A Concept to Challenge Your Status Quo
“The price of discipline is always less than the pain of regret.” — Robin Sharma
Imagine two marathoners. One logs disciplined miles, rests strategically, and arrives at race day ready earning every stride of the finish line. The other skips training, hoping adrenaline will carry them. Both cross the line, but only one feels fulfillment. The other is left with regret, wondering what could have been.
As leaders, time off is inevitable. The question is: will you get it earned and restorative or take it, forced by burnout or guilt? The answer is written in the disciplines you keep during your working hours.
When you invest your best energy into high-impact tasks, prioritize with intention, and honor your craft, you get time off as a dividend guilt-free, deeply restorative, and confidence-building. You know you’ve “paid the rent” on your success, as J.J. Watt puts it: “Success isn’t owned. It’s leased, and rent is due every day.”
But when you let distractions dilute your focus, procrastinate on priorities, or let meetings fill your calendar instead of your mission, you end up taking time off—often out of necessity, not choice. This is when regret creeps in, eroding your confidence and clouding your leadership.
The Bank of Time
Think of your workday as a bank account. Every disciplined action is a deposit; every distraction, a withdrawal. When it’s time for a break, do you withdraw from a surplus or go into overdraft? Only the former brings peace and renewal.
Fulfillment comes not from the hours you log, but from the disciplines you honor. Share this with your team: Ask them—are we getting our time off, or just taking it? The answer will shape your culture of excellence.
If this sparked a new perspective, forward it to another leader who values high performance—and let’s redefine what it means to truly earn our rest.
