The Unsung Importance of Inner Work
We only get so many days on this planet, and I don’t want to take a single one of them for granted. I’ve always had this philosophy. That’s why I take time to be in nature, go on personal retreats and really think about the “why” — not just of my business, but of my life.
I have come to realize that inner work — taking the time to grow self-awareness, notice the patterns in your daily routine, and move towards positive change — is one of the most important things you can do for yourself, both personally and professionally.
During a period of personal burnout, John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods, gave me a piece of advice that stuck with me: “The consciousness of a business can only raise as high as the consciousness of the leader, so the best investment a leader can make is working on themselves.”
Self-awareness is a lifelong pursuit, not something you are born with. While some people may index as more inherently self-aware than the next, there are simple actions we can all take to make inner work an important practice in our lives.
Write it down.
Journaling is an incredible tool for nurturing self-awareness. For me, the practice of writing down my thoughts and challenges has been a through line in my journey towards self awareness.
The simple act of ‘writing it down’ creates space for honest reflection within that moment in time. But it also allows you to go back months (or even years) later and learn from these experiences. Time gives us a new perspective on old experiences and can transform these experiences into the best wisdom. What was once a challenge has often evolved into an opportunity.
With time, we become our greatest teachers.
Use your schedule as a personal metric.
If you want to know someone’s priorities and what they are really about, just look at their schedule. If you want to look introspectively at your own priorities, take a look at how you are spending your time.
Your identity is shaped by the experiences and people you choose to surround yourself with. I don’t ever want my legacy to be limited to my career — I want to be a great father, a great husband and a great friend. And I have control over this legacy. There are ways to reorder the hours in your life to reflect your true values.
I have found that one of the most useful metrics for honestly assessing my life is juxtaposing what I am saying is important with how I am actually spending my time.
Fight burnout before it happens.
Sometimes the most passionate people fall into the most vicious burnout cycles. If you want to harness your passion into a resilient force, you must realize the importance of taking time to recharge before you are at zero.
When I notice a decrease in energy levels or increase in unhealthy habits, I take these signals seriously. The time I take to recharge is an investment in my long-term resilience.
When I take time off to recharge, I don’t necessarily rest. I go out into nature and immerse myself in physical activities — that oftentimes exhaust me physically. But the transformative effect on my mental energy levels is profound.
Make “recharging” a habit in your life, not an emergency response.
Find a balance between the head and heart.
At the beginning of your career, it is easy to be pulled in two directions: towards what you are passionate about and towards what you are good at it. It can be frustrating when these two seem disparate.
Through active introspection, you can begin to align your passion and your skills. My success came when I stumbled upon a combination of the two. My passion for starting TOMS suddenly required the skills and knowledge I had acquired in previous business endeavors.
It was a perfect match between what my heart and soul wanted to be doing, and what my brain knew how to do.
Do the work.
