You’re on vacation.
The sun is shining. The view is breathtaking. Your calendar is empty.
And still - your mind is racing.
Old arguments. Future plans. KPI fantasies. Existential career questions.
On repeat.
Welcome to the Default Mode Network - also known as: “your private Netflix of mental noise - always streaming, never off".
In neuroscience, the Default Mode Network (DMN) is the part of your brain responsible for self-referencing, rumination, daydreaming, and mental time travel.
It's the voice that says:
“Why am I replaying that meeting when I’m half-asleep on a sun lounger?”
And here’s the paradox:
𝐃𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝.
It activates it.
That’s why so many leaders feel more restless after a week in the mountains.
The body may be horizontal - but the mind is doing laps.
In ancient Buddhist psychology, this was described perfectly:
They 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭 - powerful, stubborn, and easily distracted.
And they created a precise map to train it:
The Nine-Step Elephant Path - a deep practice of cultivating sustained attention and calm abiding.
And just like physical training, this path requires one thing above all: 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞
You wouldn’t expect your body to get strong in 14 days at a beach resort.
Why would your mind be any different?
If you want real clarity, real presence, real rest -
you don’t need another vacation.
You need a daily practice.
As Arnie said: “𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘴. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘴, 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘴, 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘴.”
So this summer, don’t just chill.
𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧.
𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭 - 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞.