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# Lessons from Tony Schwartz
- URL: https://www.antoinebuteau.com/lessons-from-tony-schwartz/
- Published: 2026-05-30T18:20:08.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-18T21:57:54.000Z
- Description: Tony Schwartz is a journalist who founded The Energy Project to argue that companies should manage energy, not time. His work connects physical rest, attention, emotional intelligence, and organizational design to a more sustainable model of performance.
- Author: Antoine Buteau
- Tags: Profile, Leadership & Management Thinkers Profiles

![Visual summary of operating lessons from Tony Schwartz.](https://www.antoinebuteau.com/content/images/2026/05/lessons-from-tony-schwartz-profile-infographic.webp)

## Lessons from Tony Schwartz

Journalist Tony Schwartz founded The Energy Project to argue that companies should manage energy instead of time. His experience ghostwriting Donald Trump's *The Art of the Deal* drove his later focus on emotional intelligence and led him to co-author *The Power of Full Engagement*. This collection gathers his observations on physical rest, attention spans, and organizational design.

### Part 1: The Core Paradigm: Managing Energy vs. Time

1. **On the core currency:** "Energy, not time, is the fundamental currency of high performance." — [*Source: \[Harvard Business Review*](https://hbr.org/2007/10/manage-your-energy-not-your-time?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
2. **On the limits of time:** "Time is a finite resource. Energy is different. Defined in physics as the capacity to work, energy comes from four main wellsprings in human beings: the body, emotions, mind, and spirit." — [*Source: \[Harvard Business Review*](https://hbr.org/2007/10/manage-your-energy-not-your-time?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
3. **On the productivity paradox:** "The core problem with working longer hours is that time is a finite resource. Energy is a different story." — [*Source: \[The New York Times*](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/opinion/sunday/relax-youll-be-more-productive.html?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
4. **On continuous output:** "We treat ourselves like computers, expected to run at high speeds, continuously, for long periods of time. But human beings are designed to pulse." — [*Source: \[The Energy Project*](https://theenergyproject.com/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
5. **On multi-dimensional capacity:** "To be fully engaged, we must be physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused and spiritually aligned with a purpose beyond our immediate self-interest." — [*Source: \[The Power of Full Engagement*](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/318854/the-power-of-full-engagement-by-jim-loehr-and-tony-schwartz/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
6. **On capacity building:** "We build emotional, mental and spiritual capacity in precisely the same way that we build physical capacity." — [*Source: \[The Power of Full Engagement*](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/318854/the-power-of-full-engagement-by-jim-loehr-and-tony-schwartz/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
7. **On the illusion of stamina:** "More, bigger, faster. This, the ethos of the market, has become the ethos of our lives." — [*Source: \[The Way We're Working Isn't Working*](https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Way-Were-Working-Isnt-Working/Tony-Schwartz/9781439127663?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
8. **On defining performance:** "Performance, health and happiness are grounded in the skillful management of energy." — [*Source: \[The Power of Full Engagement*](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/318854/the-power-of-full-engagement-by-jim-loehr-and-tony-schwartz/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
9. **On working like sprinters:** "Rather than running like a marathoner, we should work like sprinters—giving it our all for short periods, then recovering." — [*Source: \[The New York Times*](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/opinion/sunday/relax-youll-be-more-productive.html?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
10. **On taking responsibility:** "We must learn to take responsibility for managing our own energy, rather than expecting our organizations or bosses to do it for us." — [*Source: \[Harvard Business Review*](https://hbr.org/2010/06/the-productivity-paradox-how-sony-pictures-gets-more-out-of-people-by-demanding-less?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*

