Slow Down to Speed Up: Working Like a Lion in 2026
What a nutty year. I feel like I’ve been saying this every year since 2020. But as we close out Q2 this has definitely been the case. Yet when I think back to Q1, it was relatively quiet. Several of my business trips were cancelled. Consequently,I spent most of January and February at home in SF, which is highly unusual for me. Yes, you still do calls, meet up with folks here in SF, I even managed to do a deal or two. But it was quiet. Slow even. And I started feeling guilty and wondering if I was doing something wrong.
However, then I remember: Work like a Lion. Don’t mistake activity for actual progress. You aren’t a corporate salaryman drone pretending to work. I also remembered the concept of resting ethic. Take the time to think. Build your health and build your relationships. Read and think. So that’s what I did for most of January and February. Hard to do when it feels like everyone else is in a frenzy around here, especially in Silicon Valley.
It was great. I got in great shape, took naps. Went to church mass more regularly. Spent lots of time with my family, dropping off and picking up my daughter at school and dance class. We even took a day trip to LA for some Erehwon smoothies and Korean BBQ in K-Town. I worked on some personal finance issues, cleaned up my personal portfolio and reset budget and expenses (or tried to at least). I played around with some AI tools. I wrote more blog posts. I read a lot of books, watched and listened to many podcasts to stay on top of the latest geopolitical, global macro, VC investing and tech startup trends. All were critical to keep up as we are in the midst of some of the biggest changes happening in the world.
I am so glad I did this, especially considering how insanely busy Q2 has been so far and based on my schedule for the rest of the year. Lots of travel, lots of conferences, lots of deals to be done, and lots of big projects I’m involved in within my business.
It’s a reminder that sometimes you need to slow down to speed up. While things seem like a waste of time during the quiet & inactive periods, you quickly realize how critical it was to position and prepare myself for the busy-ness and intensity of the rest of the year.
I equate your brain and body to a fallow field. In farmers parlance according to RE Tipster: “Fallow land is farmland left idle for one or more growing seasons to let it rest and regain nutrients. Farmers do this as part of crop rotation, maintain soil health, and prevent the buildup of pests and diseases.” In this analogy, like a field, you need to give your brain and body rest so you can grow again.
To do this you need patience. Patience is not one of my strong suits but it’s certainly helpful if you want to have longevity in your industry. So don’t be scared of quiet time and inactivity. Treasure this time. Use it as the tool for improving your life that it truly is.