The Ultimate Guide to Thriving in Every Season

THE FOUR SEASONS OF LIFE - USE THIS NATURE-INSPIRED FRAMEWORK TO BE PRODUCTIVE, PREPARED, AND AT PEACE IN EVERY STAGE OF YOUR JOURNEY.

Let me share with you a unique way of viewing the various seasons of your life, inspired by the four seasons of nature.

Many other frameworks take a linear approach to stages of life (like student, early career, mid-life, late career, retirement). But this one takes a cyclical approach, with a particular focus on transitions.

Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Each season has its own characteristics, and we must adapt accordingly if we want to thrive in every one. I will show you how to do that.

I'm writing about this because I don't want you to let life pass you by without truly living. Looking back on my experiences, I see times of growth, times of stability, and times of fear and uncertainty. And I wish I had known how to prepare for them.

Feeling lost and uncertain in life's ever-shifting landscape? This will help you embrace the ebb and flow with confidence, to turn every season into an opportunity for growth.

I used to struggle with life's unpredictable seasons.

Here's how I'm learning to change that.

The 4 seasons

Here's a quick overview of what they are and what they mean:

Summer: The season of flourishing and achievement
​Fall: The season of change and preparation
​Winter: The season of disruption and adaptation
​Spring: The season of renewal and growth

As we walk through each one, I will share my playbook for having the appropriate mindset and plan of action to enjoy life in each season and prepare for the next. I also include reading recommendations for each!

Summer - Flourishing and achievement

You'd most likely associate summer with the time of greatest thriving. Characterized by the warmth of accomplishment, growth, and stability, it's when the crops do most of their growing and people are at their most active. It represents a period when your efforts bear fruit from the seeds you planted during the earlier seasons.

Maybe you're working on a business venture and experiencing significant growth, or cruising through college with good grades and a successful social life. You could have a well-established exercise routine and are hitting your fitness goals, or you are reaching milestones in a creative pursuit.

This is a time for setting audacious goals, taking calculated risks, and pushing beyond your comfort zone. It's a time to maximize your velocity on the runway to bring a project or goal to success. But the length and quality of this runway is largely dependent on what you did in previous seasons. (We will return to this idea when we talk about Spring)

Mindset

Embrace a mindset of abundance and gratitude. Recognize the rewards of your work, and appreciate the opportunities and resources available to you. Be grateful for the stability and health.

Maintain a growth mindset, seeing challenges as learning experiences and setbacks as opportunities for improvement.

The common sentiment during the season of abundance is well-summarized in the adage: "Eat, drink, and be merry." We are most focused on the present, tempted to have little regard for the future. "Don't worry about tomorrow for it will be just as fair as today!"

But those who are wise and prudent will not fall for that temptation. Yes, we should enjoy the flourishing as much as we can. Squeeze the juice out of life while the sun is still shining! But don't forget that nothing lasts forever.

The adage ends this way: "Eat, drink, and be merry... for tomorrow we die." Rather than seeing temporality as reason for reckless abandon, learn to manage your resources well in preparation for the colder months. It's easier to set up sustainable systems when there is stability. Live well, but with specific boundaries.

Action steps

• Get ambitious: Challenge yourself to set high goals that align with your passions and values. Break them down into actionable steps and create a clear roadmap for achievement.
  If you don't have this yet, you're late. Take advantage of this season while you can.
• Embrace routine and discipline: You should already have habits and rituals that support your goals. Focus on gaining momentum and optimizing your processes.
• Take challenging (but calculated) risks: In terms of your stage in life, the risks can't be any more favorable than now. Step out of your comfort zone and push the boundaries of what you think is possible. Learn from failures and celebrate successes.
• Manage resources: It's never too early to prepare a safety net - in fact, you should always have one. Make sure you have systems that ensure you have things like a financial buffer, ways to maintain health and fitness if your resources are suddenly limited, a Plan C for your business, etc.

