By John Valentik, MS, CSCS, NASM-PES, CES

In just about two weeks, I’ll be standing at the start line of my first Half Ironman. After months of training, I’m entering what’s known as a taper. My workouts are becoming shorter. The volume is decreasing. And despite understanding the science behind it, there’s still a small part of me that wonders if I should be doing more.

That’s often how we’re wired, isn’t it?

We assume progress is found in adding more. More work. More effort. More hours. More commitments. More productivity.

But sometimes growth requires the opposite.

Sometimes the next step forward comes from stepping back long enough to recover, reflect, and trust the work we’ve already done.

Take publishing my first book, for example. We’re now about a month removed from the release date, and there are still days when I feel like I should be doing more, more, more to promote it. Another post. Another email. Another message. Another idea.

Yet similar to exercise, there comes a point where you need to trust the work that’s already been done and allow some of the process to unfold organically.

In training, fitness doesn’t improve during the workout itself. The workout creates the stimulus. The improvement occurs during recovery, when the body adapts to the stress that was placed upon it. Life often works the same way.

While I am very much a growth-oriented person, that doesn’t mean we need to keep our foot pressed firmly on the gas pedal 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Constant acceleration eventually leads to exhaustion. We weren’t designed to operate at maximum capacity all the time. Sometimes we need to give ourselves permission to simply be.

That might mean spending a few minutes meditating or practicing deep breathing. It could be taking your dog for a walk without checking your phone. A mid-day nap. Maybe it’s treating yourself to a spa day, sitting on the porch with a cup of coffee, or reading a good book (no plug for mine, I promise).

Whatever it looks like for you, don’t underestimate the value of creating space.

It’s often during these reset periods that our creativity flourishes. The solution to a problem appears while we’re taking a shower. A new idea emerges during a walk. A conversation suddenly makes more sense after we’ve had time to process it.

What feels like coincidence or luck is often the result of giving our brains enough breathing room to connect the dots.

Whether it’s exercise, work, relationships, finances, or personal growth, the formula is often similar. Learn from reputable resources and people. Put in the work. Take action. Stay consistent. But then allow yourself some breathing room from time to time.

Allow yourself to taper.

That doesn’t have to mean weeks or months away from your goals. It can be as simple as a few minutes, a few hours, or a day dedicated to recharging and resetting.

The irony is that sometimes the thing standing between us and our next breakthrough isn’t more effort—it’s more recovery.

So if you’ve been pushing hard lately, consider this your reminder: not every season is meant for acceleration. Some seasons are meant for reflection. Some are meant for recovery.

Trust the process. Trust the work you’ve already done. And remember that sometimes progress looks like doing less.

Take care of yourself. You only get one mind and one body.