Making space is hard for go-getters.
Space can feel unproductive for those of us biased toward action. Time to think keeps falling down the to-do list, and the result is sacrificing the Important on the altar of Urgent. However, when we do settle into stillness, silence, and solitude, we can find a deep, energizing clarity.
How SPACE Retreat Came to Be
Back in 2016, my solution was simple: Schedule space. Put reflection in my calendar.
At the encouragement of a friend, I booked a big beautiful cabin in the Smoky Mountains and started inviting entrepreneurs to come reflect on their businesses and lives.
Self-reflection has many well-researched benefits. It’s almost as if Ralph Waldo Emerson had reviewed the research before writing, “None of us will ever accomplish anything excellent or commanding except when he listens to this whisper which is heard by him alone.”
Dig deeper into the lives of wise leaders, and you will find a common thread: a regular practice of reflection.
- Winston Churchill used to go on nightly walks to process his day.
- Nike founder Phil Knight asked himself the same five questions he called his “catechism.”
- Sara Blakely created a “fake commute” to give herself more time to think in the car.
Do you need a fake commute? Or rather, a long weekend in the mountains?
SPACE Retreat gives you space to rejuvenate and dream, to goof off and rub shoulders with other smart, interesting leaders who need to slow down as much as you do.
“Innovation, creative thought, new ideas, and new markets happen in the white space when we can think and process and connect dots that we don’t get when we are running from objective to objective.”
Todd Henry, ToddHenry.com
Holistic success in this life involves more than doing.
More than frenetic activity. We must lead ourselves before we can effectively lead others. SPACE Retreat gives you an opportunity to take a step back, ponder bigger questions, and return to life and work with fresh clarity, vision, and passion.
“Biggest takeaway for me was clarity of what to do next. I had a million ideas and bouncing them off everyone and having time to really think about them quietly cleared things up. It’s so nice to know what direction to go!”
“I finally feel like I’m starting to recover from incessantly burning out. SPACE Retreat reshaped my long-term goals: what I picture “my mountain” to be. Anyway, you deserve the credit for helping me step back and gain some much needed perspective.”
What You Need to Know about SPACE Retreat
The retreat is three nights and two full days.
Everyone starts showing up on Thursday afternoon and leaves on Sunday morning.
The weekend is very light on “programming.”
You’ll receive a list of questions, a journal, and a pen. That will be more than enough.
This is not a “networking event.”
You will meet very interesting people and may end up collaborating with some of them. However, come with the intent to give, not get.
This is not “serious business development.”
This is about space. This is about purposeful stillness, silence, and solitude.
“The biggest takeaway for me was getting exposure to people who have been in the entrepreneur game for much longer than I have. It was interesting to see different personalities from separate business backgrounds connecting with one another. SPACE gave me more clarity on how I desire to interact in life at both a personal level and a business level.”
“I’m feeling rejuvenated and excited about our future after your retreat. Thanks so much for putting that on! That’s inspiring in itself.”
“Austin put it best on the last night: ‘It’s amazing when you spend time in silence with people. Once it’s time to open up, you share way more with a complete stranger (who has now become a solid friend) than you ever thought possible.’ I had several epiphanies at this retreat, and I got a chance to rest, laugh, and savor the peace and joy. All of that in killer accommodations and surrounded by unreal scenery. I should also mention the best food I’ve ever had. Good luck with the next retreat. It’s going to be hard to top perfection.”
“What was most significant for me was gaining new perspective. During SPACE Retreat I gained clarity that helped me identify and dismantle reservations I had about a new brand launch; I was back at the office on Monday pushing forward with a new confidence. I also walked away with a deeper sense of purpose in my work, new marketing strategies, new friends, time management tools, and even a lead that may become a nice project for my business. SPACE Retreat gave me much-needed time to focus on two of the most important (but also most neglected) activities for business owners: 1) rest and 2) working “on” your business rather than “in” your business. I look forward to the next one!”
“It was an amazingly refreshing weekend. By being around some many entrepreneurs that created something from nothing, it reminded me that I have that same power inside of myself. The weekend reenergized and inspired me to buckle down and move forward towards my goals and dreams with confidence.”