Written: by Brad Pedersen

This is a topic that, candidly, I am still struggling with.  For most of my entrepreneurial journey I have held an irrational and unreasonable schedule that prioritized my work over everything else. 

It has become habitual and part of my identity. If I’m not crossing off tasks or advancing my businesses and projects forward, I sometimes experience an underlying sense of shame, as though I’m falling short of my potential. 

In a world that glorifies productivity and constant achievement, it’s easy to feel guilty for slowing down. This mindset is reinforced by countless ‘gurus’ and influencers promoting a relentless ‘hustle and grind’ culture. 

Their message is clear: to be successful, every moment must be maximized toward a productive outcome.

However let’s pause and consider—is this idea of productivity the only way to measure success? This belief system, is embedded in a culture focused on value created by ‘doing and having’, emphasizes accumulation and comparison. We are obsessed with accumulation and consumption. It equates success with achieving more, earning more, and relentlessly pursuing higher benchmarks. 

But why should winning be defined by how much we accomplish or how many things we collect? The fact that so many “successful” people admit to feeling unfulfilled should call these default benchmarks into question. 

In a world that idolizes busy entrepreneurs and wealthy CEOs, why do we undervalue the contributions of people who prioritize inner peace, personal freedom, and deep relationships? 

Why is a pastor who looks after the spiritual and emotional needs of a community or a nurse providing compassionate care to those in their final days considered ‘less successful’ than someone scaling a business empire? 

Why do we celebrate productivity above all else, especially when it so often seems to demand that we sacrifice rest, joy, and meaningful relationships to get it.

What I am discovering is that there’s much more to a fulfilling life than constant striving.

Redefining Productivity: More Than Just Doing

Imagine you’re at a party and someone downs a bottle of tequila in one go. We wouldn’t celebrate that behavior; we’d likely think they need help. Yet we idolize the entrepreneurs who have the ability to work incessantly or the business owners who continually accumulate more financial means.  We praise people who are addicted to excessive work, treating it as a badge of honor. 

In reality being a workaholic is no different than suffering from a drug addiction.  In this case the drugs being oversubscribed are endorphins, serotonin and adrenaline and it is driven by a broken belief system that I need to validate my worth to myself and others through endless productivity. 

Yet the truth I am learning is that doing nothing can be equally valuable. It’s not ‘better’ or ‘worse’ than being busy; it’s simply different. It is giving yourself time and space to allow you to discover more of the world around you, getting grounded in your thoughts and simply exposing a different state of your being. 

However, many of us have been taught that constant activity is superior and that downtime is a waste. 

It’s time to challenge this assumption and realize that a strong work ethic without a commitment to rest and renewal is not only unsustainable but an unhealthy obsession.

The Importance of Rest for Sustainable Success

Renowned athletes follow a disciplined rhythm that includes practice, performance, and rest days. They understand that pushing themselves constantly without time to recover ultimately leads to burnout and decreased performance.  

As business owners, entrepreneurs, or anyone striving to reach their potential, why would we be any different? 

That is not to say that all time in life is equal. There are different ages and stages for all of us and there is likely a season that you will go through when what is required of you will seem excessive.  A start-up founder is going to work around the clock to reach ‘escape velocity’—that intense period of effort is what is required to get a venture off the ground.  It is what is needed for the compounding effect from your creativity to take form. 

Even God modeled this out for us, when he was in deep creative work, by working for six days and resting only on the seventh. 

It’s not the act of working hard that’s problematic; it’s the addiction to constant activity that becomes harmful. Work is essential, but if we don’t learn to step back and prioritize other areas of our lives, we will risk losing out on what truly matters most.

It is reported that as Sam Walton neared the end of his life, he made a poignant reflection on his legacy, saying, “I blew it.” While he had built Walmart into the most successful retail empire in the world, Walton’s admission highlighted a profound regret: his intense focus on business growth and success while being incredibly significant had come at a cost. He had overlooked the deeper, more meaningful aspects of life and it was only in his last days that he could recognize

Walton’s experience serves as a reminder and warning. Every decision has a price. In his case the relentless pursuit of empire building that is celebrated by our society; if not kept in check will come at a high personal cost of being rich on paper but poor on life. 

Practicing Intentional Rest

When I work, I work with focus and intensity, dedicating myself to tasks that matter. However when I’m off, I make sure to enjoy life fully. 

This means enjoying hobbies like cooking, reading, and writing or planning time with my family and friends.  Most often I am engaging in outdoor activities like mountain biking, skiing, kite surfing or back country snow biking. (as recently pictured above with some of my favorite people Dan Martell, Jason Siebenga and Stephen Whiting).

In these moments, I savor the freedom that comes from simply being present, and often, my best ideas arise when I’m not actively ‘working’ at all.  In my experience breakthroughs often come when we step away from the hustle. Creativity and clarity emerge when we give ourselves the space to relax and reflect, so that we can then return to our work with renewed purpose.

The truth is, a strong work ethic without a commitment to rest won’t stand the test of time. We need to become comfortable with the idea of “inefficiently” doing nothing. As Ken Blanchard stated: “Sometimes you have to slow down to go faster.” This approach reminds us that slowing down to focus on the basics and recharge is essential for achieving sustainable, peak performance—even if it feels counterintuitive

Redefining Success: The Importance of Regeneration

Real success isn’t just about outward achievements; it’s about developing wealth in your life beyond financial and material metrics.  To this end, there is immense value in learning to prioritize taking time out to be not productive and in doing so focus on experiences, relationships, and personal growth. Life becomes richer when we allow ourselves to reset and regenerate, being open to the possibilities of what inspiration can happen when you practice actively doing nothing.

According to John Lennon: “Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.” To become the best version of ourselves, we need to embrace rest without guilt, seeing it instead as a vital part of growth and fulfillment.  

The Way Forward

In a world that idolizes endless productivity, it’s easy to mistake constant activity for success. However, this addiction to busyness and extrinsic validation, if not kept in check will harm both our well-being and relationships. It is important that we are growing and progressing.  Intense periods of work are going to be necessary to build anything meaningful.

However without intentional rest, not only does burnout become inevitable, chasing false finish lines that are continually pushed out to somewhere in the future will lead to a life of regret. Our striving for embetterment needs to be considered holistically, living in integrity with the other important values of our life.

As you reflect on this week's topic, stop and ask yourself the following questions:

How do you define success in your life, and has this definition changed over time?

What practices help you balance productivity with meaningful downtime for renewal and reflection?

Are there areas in your life where you could embrace rest without guilt, and how might this change your perspective on work and success?

Brad Pedersen

Vijay Krishnan

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