we are trained to take timeouts.  from before the time we can read, we are sent off to school where we work hard for months only to be rewarded with a break of some sort.  little kids live and breathe for recess, fall break, winter break, spring break, and summer break.  as we get older the breaks get fewer but they exist nonetheless.  and then, all of a sudden, the breaks are over.  we finish school and are expected to work the next forty years of our lives with only ten days off each year.  it’s  a ridiculous notion.

one way that some have been successful at revolutionizing a market is by applying effective ideas from other categories or industries to their particular market.  in this instance, i think the world of sports presents us with an excellent alternative.  the most grueling sports all have built in timeouts, quarters, and/or half-times.  in addition, no sport runs for 12 months straight because it’s not possible for one to consistently perform their best at such intense levels without rest.  the idea: go hard until the whistle blows; once the whistle sounds re-energize yourself so that you can get back out there and make things happen.

breaks of all lengths are essential in order for you to go hard and turn your dreams into realities.  if our jobs don’t build in enough time for us to rest so that we can perform at our best, we have to find ways to create those breaks for ourselves.  are you in need of a timeout?