An interesting phenomenon: Many people who later became powerful and influential had a long period of being a "homebody" when they were young.
They don't go to work, don't socialize, don't fit in, and even seem to "disappear" in others' eyes during that period.
It seems that they are wasting their time, but in fact, they are gathering strength.
- Thoreau secluded himself by Walden Pond and wrote Walden;
- Haruki Murakami read and wrote at home after graduating from university, hardly leaving his circle for a decade;
- Musk was obsessed with reading and coding in his youth and almost never attended gatherings with his peers;
- even Steve Jobs, during the lost years after being ousted from Apple, shut himself in to prepare for his next comeback.
Why do so many successful people have a period of being a "do-nothing" homebody?
01、
In psychology, there is a concept called "latent period". Carl Jung once said: "A person must go through loneliness in order to hear the whispers of their soul."
psychology, there is a concept called "latent period". Carl Jung once said: "A person must go through loneliness in order to hear the whispers of their soul."
The so-called "hibernation period" refers to an active or passive "exit". You temporarily leave the mainstream path, cut off the noise from the outside world, and bury yourself in an intangible darkness.
On the surface, it is blank; In essence, it is gestation. Just like a seed buried in the soil, outsiders cannot see its efforts, but in the darkness, it is accumulating energy. When the moment of breaking through arrives, all the silence and loneliness will transform into explosive power.
So, those days spent at home were not wasted; rather, they were a necessary buffer given by life.
02、
In this era, we are overly focused on "action". Everyone is talking about efficiency, about execution ability, and about "going out there to have a chance".
Not all growth occurs on the stage. Many crucial transformations actually happen in the corners where no one is watching.
Nietzsche said: "Truly great thoughts often emerge from solitude."
Living at home for a long time precisely provides this kind of loneliness:
- You don't have to cater to others' gazes, and can calmly immerse yourself in books, writing, creation, and thinking;
- You are not disturbed by the outside world's noise, and can repeatedly ponder a question until it becomes deeply ingrained in your mind;
- You withdraw from social networks, and thus have the opportunity to establish your own value system.
This is why, in later interviews, a large number of successful people would admit that: Their real turning point was not a single successful social encounter, but a seemingly "lonely" period of seclusion.
03、
Many people misunderstand "homebody". They think it means being lazy, being degenerate, or lacking ambition. But it should be clarified that: Some people are avoiding life, while others are refining it.
The former is consuming, while the latter is storing energy.
For instance, Wang Xiaobo had a several-year stay-at-home experience when he was young. Others regarded him as an "unemployed youth", but during this period, he was passionately reading, writing and thinking. Many years later, with astonishing writing power, he stepped onto the literary stage.
For another example, Charles Darwin spent a long time at home due to illness when he was young. Others thought his future was hopeless. But it was during those countless lonely nights and days at home that he compiled his natural history notes and conceived the world-shaking "On the Origin of Species".
This precisely confirms that sentence: "Darkness has given me black eyes, but I use them to seek the light."
04、
Long periods of being at home alone are also an opportunity for people to reconcile with themselves.
We tend to be easily influenced by external factors in our daily lives: superiors' demands, colleagues' evaluations, friends' expectations, parents' reminders...
You live in all those voices, but forget to ask yourself: "What do I really want?"
When you are forced to stop and spend a long time alone with yourself, it is then that you can truly confront your innermost desires.
Murakami Haruki said:
“Loneliness itself is not terrifying. What is terrifying is the fear of loneliness.”
Those who can endure loneliness usually have a clearer idea of where they are headed.
While those who fear loneliness and rush to escape often lose themselves in the process of following others' footsteps.
05、
Some people say: "Staying at home all the time is a waste of time." But from a longer time perspective, waste might not necessarily be a loss; it could be a form of accumulation.
Thoreau wrote in Walden: "Most of the luxuries, even the so-called comfortable life, are unnecessary obstacles."
When you are at home alone, you are forced to cut off many "social illusions" and "busy illusions", leaving only the genuine interaction with time. And this "minimalist state" is precisely the soil that nurtures creativity.
During the years when Jobs was expelled from Apple, he seemed disheartened, but he said: "That was the most creative period of my life. Because I had no burdens, I could do as I pleased."
It can be seen that true breakthroughs often quietly take shape during the moments when you least expect them.
06、
When you encounter a similar situation of "long-term stay at home" in your life, don't panic.
Others might not understand you, and society might look down upon you. But as long as you regard this period as a "hibernation" rather than an "escape", it will become the nourishment for your future.
Remember this sentence: "Winter is never a meaningless pause; it is the prelude to spring."
The truly strong ones are those who can calmly spend time with themselves. True growth is not about always being on the move; it's about having the courage to gather strength in the darkness.
Closing Remarks:
Looking back, the stay-at-home experiences of those successful people were never a disgrace in life; instead, they were their most private "golden period". It was a time without applause, without recognition, and even misunderstood. It was during this period that they learned to think independently, to live with loneliness, and to grow strength from within.
When they stepped out of their homes, they were already completely different from before.
Don't be afraid of the silence you are experiencing. It's not a waste, but a savings. It's not a retreat, but a accumulation.
One day, you will understand: All the hibernation is for a more powerful start.