Adding to my list of "things they really should have taught us in school": seasonality.

We grow up in a world that treats us like robots. If you're an employee, you're expected to be sharp and energized every single day. If you're a manager, every month should look like the last - same pace, same results, same consistency. As if you're not human.

And if you're self-employed, three new clients should arrive every month and only one should leave. Clockwork. Predictable. Manageable.

But the world works differently than that.

Why This Matters

Winter? Feeling tired isn't laziness. It's just winter. There are seasons in the year, seasons in energy, seasons in productivity. And yes - "here come three crises at once" is also a season, isn't it?

But there are also seasons of "everything is going great and I have a hundred ideas and way too much ambition." Seasons where you're riding a wave of momentum and everything feels possible.

The expectations we impose on ourselves - or on our employees, clients, managers - to behave as if we're always on a straight upward line? That just doesn't make sense. It's not how humans work. It's not how organizations work.

Here's what I realized after years of studying this: when you fight against the season you're in, you lose twice. First, you lose the energy you're wasting trying to be something you're not right now. Second, you lose the opportunity to work with what you actually have available.

A tired employee in their winter season isn't lazy. They're in winter. Push them harder, and you get burnout. Welcome them into the season, and you get resilience.

What To Actually Do

I once talked about this in a podcast. A listener asked: "But how do I tell my boss I'm in my winter season?" Good question. You don't necessarily tell them that. You work differently instead.

When I'm "on the wave" - I work more hours, set higher goals, rest less. I'm riding momentum. I know this season ends, so I use it fully.

When I'm "under the wave" - I lower expectations, take naps, give myself a break. I work fewer hours. I focus on completing existing things, not starting new ones. I'm conservative.

Not because I'm giving up. Because that's how the system actually works. Fighting winter doesn't make spring come faster. Understanding the season makes it survivable.

Also? Knowing it's just a season makes it much easier to get through. This isn't permanent. You're not broken. You're seasonal. We all are.

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