Summer Broken

Whether it’s the first time, or if it’s just been a while, let’s connect and get to know each other (better) as humans.

1. If we haven’t connected yet, connect with me on LinkedIN. I post some super useful stuff there, as well :)

2. Put 30 minutes on my calendar to chat. No strings attached, whatsoever.

Let’s get to know each other (in many cases after not chatting for a long time) as humans, friends.

Of course, if there’s something I can help you with, just ask and I’ll do whatever I can to ask.

Here’s my calendar link, again.

Don’t be a stranger, friend.

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In this issue: Summer, Broken

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Summer Broken

Whew - it’s been a hectic summer!

As y’all know, I started a new job in late June and a new teaching gig right at the same time.

Both have been really fulfilling experiences, don’t get me wrong.

Learned a ton, created a ton of content, met some incredible people.

LOVE being a professor.

LOVE starting a new podcast (stay tuned) :)

We’ve had some fun, as I wrote about last week, at the Jerusalem Wine Festival and such.

But if I’m perfectly frank, I’m f-ing exhausted.

It didn’t exactly help that my wife got the idea to buy some fake grass from someone living 30 miles away and transport it in two trips, then place it all around our backyard.

Imagine for a minute transporting 200+ pound, 3+-meter rolls of fake grass in a car, then down a long path, up and down some steps, without any help except from your wife and two shopping carts.

Yeah, I felt solidly broken for a good 2-3 days after.

40 may be the new 20 and the work surely got one, but DAMN, I don’t want to do that again!

And of course, I finally finished teaching my Digital Marketing Course after 6 pressure-packed weeks of deck-making, researching, delivering 3.5-hour lectures, creating and grading the final project and exam, then submitting the grades.

WHEEEEWWWWW!!!

Sure, I pushed myself pretty much to the limit for almost 2 months, waking up at 6:15 most mornings for synagogue and work, then all the course stuff, plus all the usual stuff with running my business.

It’s already opened a few doors for me (starting with getting invited back to continue teaching at Touro College)

Thank G-d for Fridays and especially Saturdays (Shabbats)!

So much for summer VACATION (LOL)…

But you know something?

Even though I’ve been pushing myself like crazy to manage all this, I’ve long realized that it’s exactly stretches like this that provide the most growth and development in life, in business, even in spirituality (even when there’s not much time to learn Torah, for example).

I mean sure, we’ll all sleep when we’re dead and all that.

Sure, Shabbat is for rest.

You’ve still got to know your limits.

But that’s not the point of this post.

I’m still taking the time to:

1) clean up my mental clutter by decluttering my email, for example (unsubscribe to EVERYTHING but the very useful and most important), cleaning up various messes, etc.

2) Read some good fiction (Thomas Mann’s Buddenbrooks)

3) Host friends at home

4) Go on short hikes with family

5) Move the fake grass around the yard (LOL)

And one other idea that came to me as I recovered slowly this Shabbat.

It’s not a new one, but one that needs a reminder periodically.

Same as during holiday breaks of any sort…

People always think that people are not working, people are away, best to wait and relax.

The truth is, breaks are the absolute best time to do the hardest work.

Less distraction, less competition, less nonsense.

More focus, more opportunity to find new directions, new opportunities.

While everyone’s out sailing or drinking a beer, you’re building something new and special.

This comes from someone who used to be a “minimum effort, maximum leverage” kind of guy who got used to getting by on his brains and bottomed out a few times before he got his shit in order.

It’s a lesson that needs repeating from time to time, at least for me.

There are times of maximum effort, all GO and no rest.

There are other times when we fall back on our laurels and sort of just relax and vegetate, floating downstream with minimum resistance.

Summer can be like that.

The rest is much-needed, but it can get to be a crutch.

So while many will be resting and vegetating during the week with beer or sangria in hand, I’ll be working hard to create opportunity.

No judgment, either way.

Rest is integral.

Hope y’all are enjoying the summer, both the resting and the building.

Back to work, now.

See you on the other side, amigos!