Ever feel insecure about what you aren’t accomplishing? Feel like you should be doing more, getting ahead faster, thriving on fewer hours of sleep? If so, I’d estimate there are probably millions of Americans right there with you, at one time or another — and me, for that matter.
For inspiration, here are ten quotes that will inspire you to “Feel better about not getting anything done.” For example, take Gandhi’s observation: “There is more to life than increasing its speed.” All these words of wisdom are quite fascinating, as they’re really about much more than “doing nothing.”
As most of these quotes remind us, when we rest, we are getting something done — and it’s something (many things, in fact) really important!
Creating and doing comes in many forms, including resting.
Rest is not nothing. Resting is a crucially important activity. It’s in a state of rest that we refuel our bodies, refresh our spirits, appreciate what is as much as what will be, and celebrate who we are as much as what we hope to create. If you aren’t convinced of the importance of this in its own right, think of rest as an essential ingredient in accomplishing whatever you think is important.
I know, by claiming that resting actually does get something done, I could be accused (as could most of those whose quotes are shared above) of playing into that need to always be accomplishing something! We could be doing that. But I don’t actually believe that’s it at all.
When we come to understand that resting is not simply about “doing nothing,” but is a crucial component in creating a better and happier life, we are reminded that it is fundamentally a good thing to feel that active drive to create and build and fix and do. It also reminds us that creating and doing comes in many forms – including resting.
What we need, as these inspiring quotes remind us, isn’t merely to find a balance between doing “something” and doing “nothing.” We also need to expand our perception of what counts as “something” and what counts as “nothing”.
Imagine the benefits of expanding how we score those choices in life — how it would free us, to both push harder in certain areas of our lives and, perhaps even more importantly, cut ourselves a little slack in others.
Listed for many years in Newsweek as one of America’s “50 Most Influential Rabbis” and recognized as one of our nation’s leading “Preachers and Teachers,” by Beliefnet.com, Rabbi Brad Hirschfield serves as the President of Clal–The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, a training institute, think tank, and resource center nurturing religious and intellectual pluralism within the Jewish community, and the wider world, preparing people to meet the biggest challenges we face in our increasingly polarized world.
An ordained Orthodox rabbi who studied for his PhD and taught at The Jewish Theological Seminary, he has also taught the University of Pennsylvania, where he directs an ongoing seminar, and American Jewish University. Rabbi Brad regularly teaches and consults for the US Army and United States Department of Defense, religious organizations — Jewish and Christian — including United Seminary (Methodist), Yeshivat Chovevei Torah (Modern Orthodox) Luther Seminary (Lutheran), and The Jewish Theological Seminary (Conservative) — civic organizations including No Labels, Odyssey Impact, and The Aspen Institute, numerous Jewish Federations, and a variety of communal and family foundations.
Hirschfield is the author and editor of numerous books, including You Don’t Have To Be Wrong For Me To Be Right: Finding Faith Without Fanaticism, writes a column for Religion News Service, and appears regularly on TV and radio in outlets ranging from The Washington Post to Fox News Channel. He is also the founder of the Stand and See Fellowship, which brings hundreds of Christian religious leaders to Israel, preparing them to address the increasing polarization around Middle East issues — and really all currently polarizing issues at home and abroad — with six words, “It’s more complicated than we know.”