This piece will be the 60th I’ve written for Becoming Polymathic. In of itself, that’s not significant. March 2025 also marks its 18 month anniversary. Again, insignificant in of itself. There’s been a gamete of topics covered in this time, a fact made especially clear as I return to old pieces and update them to appease the search engine algorithm’s relevancy metrics. What this effort has also made clear is the horrific quality of those first pieces. Above all else, I view this realization as growth, though I still can’t believe some of the egregious errors I allowed to pass.
Genesis of Meditations
I state these milestones to preempt the story of this week. It was a challenging one on several fronts, but especially on Becoming Polymathic. Do not let what I’m about to explain be misleading; I still enjoy publishing pieces and will continue to do so. That said, it hasn’t proven to be the springboard I envisioned. By this point, I expected it would be known outside my immediate community of family, friends, and colleagues, even if the subscriber count was relatively small. Along these lines, I further expected it to have more verticals than a weekly/bi-weekly newsletter. I could make the excuse of life getting in the way, which it has. I could also make the excuse publishing Forward overtook it on the priority list, which it did. Nevertheless, it’s time to return to the drawing board.
Since December I’ve used a special operations preparation program to guide my workouts. As expected, they’re stupidly intense, much like the servicemen and women who choose this path. The “mindset” component of this Thursday’s workout, though, called for something highly unusual – staring at a wall for one hour with no phone, music, or any stimulation. Having recently completed David Lynch’s autobiographical Catching the Big Fish, the primary topic being expanding consciousness through transcendental meditation, I was intrigued by this exercise. Perhaps it would afford the same effects Lynch described? Furthermore, perhaps I could begin to deduce a future for Becoming Polymathic? On Thursday at 4:55PM, I wedged myself between my bed and the wall, set an alarm, and let the fun begin.
Meditations from Staring at a Wall
I did complete the full hour. Truthfully, I enjoyed it. The only thing I would change is sitting on a cushion or a comfortable chair – the shag carpet didn’t afford much support. Immediately after I brain dumped my thoughts onto an iPhone note. Per Lynch’s guidance, I determined the best thing to do was revisit that note a few days later. I sit here on Sunday evening in my mustard writing chair, which I should’ve used during the exercise, revisiting it. Here are the most significant thoughts:
Solo Acts are Rare, and Unfeasible in Most Cases
Currently, I work remotely, though I feel highly connected to my team. Our culture is highly collaborative and increasingly multi-disciplinary. More frequently, I’m encountering situations where I don’t have all the answers. It’s an unusual feeling, as for the first two years I operated mostly autonomously. In my third year, however, that’s no longer possible nor beneficial. Furthermore, accepting this notion has enlightened me to a major unintended consequence of interdisciplinary work – advanced personal development.
My writing projects are still a solo venture. I self-develop, edit, and publish all my work. My thesis is maintaining full control of these processes, though challenging, will lead to a unique body of work fully attributable to myself. Regarding the aforementioned processes, I’ve maintained control. It’s the processes I didn’t mention – marketing, networking, media production, etc. – for which I do not possess the time nor the expertise to be effective. Much like my career, the necessity for collaboration is becoming impossible to ignore.
Changing Locations, Even Temporarily, is the Ultimate Stimulant
Midway through the hour I had a thought related to lab grown meat, which led me to my family’s history in the meatpacking business, which prompted thoughts related to Chicago where my mom’s family and my younger sister have set down roots. Chicago is one the world’s meatpacking capitals, certainly of the eastern United States, so why couldn’t it be a major player in this future industry?
Where that thought ultimately led wasn’t choosing to pursue a career in the lab-grown meat industry, but back to Charlotte where I currently live. It’s a great place for this season of life for one reason – growth opportunity. The only place I lived with similar opportunity was San Francisco. However, I didn’t recognize this until I began traveling more. Even a weekend getaway in the same state can do wonders for the mind. So long as it’s different, the novelty will stimulate the uncommon connections needed to enhance perspective.
The Velocity of Thought when Unstimulated is Incredible
The hour spent staring at the wall, despite my best efforts, was not one of continuous contemplation. At the beginning, it was easy to delve into several subjects. However, these bursts became surrounded by increasingly long periods of recovery. Waves began to traverse the wall. I often found myself changing positions or looking down at the carpet to disengage from this illusion. By the end of the hour, I was barely able to annotate my thoughts.
When I was completely finished, however, my head was clear, and I was overcame by accomplishment. Metaphorically speaking, the vast majority of stones were turned. Looking at my notes today crystallized how much I’d evaluated. On the other hand, it crystallized how much processing still needed to be done, even after 72 hours. How much longer it will take is unknown, for the load the brain carries on a daily basis is unimaginable. What’s known is the reprieve of reduced stimulation, equitable to opening a sea wall.
Should I Stare at a Wall?
In short, yes. Don’t, however, associate it with “deep work” and “flow state”, those are buzzwords. Understand the goal is not the thoughts themselves, but to allow your brain to run free. In this way, its goals are similar to dreams, intentionally unintentional. If nothing else, your brain will thank you for the reprieve with the sentiment of blissful accomplishment.
This week has made me curious about the benefits of regular sessions. I plan to continue them, and will report the results in future pieces. With any luck, they will be the genesis for many pieces in between, and set the stage for a substantially improved Becoming Polymathic. Let the fun begin…
Be More.
Become Polymathic.
Quote of the Week: “Don’t underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.” – A. A. Milne