For most of my life, I moved fast. Productivity was my superpower, and I wore busyness like a badge of honour. My days were packed with work, training, studying, and adventuring. No matter what I was doing, I was constantly chasing the next goal, the next task, the next challenge. It felt good, like I was achieving something, but in hindsight, I can see the pattern I was trapped in.
I wasn’t making conscious choices. I was running on autopilot. I pushed myself hard, often to the point of burnout, making decisions out of habit rather than intention. I was great at getting things done, but not always great at making the choices that truly served me.
I didn’t recognise it at the time, but I was sabotaging myself in small ways every day. I’d set big goals and then get distracted by things that weren’t aligned with them. I’d push my body to exhaustion but ignore the signs that I needed rest. I’d tell myself I was being productive, but I was really just keeping busy. I made choices in the moment without stepping back to ask: Is this what I truly want?
Viktor Frankl and the Space Between
Through my studies in positive psychology, I started to understand the power in the pause. One of the most life-changing lessons I learned came from the work of Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and the author of Man’s Search for Meaning. He wrote:
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
At first, I read it and thought, That’s interesting. Then, over time, I began to feel it in my own life. That tiny pause between thought and action was where everything changed for me. I started practising mindfulness in small ways, beginning with mindful eating. Instead of rushing through meals, I slowed down, noticing the flavours, textures, and how I felt. I realised how often I ate just because food was in front of me, not because I was hungry. From there, I started applying the same concept to bigger decisions.
When my morning alarm went off, I noticed that I had a moment where I could choose to press snooze or get up and move. That space was my power. I could make the choice easier by laying out my workout clothes the night before or committing to meet a friend. When I felt overwhelmed with work and wanted to default to mindless scrolling or unnecessary tasks, I started asking: “Is this what I really want now, in 20 minutes, or tomorrow?”
That question became my filter. It stopped me from saying yes to things that drained me and no to things that would have filled my cup. I realised how often we make choices based on comfort and habit rather than what actually serves us.
Now, I teach this idea to others, especially at Take Shape Adventures, where so much of what we do is about overcoming mental barriers. Take hiking up a steep hill, for example. Your body can handle it, but your mind wants to stop. It tells you that it’s hard, that you should slow down, and asks you why you’re even doing it. That’s just the brain seeking comfort. If you hold that space, if you don’t immediately react, something shifts. You keep moving. You find your rhythm. You win the moment.
The same applies to every decision we make, from choosing to go for a walk instead of sitting on the couch, to pausing before responding to an email, to saying no when something doesn’t align with our goals.
So, here is your challenge.
For the next four weeks, slow down in the moments that matter.
When you wake up, take a pause—press snooze or get up? Make the right choice easy.
When you reach for a snack, pause—are you actually hungry, or is it just a habit?
When someone asks something of you, pause—is this a yes from alignment or obligation?
When you feel like quitting on a challenge, pause—is your body really done, or is your mind just looking for the easy way out?
This space, this tiny moment, is where change happens.
Today, I’m still a driven person. I still love pushing boundaries, saying yes to adventure, and challenging myself. But now, I own my choices. I make decisions that align with who I want to be, not just what feels easy in the moment. And it all starts with a pause. So, the next time you feel the pull of habit, distraction, or doubt, take a breath. Hold the space. And ask yourself, “Is this what I truly want now, in 20 minutes, or tomorrow?” Because in that tiny space lies your power.
