Friday, February 09, 2007

The Joy of Insomnia

Many very successful people have insomnia, at least from time to time. Contrary to what big pharma might lead us to believe, intermittent insomnia is normal, and I think even healthy. I get my best thinking done while in the throws of it. If you have insomnia, don’t reach for the pills, but instead take comfort in the fact that you have sleepless nights in common with history's great thinkers; Edison, Einstein, Churchill, Lincoln,etc. Embrace it.

Insomnia, its a friend to the solo practitioner. Insomnia means you are being challenged, and challenge means change, and change means growth. During a sleepless night, when the house is silent and phone is quiet and you have no interruptions, plan your practices’s next move. Brainstorm, run numbers, question, challenge. You’ll be fine tomorrow and you'll sleep tomorrow night, or the next night or the night after that. Embrace the insomnia. It’s good.