When Rest Feels Like Failure (But Isn’t)
- Grant Wiese
- Aug 25
- 3 min read
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When Rest Feels Like Failure
(But Isn't)
This is going to sound a bit like one of my Substack posts for 8-Figure Farmers. I just wrapped up 100 straight days of writing content, and my brain is still coming up with articles around mindset.
The 100-day challenge was, well, a big challenge. It left me exhausted and looking forward to the end. I thought when I reached the finish line I would feel invigorated, ready to keep the momentum going and find something new. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. I completely lack motivation and just want to take a long break. But life doesn’t allow for that. Daily responsibilities don’t pause. It’s impossible to take a one-week nap and let everything fall by the wayside leading to more failure.
I shared these feelings with my coach (Zach), who reminded me that during certain periods the mind needs rest. Don’t begrudge this rest. Our bodies and minds need to reset, and sometimes we have to accept that we’re only going to get by. That the bare minimum will be done. We can live a few days at a slower speed. But the reset won’t happen if we don’t accept it and choose not to be hard on ourselves. Let the reset take place so your mind and body can get to the next space they need to go. It is OK to get nothing done. Own it. Build margin into your life.
Even after hearing that, I still felt inadequate. How do people like Jobs and Musk work 18-hour days running multiple businesses and still get so much done? Why do I feel shot after a busy eight-hour day and sometimes unmotivated the next?
Zach’s response: If they are working 18 hours a day and sleeping the other six, how much time do they have for a social life? How much time for their family? How much time for God? Is that really the life you want?
No way. If anything, those individuals should be envious of the life I have. I get to go to church. I get to spend one hour every morning and four hours every evening with my family. I have a job that helps farmers. I get to farm with family. I run a side business helping more farmers manage their finances. And I get to run every day if I choose.
Instead of feeling inadequate or frustrated by my lack of progress, I need to spend more time focusing on today and what is around me now. If I’m always moving the goalpost and chasing something bigger, anxiety will always follow. I’ll never get ahead if I’m always chasing.
So today’s lesson is this: be content with what we have today. Appreciate the work it took to build to this point, but don’t live too much in the past or too far in the future. Let today be today, and make the most of it.
P.S. If you want more articles like this, incorporating mental mindset shifts and farm finance, sign up for my regular Substack articles here.
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