dispatches from the new world of work

Overdoing It?

As I absorbed so many of man's most extraordinary cultural achievements (Michelangelo's Moses, Bernini's sculptures at Villa Borghese, a dozen breathtaking church ceilings), and overate, and wandered with Italians down the center of broad streets at 1 a.m. ... I wondered.

China expands its global muscle by the day, or hour. India surges. Yet Italy, Germany, and France—the fools, per me—have turned their back on progress. On the one hand I "know" my message about the intensity of competition and the need for an incredibly vigorous response is "right."

And yet ...

Isn't it okay to take a week and glory in the glories of Rome?
To overeat?
To extend a lunch hour into two?

To laugh?
To cry?

To read crappy thrillers that add not an ounce to one's intellectual muscle mass?

Though my message is technically "right" ... and urgency is high ("If you don't like change you're going to like irrelevance even less") ... and "we ain't seen nothin' yet" (life sciences, etc.) ... isn't it okay to have slightly more than a one-dimensional life pre-occupied with China and India and Brand You and the Accumulation of Intellectual Capitol 24-hours-a-frigging-day ("24/7")?

The Italians and French and Germans are missing a beat, no doubt. "Three billion new capitalists" want my job, too.

But surely there is more to life?

Tom Peters posted this on 04/24/06.

Comments

Surely there is - and as we know muscle and capacity grows while we REST - the we become stronger.

Posted by Sean at April 24, 2006 11:27 AM

Hello Tom, there surely are other ways of looking at things. I was made in Italy and although I have operated most of my business life in the US, I still dip into my Italian reservoir of bottomless culture, critical thinking, love and lust for life -- which means the sheer enjoyment of art, food, people, etc. as well as the innate ability to weave deeper connections of meaning (insights, ideas, people and how they can grow/play in relationship to each other). The exuberance and passion of existing can and does translate into pursuing excellence, being flexible and light on one's feet (and mind, even reading fiction) and approaching business issues and challenges with an eye to growth. Pace (read in Italian exactly, it means "peace") is a rhythm negotiated individually. Hard to speak for a whole country here... just a note for your consideration. Thank you for providing the opportunity to comment.

Posted by Valeria at April 25, 2006 7:57 AM

(quote) isn't it okay to have slightly more than a one-dimensional life pre-occupied with China and India and Brand You and the Accumulation of Intellectual Capitol 24-hours-a-frigging-day ("24/7")? (end quote)

Isn't that where the freaks that you say will change the world come from in the first place? From outside that one-dimensional world view?

Posted by Nathan Jones at April 26, 2006 5:03 AM

'Who Wants To Do Business Anywayâ€¦?'

Optional link...
http://glvr.com/audio/sitn/sitn.mp3

Posted by gulliver at April 26, 2006 12:36 PM

yes, yes, yes and yes. I often read your site as I think you can be provocative and I do enjoy seeing a 63 year old get out and rock the world. However, when I see the posts of some of the more dedicated fans( the ones who actually know what all your acronyms mean), I think, "get a life, go ride a bike or play with your kids."

As per your visit to the Vatican, "The things of this world are but foolishness..."

Posted by stuard at April 26, 2006 6:16 PM

There definitely is more to life! I read an article today about how to manage one's time so as to pack more into the empty spaces- like while driving or waiting. And I wondered, if we fill all the 'empty space' with activity where will the time for reflection go? I call this 'soul time' and I think without this, all of that activity is just randomly fired shots.

Posted by Astha at April 29, 2006 12:01 AM

Relentless change, of course. But there's that whole "ars longa, vita brevis" thing that the Italians, French and others have figured out so well. Think of it this way: we're still arguing about Darwin, who gave us his provocative theory, what, 147 years ago. Our brains move quickly toward the future, but we're still processing the past. Eat your pasta. It's good for you.

Posted by Jean at May 1, 2006 7:10 PM

:) At the end of the day, we work so that we may live, Tom. Life is important.

Posted by Ramla A. at May 4, 2006 3:42 AM