Last weekend, I did something I don’t do nearly enough—I hit pause. I stepped away from work, from responsibilities, from the ever-growing list of things that “need” to get done, and I flew to Wisconsin for the first round of March Madness. On paper, it might not have seemed like the most practical decision. There were emails waiting, tasks unfinished, and plenty of reasons to stay home. But something in me knew that this was one of those moments worth saying yes to.
Sitting in that packed arena, surrounded by the roar of the crowd, I was reminded of something important: we don’t just work hard for the sake of working hard. We do it so we can create space for experiences like this—moments that make us feel alive, connected, and reminded of what really matters.
Watching those teams battle it out on the court, giving everything they had for a chance to advance, I couldn’t help but see the parallels to life and business. It takes guts to step onto that court, to take the shot when everything is on the line. But the truth is, we all have those moments—decisions that scare us, opportunities that feel risky, chances to step outside of the safe and familiar. And too often, we hesitate. We tell ourselves we’ll do it “someday.” That we’ll take the trip, have the hard conversation, make the big move when the time is right. But the reality is, there’s never a perfect time.
I’ve been guilty of this myself—so focused on what’s next, on being responsible, on making sure everything is lined up just right. But this past weekend was a reminder that sometimes, we just have to go for it. Because life moves fast. There will always be another email to send, another deadline to meet, another reason to put things off. But what we won’t always have is time.
So, if you’re waiting for the right moment to take a break, to do something for yourself, to make a bold decision—this is your sign. Take the trip. Say yes to the experience that feels a little out of your comfort zone. Tell the people in your life that you love them. Be present. Be bold. Because when it comes down to it, we don’t just remember the work we did—we remember the moments that took our breath away.
And sometimes, those moments only come when we take the shot.