Reading recommendations:

• Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? - by Seth Godin
• Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers - by Tim Ferriss

Fall - Change and preparation

Eventually, the temperature will start dropping. The smell of change is in the air, and you are - consciously or subconsciously - preparing for a break in routine and the familiar. Fall is a season of reflection, self-evaluation, and careful planning.

But first, there's the harvest. This is a time when you reap all the rewards and consequences of the summer. Goals are completed or abandoned. Fiscal years are wrapping up. Contracts and leases are approaching their ends. You have a feeling that your time in one or more areas is coming to an end. And if the harvest is great, you get to enjoy them as they carry you into whatever's next!

The winds of change may come unexpectedly (such as a change in management at a company) or as a result of one's own choices. Maybe you're sensing it's time to look into a job switch or moving to a new location. Or you're a student in your final semester of college and are thinking about what's next. Or you're making a conscious decision to leave unhealthy relationships or friendships to prioritize personal growth and well-being.

The energy of the summer often slows down as you start to reflect on the coming transition. You shift your focus from the immediate rewards of the present to preparing for future challenges and uncertainties.

Fall encourages you to evaluate your resources, both tangible and intangible, and make necessary adjustments. It is a time for pruning away unnecessary commitments, shedding old habits, and gathering the metaphorical firewood to keep you warm through the coming winter.

If you have already set up sustainable systems for yourself, you'll still be able to enjoy life, go on trips, and eat good food. You just need to focus more on the forward-facing work.

For some, they'll start to worry. For others, they'll know their strategy moving forward.

Do you know which group you'll be in? Here's how to prepare when the green turns to orange.

Mindset

Adopt a mindset of adaptability and resilience. Embrace change as an opportunity for growth. Cultivate patience and flexibility as you navigate new transitions and prepare for the challenges ahead.

Shift your focus from the present to the future. From spending to saving. From lavishing to preparing.

Action steps

• Reflect and evaluate: Take time for self-reflection and evaluate your progress. Assess what went well, what you accomplished, and areas for improvement. Consider what adjustments or changes are necessary for the future.
• Expand your safety net: Your systems of preparation during the summer shouldn't be too different now. The biggest change would be to double the measures. Save twice as much. Network more. Stock up more firewood.
• Add or change: Maybe your routines or regimens need adjustment. Maybe you need to pay for different things, like equipment, educational courses, or a new hobby.
• Let go and declutter: Release commitments, habits, and possessions that no longer serve you. Remove unnecessary demands on your time and energy so you can focus on quality. Declutter your physical and mental space to make room for new opportunities and growth.

Reading recommendations:

• Daring Greatly or Rising Strong - by Brené Brown
• The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down: How to Be Calm and Mindful in a Fast-Paced World - by Haemin Sunim

Winter - Disruption and adaptation

Winter is the moment of truth, when you face the consequences of your preparation and are tasked with making it to the other side. By its nature, winter is a routine disruptor. It throws out all predictability. Resources may become scarce. Plus, because it keep you focused on the future (or surviving), it can distract you from making the most of the present.

Examples of this season of disruption and adaptation are:
Navigating unemployment while exploring new career options; dealing with a significant health issue and adapting to physical limitations or a new routine; divorce or the loss of a loved one; transitioning from a familiar environment, such as starting at a new school or moving to a new country with all the mess in between; a change in company leadership and the uncertainty of how things will turn out.

Here, some people will panic, while others will be comfortable. Whether or not you thrive or struggle to survive depends a lot on how well you prepared. It doesn't mean you're doomed if the winter caught you unprepared, but you'll have to work 10 times harder to get what you need or want.

During this season, the unpredictability and lack of control can cause anxiety, and it's important to acknowledge that. Winter teaches you to develop mental resilience and to find solace in the midst of chaos. Learn to adapt to changing circumstances and find new paths forward.

