No.0140：The Courage to Pause Shapes the Future

July 30,2025

Running nonstop isn’t the only form of progress. Sometimes, it’s the pauses, the reflections, and the things we choose to let go of that become the true driving force toward the future.
 
■ Sustainable Progress Requires Deliberate Pauses
When trying to move forward, we may need to accept that short-term pauses are necessary for long-term momentum. If we ignore this, things might seem fine for now — but eventually, we risk a harsh backlash. It’s like how athletes stretch after training: to promote recovery, prevent injury, and maintain optimal condition for what comes next. Have you ever felt pressured to keep advancing without considering the cost — and felt uneasy because of it? I have. We tend to think: progress is good, stopping is bad. But maybe that mindset is actually holding you back. If you truly want to keep running in the long haul, you need the courage to stop — and sometimes, even to take a step back. That’s the idea I want to explore today, with a few real-life examples.
 
■ Going Bankrupt While in the Black!? The Hidden Trap of Cash Flow
Let’s take a look at a real-world example of corporate cash flow. Just because a company reports a profit on its income statement doesn’t mean it’s actually making money. Here’s why: even if you’ve sold a product to a customer, the actual payment might not arrive until two months later. In the meantime, if your cash runs dry and you can’t make your loan repayments, you could be in serious trouble. In the worst-case scenario, you might end up going bankrupt despite being technically profitable — what’s known as a “profit bankruptcy.” And it gets worse. During those two months, if the customer themselves goes under, you might not be able to collect the payment at all — a total disaster. To avoid this kind of painful outcome, it’s crucial to go beyond just selling. You need to negotiate for earlier payments, and thoroughly check whether the customer has the ability to pay. It’s like a couple who met on a dating app choosing to live together for a few months before getting married — a compatibility test before commitment. And if the conditions don’t look good, sometimes you need the courage to walk away and not make the sale.
 
■ What Closet Cleaning Teaches Us About the Trade-Off Between Consumption and Space
Let’s talk about consumption. When you buy new clothes, it’s wise to think about letting go of some old ones in return. Why? Because if you don’t, your closet will eventually overflow, your room will become buried in clothes, and before you know it, you’ll be encroaching on the shared family space. That’s why, whenever you make a purchase, it’s important to factor in not only storage, but also disposal costs — including the emotional ones. I, for one, tend to hold on to things for a long time. That sounds like a virtue, but in reality, I just have a hard time throwing things away. My sense of attachment — and guilt over waste — is stronger than most, making it psychologically burdensome to let go of anything. I’m like one of those indecisive ladies who hoard stacks of outdated department store shopping bags, filling up entire closets with them simply because they might come in handy someday.

■ Are Qualifications a Weapon — or Just an Accessory?
Here’s another example — this time about knowledge and how we use it. When the topic of learning comes up, you sometimes hear the term “certification junkie”, which carries a somewhat negative connotation. Earning qualification after qualification isn’t a bad thing in itself, but if those certifications aren’t being applied meaningfully to your work, it feels like a missed opportunity. It’s a bit like someone who dates just to “win over” other people’s partners, only to dump them immediately — a twisted obsession that’s more about conquest than connection. In reality, knowledge and certifications don’t magically translate into workplace utility the moment you acquire them. Trying to show off new technical jargon with excitement — like a kid unwrapping a new toy — can backfire, making you sound out of place or even come across as someone with “all theory, no practice” in the eyes of clients. That’s why the ideal relationship between experience and knowledge is one where newly acquired insights quietly support and reinforce the things you’ve already internalized through your own work. So yes, stuffing your brain with new knowledge is fine. But what really matters is connecting that knowledge with the insights you’ve earned through real-world experience — that’s how you truly update and upgrade yourself.
 
■ The Harsh Freedom of Being Independent
It’s been quite a while since I went independent, and one of the biggest changes from my days as a company employee is the lack of any clear boundary between work and rest. Back then, I often moved according to detailed instructions from above, so my days off were for fully unwinding and mentally preparing for the next round of forced labor. I can’t say for sure if the workers who built the pyramids in Egypt felt the same way, but the vibe wasn’t entirely different. Now, as an independent professional, everything is up to me — every decision, every responsibility. That very freedom makes me want to keep producing as much as I can, whenever I can. Naturally, the line between “on” and “off” starts to blur. In a way, it’s a kind of harsh freedom — like the life of a tuna that must keep swimming, even while sleeping, just to breathe. In this constant state of motion, I’ve come to think about a lot of things. 
 
After all, no matter how long you stay trapped in the same uninspiring problems, the return you’ll get is limited at best.
 
That’s why I want to make more time for things that have nothing to do with work — things I’m genuinely interested in, things that are simply fun, and moments that move me so deeply they bring tears to my eyes. I can’t help but feel that these moments of spontaneous immersion may open the door to new possibilities for my future. To keep the rest of my life from gradually shrinking into routine, I want to cherish those detours — now more than ever.
 
We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.
George Bernard Shaw
 
Why are you so afraid to stop right now?