was playing a fake version of myself and I just felt so disconnected and wasting what are meant to be the best years of my life. I decided to take a month off of all social media & my phone and I could not believe how different I felt and feel now.
I have a better understanding of myself and my life and went from having panic attacks and anxiety over the most mundane things to being outgoing and am slowly learning to have fun again. It’s by no means a solution to my issues but it has been the first step I needed to work towards a better way of living. Sometimes all it requires is to take a break and self reflect!
I was worried not speaking to my friends or family for such a long time would create animosity and distance however I came back on and was surprised at how understanding everyone was and supportive.
I now reduce my screen time to 2hrs a day (it was 10-14hrs before) and I cannot recommend it enough!
Thanks Matt for such another great newsletter! :)
I am really really enjoying these spontaneous newsletters. You are kinda always spot on and in the perfect moment. Thanks! (: