The Art and Power of Downshifting with Steve Schlafman
Downshift: The world’s first Decelerator for high performers
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Life has probably never felt more frenetic and speedy for humans than it does today.
Technology and culture have made it easy to always be on, always be productive, always be improving ourselves, and always be running to the next thing.
Underlying this behavior is the concept that more and faster is what’s going to create the best experience and outcomes.
But is that true?
And are there times in life when it is particularly useful to slow down?
I think it benefits us to take stock on how this narrative is actually playing out for our well-being and prosperity.
Today’s guest Steve Schlafman thinks so. Steve is the first boomerang guest I’ve had on the show. This time he is coming back to talk about Downshift, the world’s first decelerator for high performers.
Steve has been a leader, investor, and coach in the world of venture capital, startups and technology. More recently he has focused on helping higher performers move through periods of transition.
One thing he’s observed is how powerful it can be to slow down during these liminal periods in-between things. Through decelerating, we can bring more presence, intention and clarity to any transition process. This helps us self-author a path forward that’s aligned with our deepest values and desires
In our conversation, we talk about what decelerating means and how you can practically call upon it as needed.
An important distinction that Steve makes is that downshifting isn't about giving up ambition or coming to a complete stop. It’s more about temporarily slowing down so that you’re able to really get clear before you move forward with the full power of aligned action.
Interesting ideas from our conversation:
How to think about downshifting
How Steve uncovered the power of downshifting after shutting down his VC firm
The benefits of downshifting
Counterintuitive things that can emerge from slowing down
The process of questioning and seeing our conditioning
Embracing the abyss
The power of embodied experimentation
How we can learn from inaction
When and how we can see synchronicity
When I think about downshifting, I think about the Titanic or any big boat crossing the Atlantic.
If it were to take a little extra time to make sure it had the ideal route, it’d be way more efficient vs. asking it to constantly course correct throughout the trip. And sometimes, once the boat gets going its just too big to turn without some major interruption.
It seems like strategically slowing down at certain waypoints in life might actually be the best way to speed up in the long run.
I always have a blast talking with Steve and I think he has a very unique perspective given his own journey and work with high performing leaders.
If you’re interested in Downshift, I encourage you to read his blogpost about it and check out all the information on the first cohort on the website.
I hope you enjoy this conversation and consider a downshift next time you’re in transition!
-Scott
If you liked reading or listening to this, feel free to click the ❤️ or 🔄 button on this post so more people can discover it on Substack 🙏
Recommended Resources:
Steve Schlafman’s Website
Steven Schlafman’s substack
Steve’s first appearance on Consciousness ∞ The Doorway to Human Evolution
Episode Transcript
Show notes:
00:00 - Introduction and Honoring the Guest
00:35 - The Need for a Decelerator
06:16 - Resistance to Deceleration
08:53 - The Benefits of Downshifting
09:15 - Practicality of Making No Decisions
10:42 - Counterintuitive Nature of Deceleration
12:02 - Creativity and Serendipity in Deceleration
13:57 - Exploring Different Downshifting Activities
21:05 - Uncovering Conditioning and Wounds
24:22 - The Healing Process and True Freedom
28:41 - The Enrichment of Life and the How of Achievement
32:13 - The Fulfillment of Following Inspiration
38:54 - The Power of Belief and Mindset
39:20 - Approaching Hardships with Curiosity
40:28 - Embracing the Abyss and Finding Direction
41:19 - Slowing Down and Finding Through Lines
42:16 - The Importance of Slowing Down and Finding Stability
43:14 - Finding Refuge in Through Lines
44:25 - Experimentation Mindset and Embracing Failure
47:20 - Synchronicity and Flow in Life
53:43 - Learning from Inaction and Misaligned Choices
56:11 - The Adjacent Possible and Choosing Doors
59:36 - Moving Through Change and Transition
01:06:12 - The Value of Being and Way of Being
This is an interesting conversation. As someone currently experiencing the downsides of hustle culture… burnout. I was a little bemused to hear Steve had dropped to not a minute more than 40-45 hours per week. I guess that might be not much depending on your baseline, in my country you can’t compel a employee to work more than 37.5 hours per week. Paid breaks take that up to 40 hours. People often work more than this of course.
I get that downshifting is a relative term though it feels like much of this conversation was still embedded in an extreme hustle culture, so the new norms being suggested are still extremely busy.