Over the weekend, I was preparing for an event I was scheduled to speak at, and thinking about what important message I wanted to leave the room with.

I landed on an annoyingly simple truth that often gets overlooked in professional spaces:

If you’re…

My dude, you need a hobby.

I know it’s a bit of an eye-roll, but hear me out.

After founding two companies focused on getting women into outdoor sports, meeting hundreds of high-achieving professionals in the startup world, and coaching dozens of ambitious people looking for their next edge, I noticed something almost nobody is talking about:

The professionals with the fullest lives (in a word, thriving) aren’t the ones with endless free time, the most success, or packed social calendars. They’ve simply picked up one worthwhile hobby that they show up to week after week, until strangers become their people, and they’ve built a whole new identity (outside of work) in the process.

Here’s what I know: hobbies are the ultimate low-risk environment to experiment, fail, and figure out who you are outside your job title. And that’s just the beginning.

I’ve experienced this adjustment first-hand and seen it impact hundreds of others. So to show you just how powerful it is, I’m going to take you on a little journey into all the nerdy-cool science behind it. Specifically:

So, friend to friend, if you’re burnt AF or feeling anxious about your future, you do not need more mindless “self-care.” You need serious play. And that’s something I know allll about. After all, this is still my most-read post. And I think y’all might be onto something.

More soon,
Tana

p.s. I’ve been loving reading all of your responses to my previous emails. Thanks for keeping the conversations going — and keep ‘em coming!