The Meaning of Solitude 

The finest men and women throughout history have practised solitude on a regular basis. They discovered how to employ silence to quiet their brains and access its conscious parts for answers to their questions.

Solitude is defined as the act of becoming silent and seeking some alone time to be with your thoughts in order to recharge, rejuvenate, and revitalize. Most people don’t need to worry about rest and recovery because they aren’t pushing themselves too far outside of their normal habits. Most victors understand that, because to their emotional nature, humans require recovery methods in order to succeed.

The mere act of solitude helps a person break free from the shackles of excessive cognition by creating greater space between his thoughts. Average performers frequently assume that working harder and longer is the way to get great outcomes. The exceptional ones typically reduce their traditional work hours to allow their creative minds to work at a higher level. In the twenty-first century, which is increasingly becoming known as “The Age of the Mind,” this working-smarter method fits in perfectly.

The amazing thing about isolation is that, when done correctly, it works almost 100 percent of the time. A river of ideas will flow through your mind while you’re sitting there. In an uncontrollable flood of thought, you’ll consider a plethora of ideas. Your job is just to relax and listen to your inner voice.

Like a boat sliding softly to the side of a lake, the answers to the most pressing challenges facing you will emerge quietly and plainly at a particular point during your hour of alone time. You’ll feel a great sense of appreciation and contentment because the solution you seek will come to you so clearly and feel so perfect.

This state of mind is ideal for a leader. The results obtained from practice of solitude makes it essential for a leader to incorporate it in their lifestyle. 

Why Should Leaders Embrace Solitude?

“If you want others to follow, learn to be alone with your thoughts.”- William Deresiewicz

Great brains understand that their ability to think is their most valuable possession. They go to great lengths to keep their minds fresh, relaxed, and clear.

The discussion of Solitude and Leaders became talk of the corporate town after a lecture given by William Deresiewicz to the plebe class at the United States Military Academy at West Point in October 2009 and originally published in The American Scholar.

“My title must seem like a contradiction. What can solitude have to do with leadership? Solitude means being alone, and leadership necessitates the presence of others—the people you’re leading. And when we think of solitude, we are apt to think of Thoreau, a man alone in the woods, keeping a journal and communing with nature in silence.

Leadership is what you are here to learn—the qualities of character and mind that will make you fit to command a platoon, and beyond that, perhaps, a company, a battalion, or, if you leave the military, a corporation, a foundation, a department of government. Solitude is what you have the least of here, especially as plebes. You don’t even have privacy, the opportunity simply to be physically alone, never mind solitude, the ability to be alone with your thoughts. And yet I submit to you that solitude is one of the most important necessities of true leadership. This lecture will be an attempt to explain why.”

Here you can read the entire speech:Solitude and Leadership by William Deresiewicz – Farnam Street

Executives are continuously bombarded with vital decisions of high-growth ventures. Every week, they make thousands of decisions that can make or break a company. They multitask by putting out fires, conversing, racing to meetings, and closing sales, all while keeping an eye on their phones for the next disaster. It’s possible that you’ll become exhausted as a result of this. They can make risky decisions when they are tired – and often devoid of energy.

This life of creative thought necessitates a lot of mental energy, which must be followed by mental rest and recovery. The great ones understand the value of solitude and devote time to it on a regular basis. They understand the need of a relaxed mind, body, and spirit for optimal performance.

Hyper cognition, or having too many thoughts to process at once, is the adversary of creativity and clarity. For many people today, cognitive overload is a big issue. Successful people understand the need of working with maximum clarity. This is why they set aside time each day to be alone with their thoughts. Most people think of this as a vacation or time off, but professionals realise it’s much more.

Investing in solitude allows performers to acquire perspective by slowing down their cognitive processes and elevating their consciousness. Leaders use their power to create innovative approaches to present challenges when their minds are clear and concentrated.

5 Ways Having Alone Time Helps Leaders

Ideas solidify in solitude. Working jointly has its time and place. Being alone, on the other hand, must be appreciated equally, particularly if creativity is required. Ideas and insights are frequently solidified and produced in solitary thought. It’s possible that coming up with those discoveries on your own will save you time.

Psychological well-being is improved by solitude. It may take some time to get used to being comfortable by oneself. However, solo talents may assist you in being mentally stronger. People who spend time alone are happier, according to studies.

Being alone allows you to make plans for your future. While it’s crucial to have shared goals with your romantic partner, family, or business partners, you also need to ensure that you’re living your best life as an individual. Setting aside time to reflect on your goals, desires, and aspirations might be beneficial.

Solitude assists in self-discovery. When you’re alone, you can make decisions without being influenced by others. You are free to spend your time however you want without regard for the feelings of others. Making your own decisions can help you gain a deeper understanding of who you are as a person.

Solitude is food for your brain. According to scientific studies, your brain requires isolation just as much as it requires social connection. When you’re looking for a purpose, it’s often necessary to disconnect from professional projects and the goings-on around the office. The brain’s default mode network is active when we’re not focusing on anything in particular and instead allowing the mind to wander or dig into our deep repository of memories, ideas, and emotions.

The lack of mental clarity is termed as Brain Fogged. Leaders can get brain fogged too. The New Epidemic in Town: Brain Fog – xMonks: Help yourself with this article on how we can clear a fogged brain.