The Slump

I've been in a slump. For a bit now. It's not just the work, but also in the routines that I built over time. My morning and evening routines. The Chidi is swinging and missing.

Not quite hitting.

The thing about slumps is that they are so sneaky. They usually show up after a sustained period of high energy and productivity, when you are in a zone...that state of flow that turns you into Wonder Woman in slow motion. You are in a killer streak, with a killer process and system you built and use to kill it consistently. And then you start to slip nwayor-ly nwayor-ly (aka slowly slowly). Your chain starts to break.

"Nothing wrong with grabbing the phone and checking WhatsApp and email first thing just this morning as opposed to my normal 'no devices for an hour after waking' routine."

"No veggies today? Eh, we'll be alright. Maybe tomorrow."

"I'll hold off on doing that important piece of work just this one time. Time still dey."

"Call Mama later. She won't mind."

"The writing can chill for now. No one will miss this week's post or blog."

That was me. Slowly, I wore down the chain I thought was solid vibranium, and b4 I knew it...Oga Slump had me in a chokehold and would not let go. The chain was broken o. And it is no fun. Maybe others didn't notice—maybe they did—but I knew I was not bringing that Chidi heat.

With the slump, came the threat of toxic thinking. That mindset where you start to believe some of the negative stories about you and your ethic, especially the ones on shuffle on that playlist created by your number one critic—yourself. Ryan Holiday calls it the overactive voice, the one that keeps you in a racing unfocused mental loop. Unthinkingly thinking too much.

Well, notice I used the word threat? I have a distinct distaste for overthinking in myself and others, I believe it is a nefarious and unsexy trait. When threatened, you counter with your training, right? Your system. Recognizing the threat is where you stop it from growing. And that is why having a system—a process—gives you the psychic dynamite to start all over—clear the mind—and slowly, quietly, patiently, rebuild your chain. Do the work. Tally up some small wins, no matter how small. Get your streak back.

I've been rebuilding the chain, one link at a time. No overthinking the slump, no crazy self-doubt, or second-guessing. I dey here. I can't say the slump is over, but I can say that a new streak is in session. And when this chain breaks (it will), we reload, reset, and start again.

No wahala.

Here's to the end of your slump. And to your new streak.

Now, of course you know I have a soundtrack to all this chain breaking stuff. Come on now. Oya...Fleetwood Mac, hit me!

Or for you newbies, let Harry (Watermelon Sugar...HIGH!) Styles do the honors. Harry!