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Jeff Giesea's avatar

You capture the experience of "seasons of stuck," which is relatable and an under-reported phenomenon in an economy where people (esp men) go through so many transitions. I'm a goal guy and when I was at the Hoffman Institute (a week-long therapy camp lol) I learned that my goal-setting had a shadow side. Setting a BHAG was my go-to for concentrating my energies and for not dealing with other issues. Goals gave me meaning, focus, a sense of achievement. Now, while I love the fire in the belly feeling, I am also suspicious of it. When is it coming from a healthy place vs not, and when is is in balance with where I am in life vs not. I am still figuring these things out, but man I love when I'm locked in a goal. And yet, being a temporary archeologist is ok too, I have learned. At one point I mapped out a distinction between drifting and floating. So maybe there are three seasons in this: being stuck, being locked in, and being in archeologist mode (which I do not conflate with being stuck).

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Drake Greene's avatar

Your essay brought back clear recollections of this great movie, and I found personal resonance in its relevance to business and personal setbacks. I really struggle with the private equity view of failure as a kind of character building exercise. Sometimes it’s just a failure, a tragedy in the classic Shakespearean sense. Grieve, learn and move on.

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