Hold the Tension. Know the Difference.

Sometimes what matters most is work finished.

Words on the page.
Orders executed.
Web page coded.
Table joints glued.
Problem solved.

Other times what matters most is empty space.

Not empty space filled with the slow creep of our digital world. But empty space that includes blackberry bushes, stars, and bubbling creeks. An empty space involving quiet and library books and journals and dry-erase boards.

The balance between headspace and execution is both tricky and critical. Too much headspace and the arrow never fires. The book isn't written. Plans are only made and then thought about.

Too much execution results in poor decisions and an inferior product. Arrows and the blood of the innocent everywhere.

This is a precarious, critical, and hard to find line.

But it is a line we must figure out. Especially in the world of mental and emotional labor that most of us live in.

How are you doing with intentional white space?
How are you doing with execution?

Sometimes "butt in the chair, do the work" means to take a walk. Other times it's about the labor. The actual work.

Your success depends on holding the tension and knowing the difference.