Go.
Work.
Deadlines.
Projects.
News.
Noise.
Uncertainty.
For most of us, this is not an occasional season. It is the water we are swimming in.
We live in a culture that celebrates output, hustle, and constant motion. That drive has produced innovation, growth, and opportunity. It has also created exhaustion, distraction, and burnout that quietly erode our effectiveness.
Rest is no longer just helpful.
It is essential.
If we want to keep showing up for the work that matters, for the people we love, and for the life we say is Worth It, we have to become more intentional about the other side of effort.
Renewal. Restoration. Stillness.
This is where Exponential Commitment comes into play. Not just giving more effort, but committing fully to the practices that allow us to sustain that effort over time.
In this video, I talk about three ideas that help you do exactly that.
Now let’s break down each one.
#1: Challenge the Belief That You Have to Go All the Time
One of the most deeply ingrained beliefs in our culture is this: if you are not going, you are falling behind.
This belief often goes unquestioned. It feels normal. Expected. Even virtuous.
And yes, there are seasons when you push hard. When you drive toward the summit. When you finish the project, lead through a crisis, or navigate a major life transition.
But those seasons are meant to be seasons, not a permanent state.
This is where many people misunderstand commitment. They believe Exponential Commitment means always doing more, always pushing harder, always staying on.
In reality, Exponential Commitment is not about 100 percent effort 24-7. It is about 100 percent commitment to doing whatever it takes, which includes knowing when rest is required to sustain your commitment.
Professional athletes understand this well. Their performance depends not just on training and effort, but on intentional recovery.
Rest is not a weakness. It is part of the plan.
The same is true for leaders, parents, entrepreneurs, and high performers of every kind.
Rest is not the opposite of commitment.
It is what makes commitment sustainable.
#2: Turn Down the Inputs
If you feel overwhelmed, overstimulated, or on edge, take an honest look at what you are letting in.
Notifications.
News alerts.
Social media.
Podcasts.
Audiobooks.
Endless scrolling.
Most of us are consuming far more than we realize.
For years, I was always ingesting something. Always listening. Always learning. Always processing. Growth matters, but constant input eventually wears you down. The world gets loud. Your mind gets crowded.
When everything has your attention, nothing has your intention.
Exponential Commitment requires focus. Focus requires space.
Here is a simple practice. Turn the noise down.
Silence notifications.
Reduce news alerts.
Try turning off all audio in your car.
Create time where you are not being pulled in every direction.
The news will still be there. If something truly urgent happens, you will hear about it.
Turn down the volume so you can hear yourself think.
Less noise, more presence.
#3: Create a Sanctuary of Stillness
Most people do not resist stillness because they do not value it.
They resist it because they believe they do not have time.
But if you check your screen time report on your phone, I think you will realize that you have the opportunity for at least ten minutes, or more everyday.
Ten minutes of quiet.
No agenda.
No productivity requirement.
No performance.
This can be meditation, mindfulness, prayer, or simply sitting and breathing in silence. No special setup required. Just quiet.
Stillness creates clarity.
Clarity restores energy.
Energy allows you to recommit daily to the life and work you care about.
Exponential Commitment is renewed, not once, but repeatedly. Stillness is where that renewal begins.
I recorded this message near Devil’s Backbone Open Space, just minutes from my home. (check out the video version, it’s a beautiful spot!)
I had plenty to do that day. Plenty of reasons to keep pushing and not get out of the house.
Choosing restoration in that moment was not a distraction from my work.
It was an investment in showing up better for it.
The Point of Rest
Rest is not about doing less because you are not fully committed.
It is about restoring yourself so you can Exponentially Commit for longer, deeper, and with greater intention.
When you rest well, you do not lose momentum.
You regain direction.
From that place, you can recommit again and again to what is truly Worth It.
That is Exponential Commitment in action.
If this message resonated with you, I would be grateful if you shared it with someone who needs permission to slow down in order to deepen their commitment to their life and work.
On Belay,
Manley
VerticalLessons.com
