What happens if you take a deep breath, then try to fill your lungs with even more air? And then more, and more? With each passing second, it gets worse.
Every cell in your body craves just one thing — to exhale.
Opposites imply each other:
In and out.
Rise and fall.
Truth and lies.
Heat and cold.
Lack and excess.
Man and woman.
Silence and noise.
Light and shadow.
Beginning and end.
Progress and decline.
Hardness and softness.
Strength and weakness.
Stillness and movement.
Simplicity and complexity.
Dead-end and breakthrough.
If this is obvious, why do people act like it’s not?
Take the founder who grinds in “24/7/365” mode, brushing off any suggestion of a break with, “I’ll rest when I retire!” Meanwhile, his body keeps shocking him, going on strike.
The businessman's posts show off his success, a harmonious home, and perfect kids. Yet, when you happen to meet him on the street, his eyes tell a different story — unbearable longing, exhaustion, and pain.
The CEO passionately talks about the company’s dedication to its employees, its long-term charity work, and the many progressive ideas it has implemented. But when you ask him about revenues and expenses over the last three years, he struggles to give a quick answer.
“Opposites arise from each other, and this transition is mutual,” wrote Plato in his dialogues "On the Soul."
Trying to focus only on one desired part of life pushes a person into its opposite. Success at any cost turns into failure. The thirst for recognition — loneliness. The chase for happiness — depression. Eagerness — burnout.
The takeaway: remember to exhale after a deep breath.
Sincerely yours,
-Alexander
About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.
How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.