Stillness Is the Key by Ryan Holiday

On the job, we are busy. We are needed. We have power. We are
validated. We have conflict and urgency and an endless stream of
distractions. Nixon said that the constant grind was “absolutely
necessary for superior performance.” But was his performance really
that superior? Or was that the whole problem?
At leisure, we are with ourselves. We are present. It’s us and the
fishing pole and the sound of the line going into the water. It’s us and
the waiting, giving up control. It’s us and the flash cards for the
language we are learning. It’s the humility of being bad at something
because we are a beginner, but having the confidence to trust in the
process.
No one is making us do this. We can quit if we’re struggling, we
can cut corners and cheat (ourselves) without fear of repercussion.
No money is on the line to motivate us, no rewards or validation but
the experience. To do leisure well—to be present, to be open, to be
virtuous, to be connected—is hard. We cannot let it turn into a job,
into another thing to dominate and to dominate others through.
We must be disciplined about our discipline and moderate in our
moderation.
Life is about balance, not about swinging from one pole to the
other. Too many people alternate between working and bingeing, on
television, on food, on video games, on lying around wondering why
they are bored. The chaos of life leads into the chaos of planning a
vacation.
Sitting alone with a canvas? A book club? A whole afternoon for
cycling? Chopping down trees? Who has the time?
If Churchill had the time, if Gladstone had the time, you have the
time.
Won’t my work suffer if I step away from it?
Seneca pointed out how readily we take risks with uncertain
payoffs in our career—but we’re afraid to risk even one minute of
time for leisure.
There’s nothing to feel guilty about for being idle. It’s not
reckless. It’s an investment. There is nourishment in pursuits that
have no purpose—that is their purpose.
Leisure is also a reward for the work we do. When we think about
the ideal “Renaissance man,” we see someone who is active and busy,