It’s Hard to Think Clearly When You Never Step Away

I recently turned 61. 

And as I write this, I’m in Mecca with my family performing Hajj — something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. 

The experience has been deeply meaningful. 

Not just spiritually. 

But mentally. 

Because when you step away from your normal environment long enough, something interesting happens: 

You start to think differently. 

Distance Creates Perspective  

Back home, life moves quickly. 

There are meetings. 

Deadlines. 

Questions from the team. 

Client issues. 

Decisions that need attention. 

And like many CPA firm owners, I’ve spent years operating at a fast pace. 

Not because I wanted chaos. 

But because momentum has a way of taking over. 

You keep moving because people depend on you 

What Stepping Away Reveals 

Being away from the normal rhythm of work has reminded me how difficult it is to think clearly when you never truly step away from the business. 

Not because you lack intelligence. 

Because proximity changes perspective. 

When you’re constantly inside the firm: 

• You adapt to things that shouldn’t feel normal 
  
• You stop noticing certain pressures 
  
• You carry responsibilities automatically 
  
• You postpone bigger questions because the immediate work feels more urgent 

And over time, “managing the present” quietly replaces thinking intentionally about the future. 

Most Firm Owners Don’t Need More Information 

They need space. 

Space to think. 

Space to reflect. 

Space to ask questions they normally push aside: 

• Is the firm becoming more dependent on me or less? 
  
• Is this pace sustainable long term? 
  
• What do I actually want the next chapter to look like? 
  
• If nothing changed financially, would I still want to run the firm exactly like this? 

Those questions are difficult to hear clearly when you’re constantly in motion

Something I’ve Come to Appreciate More  

The older I get, the more I appreciate clarity. 

Not speed. 

Not constant growth. 

Not complexity. 

Clarity. 

Clarity about: 

• what matters 
  
• what doesn’t 
  
• what needs to change 
  
• and what deserves more attention before another year passes 

And ironically, stepping away is often what creates that clarity.. 

 

A Final Thought  

Most CPA practitioners are excellent at creating space for clients to think clearly. 

But very few create that same space for themselves. 

Over the next few weeks, I’m opening up a small number of private conversations for firm owners who are at a crossroads and thinking seriously about what their next chapter may look like. 

No pressure. No presentation. 

Just a thoughtful conversation. 

If that resonates with where you are right now, reply to this email and I’ll share details