Treading Water: 2024 The Year Before the Wave
There are days you feel like you're favored by your version of god. Like the wind is at your back and there’s nothing that can stop you. You’re a force of nature - an avalanche gaining momentum down a steep face. Other days, you search endlessly for this feeling. You’re teased and tested by him. The same could be said about weeks, months, and years.
This idea of treading water has been sticking with me. Putting a name to 2024 could be it. I felt fine. There were amazing moments. There were dull moments. Peaks and valleys. But pretty flat feeling, you know?
Peaks: The Electric Days
The days I felt unstoppable - they were electric (trust me, I know it’s cheesy) - but it’s true. You’re locked into work, and your productivity feels superhuman. You complete all your tasks and more. Business is where you need it to be.
Just this Tuesday, I left early to head over to my coworking office. I grabbed a coffee, sat down, and crushed my to-do list. After that, it felt like the world was mine. Added task after added task: blog posts, extra client outreach, catching up with a friend, finishing trip planning, working on my passion project. Oh… and only two more hours had passed? Where do these sources of energy come from?
It feels like everything is in sync. The way your fingertips hit all the right letters on the keypad. The way the rhythm of the music in my headphones seems to speak to me in all the right ways. The playlist hitting the perfect track on the car ride home (you bet I belted out some lyrics). These moments, these days… they feel like success.
Valleys: The Cost of Playing the Game
Look, every choice has a price tag. And sometimes that price isn't monetary - it's measured in missed moments, alternative paths, and the weight of roads not taken.
Take the entrepreneur grinding through holidays, building something that might transform not just their life, but generations after them. Is missing one Christmas worth creating financial stability that changes everything? The math isn't all that simple. It's not a spreadsheet calculation, but a deeply personal equation.
Or the night out with your closest friends back home for the holidays - the one that leaves you destroyed the next day, but fills your soul with memories that'll echo for years. The hangover isn't just a physical punishment. What about the business opportunity I missed for an unreal trip to Europe with my best friends.
On one side of these examples, there’s loss. On the other, there’s gain.It's the tax you pay for connection, for those rare moments when everyone's together and the world feels perfectly aligned.
These aren't sacrifices. They're investments. One way or another. Deliberate choices where you're trading one form of currency for another. Time for opportunity. Comfort for growth. Predictability for potential.
Every peak comes with its corresponding valley. Every incredible moment has its counterweight. I think those who understand this aren't just playing the game - they're designing it.
Maybe the key isn't avoiding these trade-offs, but becoming intentional about which ones you're willing to make.
The difference between a calculated risk and a reckless move? Maybe it’s Awareness. Intention. And the courage to look your choices directly in the eye.
Treading Water: The Setup Year
For 2024, treading water feels like a nice metaphor. No huge waves and no awful droughts… it was just… there. And there’s nothing negative about it. I launched an exciting new business, and I’m thrilled for what’s ahead. Treading water doesn’t mean stagnation - it’s preparing for the next big wave.
Some days this year truly felt like I was favored. Some weeks, I felt shot down. But I always got back up. And I have a feeling 2025 is going to be the best wave yet.
Stay Rad,
Jay
