Why didn't anyone teach us about the seasons of our lives?
We seem to live in a world that expects us to be robots.
If you're an employee, you're supposed to show up sharp and full of energy every single day. And as a manager, every month should look like the last, right? Advance at the same pace, hit the same targets.
Really?
I thought you also had a life, a relationship, kids, moods.
The world actually works differently
There are seasons in the year. There are seasons of energy, of productivity, even seasons of failures and setbacks.
The expectation that we should always behave as if we're on a straight line — that's a fantasy.
If you're feeling tired in winter — you're not lazy. It's just winter.
If you're killing it in spring, riding a wave of energy and output — ride it. Don't hold back waiting for the crash.
The secret is being aware of which season you're actually in. Not where you wish you were. Where you actually are.
Working with the season, not against it
When I'm "on the wave" — I work more hours, set ambitious targets, rest less.
When I'm in a dip — I lower my targets, I'm gentler with myself, I do the maintenance work rather than the creative leaps.
This isn't an excuse. It's a strategy.
The managers I see burning out fastest are the ones who treat every week like it should look identical. Who haven't given themselves permission to have a February that's slower than October. Who push through every dip with the same intensity and wonder why they're exhausted by year end.
Farmers have known this for thousands of years. Athletes figured it out. Peak season. Off season. Recovery cycles built into the plan.
We've somehow convinced ourselves that knowledge workers are exempt from biology.
We're not.
What season are you in right now? And are you working with it or against it?