Mindset

Cultivate a stoic mindset of acceptance and perseverance. It can be tempting to wonder "Why me?", especially in situations not of your choosing. There's the concept of "amor fati" - meaning "loving fate" - which encourages us to find meaning and purpose even in difficult circumstances.

Keep a growth mindset, even as everything else may seem dead. Remember, this too will soon pass. Setbacks are temporary and challenges are opportunities for growth.

Action steps

• Work hard to establish a routine: The unpredictability of this season is anxiety-inducing, which is why fighting to keep some semblance of stability (like a routine) is so important. This can include regular visits to a coffee shop, quality time in the evening with loved ones, and morning walks at the park.
• Find what you have control over: In a time when so much is out of your control, identify what you actually still have control over and focus your work on those.
• Appreciate the time you have: It's easy to let this time slip by, and you probably have more time available than ever to spend with your loved ones, to pursue new hobbies, to read that book, to explore new possibilities. Though winter may feel like an eternity, it will soon pass, and you wouldn't want to look back on this time and think of it as wasted.
• Seek new perspectives: Seek guidance from mentors and explore different viewpoints. Learn from their experiences. They've probably seen more winters than you.
• Don't neglect self-care: Under the stress of shifting landscapes, it's easy to neglect your fitness, diet, relationships, and spiritual health. Prioritize these things. Science has shown that things like a good diet help regulate anxiety and other negative emotions.

Reading recommendations:

• Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds - by David Goggins
• 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos or Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life - by Jordan Peterson

Spring - Renewal and growth

The first hints of a new beginning. The thawing of the icy soil, the stirring from slumber, and the sowing of new seeds.

Spring embodies the spirit of rejuvenation and new beginnings, marked by the emergence of fresh opportunities and energy. It encourages you to reflect on the lessons learned over the wintertime and adjust your goals and actions accordingly. It is a time for cultivating new routines and nurturing the seeds of possibility that will blossom during the next summer. Much like the rebirth of nature, spring offers a chance for personal transformation and the opportunity to set the stage for another season of flourishing.

Life events that could be signs of this new season include:
Starting a new job; beginning to invest in personal development; discovering a new passion or purpose; taking up a new hobby or skill; building new relationships and connections.

In some ways, spring is also a kind of harvest of the work you put in during the winter. You're finding new footing in a new way of life. There are new hopes and expectations. And with that comes new work. It's time to get going.

Mindset

Have a curious and open mind. The Zen Buddhist concept of Shoshin means "beginner's mind." It's an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions. So embrace the beginner's mindset, allowing yourself to explore new possibilities and approaches. Harness the energy of growth and change, recognizing that every new beginning brings opportunities for personal and professional development.

Action steps

• Set new goals: It's the beginning of a new growth season, so identify areas for development and set new objectives aligned with your evolving priorities.
• Keep learning: Engage in continuous learning. Read books, attend workshops, or take courses that expand your knowledge and skills in areas relevant to your goals.
• Build a supportive network: Surround yourself with like-minded people who inspire and challenge you. Seek mentorship and collaborate with others who will accelerate your growth and build meaningful relationships.
• Start working on that runway: Remember the runway I mentioned? The length and quality of your runway for high performance and goal achievement during the next summer is largely dependent on the seeds you sow right now. So lay out your aspirations, figure out the fundamentals that will support your success, and work on them. Another way to say it is: start sharpening the axe so you can eventually cut down the tree.

Reading recommendations:

• Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action - by Simon Sinek
• 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos - by Jordan Peterson

Wrapping up

As I write this, I am presently waist-deep in the cold winter (even though it's 80 degrees outside). My routines are a mess, my future uncertain, and there is no sense of permanency anywhere in my life. The challenge to amor fati, to love fate, is difficult but real and inspiring at the same time. And as I put my own advice to practice - to adopt a growth mindset and to remember that this too will pass - I am working as hard as ever to enjoy the present, upgrade myself, and prepare for the future.

And I'm so glad I get to do this with you.

Till next time.

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