Digest

Emma Gannon, a Sunday Times best-selling author and creator of the popular newsletter "The Hyphen," joins Eric to discuss her new book, "A Year of Nothing." Gannon shares her personal journey of burnout, which led her to take a year off from work and radically change her life. She emphasizes the importance of listening to one's body, respecting its limits, and recognizing the resilience of the human spirit. Gannon also delves into the concept of "time" and how our cultural obsession with productivity often leads to a fear of death. She encourages listeners to question their relationship with time and embrace the present moment. The conversation explores the complexities of self-improvement and self-acceptance, highlighting the importance of finding a balance between striving for growth and accepting who we are. Gannon shares her insights on the success myth, arguing that traditional markers of success, such as fame and wealth, often fail to bring true happiness. She emphasizes the importance of finding joy in the simple things and pursuing activities that align with our intrinsic values. The episode concludes with a discussion on the importance of hobbies and how they can provide a space for self-care and nourishment. Gannon shares her own experience with swimming as a hobby and how it has helped her to embrace the slow lane and find joy in simply being present.

Outlines

00:00:00

Introduction and the Parable of the Wolves

This Chapter introduces Emma Gannon, the guest on this episode, and the podcast's signature parable about the two wolves within us: the good wolf representing kindness and love, and the bad wolf representing greed and fear. The grandparent in the parable advises that the wolf we feed is the one that wins. Eric asks Emma what this parable means to her in her life and work.

00:02:07

Emma's Journey with Burnout and "A Year of Nothing"

This Chapter delves into Emma's personal experience with burnout, which led her to take a year off from work and write her book "A Year of Nothing." She describes the intense panic attacks and disassociation she experienced, and how she felt compelled to radically change her life. Emma shares how she came to understand her burnout as a form of chronic burnout and how she has learned to listen to her body and prioritize self-care.

00:03:01

Self-Acceptance and the Power of "Just How I Am"

This Chapter explores the tension between self-improvement and self-acceptance. Emma shares a conversation with a friend who, instead of offering solutions to her problems, simply said, "Maybe that's just how you are." This simple statement brought Emma a sense of peace and led her to realize that sometimes we don't need to constantly strive for self-improvement but rather accept who we are. The conversation delves into the idea that our perceived flaws can often be manifestations of our strengths, and that self-acceptance is a crucial step towards positive change.

00:38:14

The Success Myth and Finding Joy in the Simple Things

This Chapter focuses on the success myth and how our culture often equates success with external markers like fame, wealth, and recognition. Emma shares her own experience with the success myth and how she realized that these external markers often fail to bring true happiness. She emphasizes the importance of finding joy in the simple things, pursuing activities that align with our intrinsic values, and embracing a quiet version of success that prioritizes inner fulfillment.

00:51:59

The Importance of Hobbies and Embracing Imperfection

This Chapter explores the importance of hobbies and how they can provide a space for self-care and nourishment. Emma shares her own experience with swimming as a hobby and how it has helped her to embrace the slow lane and find joy in simply being present. She emphasizes the importance of allowing ourselves to be bad at things and celebrating the process of learning and growth.

Keywords

Q&A

• What led Emma Gannon to take a year off from work and write "A Year of Nothing"?

  Emma experienced intense panic attacks and disassociation, which she attributed to chronic burnout. She felt compelled to radically change her life and prioritize her well-being, leading her to take a year off from work and write about her experience.

• What are some of the key takeaways from Emma's experience with burnout?

  Emma emphasizes the importance of listening to one's body, respecting its limits, and recognizing the resilience of the human spirit. She also highlights the need to redefine success and prioritize activities that align with our intrinsic values.

• How does Emma view the relationship between self-improvement and self-acceptance?

  Emma believes that self-acceptance is a crucial step towards positive change. She argues that we don't need to constantly strive for self-improvement but rather accept who we are, including our perceived flaws. She suggests that our perceived flaws can often be manifestations of our strengths.

• What is the success myth and how does it impact our well-being?

  The success myth refers to the societal belief that success is defined by external markers like wealth, fame, and recognition. This myth often leads to a relentless pursuit of these markers, which can result in feelings of inadequacy, dissatisfaction, and burnout.

• Why are hobbies important and how can they contribute to our well-being?

  Hobbies provide a space for self-care and nourishment. They can help us to reduce stress, improve mental health, and enhance creativity. Engaging in hobbies can also foster social connections and contribute to overall well-being.

• What is Emma's perspective on the relationship between comparison and inspiration?

  Emma believes that comparison can be a source of envy, but it can also be transformed into a form of inspiration. She encourages listeners to focus on the positive aspects of others' successes and use them as motivation to pursue their own goals.

• How does Emma define success and what does she consider to be a quiet version of success?

  Emma believes that true success is not defined by external markers but rather by inner fulfillment. She defines a quiet version of success as being able to do the work we love and go to bed every night feeling satisfied with our accomplishments.

• What is the difference between finite games and infinite games, and how does this concept relate to success?

  Finite games are played to win, while infinite games are played to continue playing. Emma believes that traditional success is a finite game, while pursuing our passions and finding joy in the process is an infinite game. She encourages listeners to focus on the infinite game and find ways to continue doing the things they love.

• What is Emma's advice for listeners who are struggling to find a hobby?

  Emma encourages listeners to explore different activities and find something that brings them joy, even if it's not something they're naturally good at. She emphasizes the importance of allowing ourselves to be bad at things and celebrating the process of learning and growth.

• What is Emma's advice for listeners who are struggling with perfectionism?

  Emma encourages listeners to embrace imperfection and focus on consistency rather than perfection. She suggests that profound change happens as a result of aggregated tiny actions, not massive heroic efforts.

Show Notes