Chapter Content
Okay, so, you know, growth is something we're all after, right? And sometimes, the best way to, like, really unlock that next level is to actually create some... space.
I remember reading about this thing that Bill Gates used to do. He called it Think Week. Pretty cool, huh? He’d, like, totally seclude himself, like, go off to some remote place and just… cut off all communication. No phone, no email, nothing. Just him and a bunch of books and he’d spend the whole week just reading and thinking. Like, really, really thinking.
The idea was to, you know, get away from the day-to-day grind and really, like, push his thinking, explore new ideas, and, you know, see the bigger picture. It gave him the time and mental space to be creative and see things he wouldn't normally see when he was stuck in, like, the everyday stuff.
Now, I don't know about you, but, uh, a whole week? That's a big commitment. I just don't, you know, have that kind of time. But, the core idea? Totally brilliant. So, I adapted it. I call it the Think Day.
Basically, you pick one day a month where you just, like, completely step away from all your regular professional responsibilities. You gotta, like, mentally or physically seclude yourself. I mean, really, go off-grid.
And, like, seriously, put up an out-of-office auto reply. Turn off all your devices. All of them. Seriously. The whole point is to spend the entire day just reading, learning, journaling, and, yeah, thinking. That's it.
This gives you the free time to zoom out, open your mind, and, you know, think really creatively about the big picture. It’s a chance to, like, really reconnect with why you're doing what you're doing and where you want to go.
So, what do you need for a Think Day? Well, definitely a journal and a pen, duh. Some books or articles you've been meaning to read, you know, the ones you've been putting off. A secluded location, somewhere quiet where you won't be disturbed. Could be at home, a rental cabin, even just a park bench somewhere. And, maybe most importantly, some, you know, thinking prompts to get your mind going.
I've got a few prompts that I find really helpful, so, um, here are a few examples: Ask yourself, if I repeated my current typical day for one hundred days, would my life be better or worse? Kind of a brutal question, right? Another one is, if people observed my actions for a week, what would they say my priorities are? Ouch, that one can hurt. And, uh, this one's kind of fun: If I were the main character in a movie of my life, what would the audience be screaming at me to do right now? Think about that one.
Here’s another: Am I hunting antelope, meaning big, important problems, or am I hunting field mice, meaning small, urgent problems? Because we tend to get stuck on the mice. How can I do less, but better? That's a good one to ponder. What are my strongest beliefs? And what would it take for me to change my mind on them?
And finally, here's a good one for some perspective: What are a few things I know now that I wish I’d known five years ago? And, uh, kind of a follow-up: What actions did I engage in five years ago that I cringe at today? And, what actions am I engaged in today that I might cringe at in five years? That one’s, like, future-proofing your life, you know?
I usually aim for, like, an eight-hour window for my Think Day, and I break it up into sixty-minute focus blocks with short walks in between. Gotta get some fresh air, right?
In this, like, super speed-obsessed world, the benefits of actually slowing down are just, like, massive. It allows you to, you know, restore your energy, really notice things you've been missing, be way more deliberate with your actions, and focus on the, like, highest-leverage opportunities. And, you know, as counterintuitive as it sounds, sometimes you have to move slow to move fast. It's a long-term investment.
So, yeah, the Think Day can really help you with all of that. Give it a shot, seriously. Experience the benefits of intentional solitude. You might be surprised at what you discover.