I’m 50% of the way through being out of hibernation and am very looking forward to turning back into a pumpkin at midnight on Halloween.
I’m not traveling in August and have settled into being in one place (Aspen) after running around the United States for the past few months. In hindsight, it was too much. When I was younger, the travel I just did was “moderate.” But, between my actual work, age, post-exertional malaise, and the normal energy dynamics associated with shifting between Brad-introvert and Brad-extrovert mode, it has been physically (and psychologically) challenging.
Fortunately, I’ve had fun and my mental health is excellent. It has also been useful to experience this as I approach 60, as it serves as sound reinforcement that the work-related travel dynamic is not something I want to reintroduce into my life.
As part of a shift, I’ve tried a few different things with friends. When I hibernated the last time, I was very elusive in person, except for when Amy and I were in Boulder. Over the past three months, I’ve had more extended meetings and meals with close friends, including several who’ve traveled to me to simply sit, catch up, and spend time together.
The photo above is from yesterday evening with Bala Kamallakharan. While we’ve had many shared experiences together, precious few have been in person. Our four hours together were delightful, memorable, and great reinforcement for me of how 1:1 time with someone I treasure or with a couple (dinner with Amy + two friends) fills me up regardless of what the topic is. This afternoon I’m doing this again with Manu Kumar.
While it’s also been enjoyable and interesting doing a bunch of podcasts around Give First: The Power of Mentorship, I’m pretty podcasted out. So, I’m now shifting the conversations for the remaining podcasts I have and am trying to incorporate something new, that has nothing to do with the book, into every podcast left before I hibernate again. I’ve got about 30 left and am following through on the ones I’ve committed to, but have shifted back to Default No for new inbound requests.
In September, I have a California trip and a bunch of stuff in Boulder (including Techstars Foundercon and Denver Startup Week). Then I have an East Coast trip in October (NYC and Washington, DC) and have been trying to sneak in an Austin trip (and failing). Other than that, I’m finished.
My “not public-facing” activity (and persona) is more than enough for me at this point in life. I enjoy the work a lot and am fortunate that I have deep, trusting relationships with almost all of the CEOs I work with, regardless of what is going on with the companies. While there are plenty of chaotic dynamics in the world right now, many of the companies I’m on the board of are doing well, and most of them are scaled businesses, which is a different kind of work than all the early-stage stuff I’d been doing for most of the prior 40 years. I’m also very much enjoying my deep time with other VCs we’ve supported as LPs whenever they reach out to me.
I anchored on turning 60 as the unambiguous shift for me into what Amy and I call “the third third of life.” While it is a continuation of the things I’m currently working on and committed to, including Foundry and Techstars, the most significant part of it is the cessation of work-related travel and most, if not all, of my public-facing activities.
My acceptance of the finiteness of life is a big part of this. The experience of the past three months has been powerful, both in terms of my energy level and in reinforcing what brings me joy. While life always has tragedy, hardship, disappointment, failure, and struggle, I embrace that as part of the experience, while orienting as much of my available energy toward things that bring me joy.