Fika and the America Hustle
Bringing Gratitude Back Into the Grind
“We don’t see things as they are; we see them as we are.”
—Anaïs Nin
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Americans are known for our work ethic, our hustle, our relentless drive to get things done. It’s something to be genuinely proud of. We show up, we grind, we deliver.
It comes with an odd twist, however. Every November, we have a national holiday dedicated to pausing, reflecting, and giving thanks. Then, we spend the other 364 days treating rest like it’s a weakness.
I recently visited Sweden for a baseball clinic. It is fun to see how other countries live. As we walked through Stockholm, my wife and I kept noticing this interesting word in the quaint, Old Town gift shops: fika. Every day, sometimes twice a day, work stops. They actually stop. Sit down. Talk. Recharge. Then they go back to work, refreshed.
We created our own version of fika. We just struggle to practice it more than once a year at Thanksgiving.
On that one day each year, we all find a way to stop, gather around tables, reflect on what matters, express gratitude, rest, and maybe watch some football. And then most of us wake up on Friday and go right back to running ragged until next November.
As we approach Thanksgiving, let it serve as a reminder to practice our own version of fika more than just once this year, pausing to:
Recharge our batteries
Reconnect with purpose and why we work so hard
Reflect on what we’re grateful for
Consistent, sustainable energy will beat sporadic intensity. Americans work hard—that’s our strength. We’ve also got to work smart by protecting the energy that makes our work meaningful in the first place.
This Thanksgiving, let’s honor both sides of the American spirit. The hustle to do things right … and the pause that makes sure we’re doing the right things.
We celebrate a national holiday for gratitude and rest. Let’s put it into practice more often. Happy Thanksgiving!
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes … including you.”
—Anne Lamott
Connecting this quote to the story. We function better when we intentionally pause. Fika, Thanksgiving, and gratitude are the “unplug moments” that restore the energy our nonstop hustle sometimes drains.
This week’s Chasing Influence tip: Practicing gratitude must be more than a once-a-year holiday. Find intentional ways to practice gratitude and thereby strengthen teams, connections, and value.