The 24-Hour Rule
How slowing down can actually move you forward
👋Hello, my friend. Happy Easter — hope you’re getting in some quality time with family this weekend. Just a quick one from me today on the power of taking a pause before reacting. This is something I value more and more each year in just about every facet of my life. Hope there’s something here that may help you, too.
The 24-Hour Rule ⏰
Here’s a rule that’s saved me more than a few times:
When something feels heated, give it 24 hours.
I’ve found that when I’m tired, overwhelmed, or just stretched too thin, I’m far more likely to say or do something I’ll wish I hadn’t. And the truth is, those are exactly the moments when it’s most tempting to push the issue. Bring something up. Call someone out. Start a conversation that probably shouldn't be started right then.
But over time, I’ve learned something about myself:
If I try to handle a challenging situation when I’m running on empty, I’m not going to handle it well.
Not because I don’t care, but because I’m not thinking as clearly. I’m more reactive. Less thoughtful. And usually not in a position to navigate something complex in the way I’d want to.
That’s why I’ve built in this simple internal rule:
If I’m feeling worked up or on edge, I don’t respond right away. I wait 24 hours.
That pause gives me a chance to reset. To see things from a slightly wider perspective. To think through the implications of what I say or do.
Often, yes, the conversation still needs to happen.
But waiting helps me come into it with a steadier hand.
And more often than not, I’m glad I did.
You don’t have to do hard things. You get to.
Another idea I’ve been thinking about this week:
Some challenges are put in front of you because people trust you to handle them.
There was a situation this past week where someone told me—essentially—
“You’re going to have to have a really difficult conversation with someone.”
The kind of conversation that could go sideways if it’s handled poorly. The kind where the relationship could suffer if the words aren’t chosen carefully. The kind that requires judgment, patience, and some real situational awareness.
And what I said, kind of instinctively, was:
“This is why we’re leaders, right?”
This is the job. Not the job title, but the job of being someone others can count on when things get complicated.
And that’s not something I take lightly.
I remind myself often:
I’ve been put in a position to handle difficult things.
Not because it’s fun.
Not because it’s easy.
But because I’ve shown I can do it—and I want to continue being that person.
Do I always get it right? Absolutely not. I get annoyed with myself fairly regularly for not handling situations as well as I could have. But I generally believe that if I’m thoughtful about my approach, I can handle really, really difficult situations.
There’s a certain pride in that.
Not ego. Just a quiet belief.
That I can step up when others step back.
And do hard things well.
And in way, I actually like it. Maybe this is weird, but I actually embrace those harder conversations. Those tricky circumstances. Maybe it’s where I can really add the most value.
Patience ≠ Passivity
But that doesn’t mean rushing in every time something feels unresolved.
Sometimes, the right move is restraint.
Not avoidance. Not indecision. But a conscious choice to let the moment pass before taking action.
There’s a discipline in that. And there’s a long-term payoff, too.
Because in any high-stakes situation—whether it’s in your career, your family, or anywhere else—there will be moments where things feel unfair, frustrating, or just heavy.
In those moments, it’s easy to feel sorry for yourself and to feel the urge to quit because you just can’t see how it all could possibly get resolved.
But here’s what I’ve seen play out over time:
If you keep showing up with integrity—if you keep trying to do the right thing, even when it’s hard—things tend to work out.
Not always immediately. Sometimes it takes a frustratingly long time.
But over time, effort and character tend to compound.
That’s something I try to pass on to my kids.
And it’s something I have to remind myself of regularly, too.
Because even after years of doing this, I still have many moments of frustration — sometimes even despair.
But I try to remind myself: Be patient. Try to do the next right thing. And ask yourself: Will you be proud of how you acted today 10 years or 20 years from now?
Sometimes easier said than done. Often helped by the 24-hour rule.
I don’t always get all of this right. But when I do, things usually go better.
Thanks as always for reading.
Greg
P.S. — I wrote about some of these ideas in my book, Say Good Morning Like a Human. There’s a chapter in there about short-term pain that touches on this exact idea of not letting the hard moment dictate your response. You can find it here on Amazon if you're curious.
Content Diet
Severance — I’m a little late on this recommendation but my wife and I are halfway through Season 1 (of 2 released so far) and… whoa. It’s pretty wild. It’s like a mind-binding quasi sci-fi thriller/dark comedy… or something like that. Anyhow, I like that there’s sort of a mystery of what’s going on, and you have to pay attention to fully grasp what’s happening. Check it out on AppleTV if you haven’t already.
Dr. Mark Hyman x Dr. Andrew Huberman — How to Improve Vitality & Heal from Disease
Full disclosure: I’m only halfway through this episode, but so far I’m liking it. I generally like Hyman’s “functional” approach to healthcare… which he defines as “the science of creating health” vs. “the science of treating disease.” Anyhow, it’s all about creating health from the base vs. treating symptoms. I’m way down the rabbit hole of investigating my own health through Hyman’s Function Health bloodwork business that I’ve written about here before and I feel like I’m really grasping, quantifying and understanding what’s happening in my own body — maybe for the first time ever. So I recommend his stuff.
One more Mark Hyman thing… I came across this social post of his yesterday and it resonated with me.
That’s it!
See you next week.
Greg