About this quote

You cannot expect constant growth or endless warmth in your career or personal affairs. Nature forces a period of cold decay before anything new can grow, and your endeavors follow the exact same pattern. When you hit a dry spell, stop panicking and frantically trying to force a harvest. Instead, use the quiet period to prepare your tools and rest. What are you doing right now to prepare for your next spring?

When to use it

• A freelance designer goes three weeks without a single client inquiry during the winter holidays. She stops panic-applying to random low-paying gigs and uses the quiet time to update her website, knowing this slow period is normal.
• An amateur runner gets sidelined by a knee injury right before marathon season. He stops complaining about lost progress and focuses entirely on physical therapy, preparing his body for the next active training cycle.
• A retail store owner experiences a massive drop in sales during the post-holiday summer slump. Instead of cutting her staff, she uses the quiet weeks to train her team and fix her inventory system before the autumn rush.