"I heard someone recently say that they are so scared of doing nothing and just being because they’re afraid that when the engine stops, it can never be turned back on."<p>I had this exact conversation with my friend last night, she was saying that she was spinning so many plates and afraid that if she let them fall she'd never have the energy to pick any of them back up... feels like it might be true for a lot of people in the tech space.
Disclaimer: The below applies to people without families.<p>I think some (talented) software engineers would benefit from going through a phase, at least once in their lives, where they quit and travel. And then try to do something on their own. And fail. Because you learn something super important.<p>Life goes on and things usually look up.<p>After that happens, you might decide to change how you live. You could take more chances, go on more vacations, devote fewer hours to your employer and more to your self, and generally live with less fear. Remembering that you can make a $100k+ income virtually at will (again, assuming you're reasonably talented) is tremendously empowering.
I like working and dont think I could ever retire and relax type deal. But I also tend to overwork myself by always taking on more and eventually get stressed and 'need' a holiday which has 2 positive effects;<p>1) Some downtime is good, see somewhere different and hang with family/friends etc<p>2) After a bit I get bored doing holiday activities and remember how much I like to work. I think this is actually the most positive benefit of a holiday.
This isn't actually possible. Anyone tuned in enough to the vast mystery of life will find themselves always learning, always weaving new narratives about exactly what has happened in the past, is happening now, and might happen in the future. And all of that contributes to next steps. Really taking time of is often a precursor to a great new beginning.
Has anyone had a good experience with a "coach" like this guy? I had a few sessions with a psychodynamic therapist that I thought were pleasant but mostly pointless because there was no accountability or impetus to actually change my behavior