### Part 2: The Physical Dimension: Sleep, Rest, and Renewal

1. **On sleep requirements:** "On average, we need seven to nine hours of sleep every night to function at our best. Without adequate sleep, depending on the work we do, we can be a danger to others or ourselves." — [*Source: \[MindTools*](https://www.mindtools.com/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
2. **On the cost of skipping sleep:** "When you sleep less than you need, you perform at a lower level of cognitive capacity, you are less creative, and you are far more emotionally reactive." — [*Source: \[Harvard Business Review*](https://hbr.org/2011/02/sleep-is-more-important-than-f?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
3. **On physical foundation:** "Physical energy is the foundational source of fuel in life." — [*Source: \[The Power of Full Engagement*](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/318854/the-power-of-full-engagement-by-jim-loehr-and-tony-schwartz/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
4. **On ultradian rhythms:** "Human beings operate in 90-to-120-minute cycles. When we ignore our body's signals for a break, we deplete our energy reserves." — [*Source: \[The New York Times*](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/opinion/sunday/relax-youll-be-more-productive.html?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
5. **On strategic renewal:** "Renewal is not for slackers. It's an essential strategy for high performance." — [*Source: \[The Way We're Working Isn't Working*](https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Way-Were-Working-Isnt-Working/Tony-Schwartz/9781439127663?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
6. **On vacations:** "A true vacation—one where you unplug entirely from work—is one of the most effective ways to restore depleted energy." — [*Source: \[Harvard Business Review*](https://hbr.org/2012/08/the-case-for-vacations?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
7. **On breathing:** "Deep, diaphragmatic breathing is the quickest and most effective way to calm down the physiological symptoms of the fight-or-flight response." — [*Source: \[The Energy Project*](https://theenergyproject.com/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
8. **On exercise as a work tool:** "Regular cardiovascular and strength training function as direct work performance strategies that expand your capacity to tolerate stress." — [*Source: \[The Power of Full Engagement*](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/318854/the-power-of-full-engagement-by-jim-loehr-and-tony-schwartz/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
9. **On eating habits:** "Eating small, highly nutritious meals multiple times a day provides a steady source of glucose, which fuels the brain for cognitive tasks." — [*Source: \[The Way We're Working Isn't Working*](https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Way-Were-Working-Isnt-Working/Tony-Schwartz/9781439127663?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
10. **On the danger of adrenaline:** "Adrenaline provides a quick burst of energy, but relying on it chronically is toxic. It floods the body with cortisol and inevitably leads to burnout." — [*Source: \[Harvard Business Review*](https://hbr.org/2007/10/manage-your-energy-not-your-time?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*

### Part 3: The Mental Dimension: Focus, Distraction, and Deep Work

1. **On continuous partial attention:** "We are constantly shifting our attention from one thing to another. The result is that we do nothing very well." — [*Source: \[The New York Times*](https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/29/opinion/sunday/addicted-to-distraction.html?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
2. **On the myth of multitasking:** "Multitasking is an insidious illusion. You are simply switching rapidly between tasks, and every switch comes with a cognitive cost." — [*Source: \[Harvard Business Review*](https://hbr.org/2010/05/the-magic-of-doing-one-thing-a.html?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
3. **On digital addiction:** "We have built a world that makes it nearly impossible to pay sustained attention. The internet is a brilliant distraction machine." — [*Source: \[The New York Times*](https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/29/opinion/sunday/addicted-to-distraction.html?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
4. **On designated focus blocks:** "Set aside 90 minutes of uninterrupted time for your most important task, and you will accomplish more in that period than most people do in a full day." — [*Source: \[The Way We're Working Isn't Working*](https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Way-Were-Working-Isnt-Working/Tony-Schwartz/9781439127663?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
5. **On mental energy:** "Mental capacity is what allows us to focus our attention, manage our time effectively, and think creatively." — [*Source: \[The Power of Full Engagement*](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/318854/the-power-of-full-engagement-by-jim-loehr-and-tony-schwartz/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
6. **On the loss of deep reading:** "When we consume information in tiny, fragmented chunks, we lose the capacity to digest complex arguments and empathize with deep narratives." — [*Source: \[The New York Times*](https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/29/opinion/sunday/addicted-to-distraction.html?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
7. **On managing email:** "Check your email at designated times rather than reacting to every ping. Reactivity is the enemy of productivity." — [*Source: \[Harvard Business Review*](https://hbr.org/2010/05/the-magic-of-doing-one-thing-a.html?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
8. **On realistic optimism:** "Realistic optimism is seeing the world as it is, but always working positively toward a desired outcome." — [*Source: \[The Power of Full Engagement*](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/318854/the-power-of-full-engagement-by-jim-loehr-and-tony-schwartz/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
9. **On taking control of attention:** "If you don't take control of your attention, someone else will. Your focus is the most valuable commodity you have." — [*Source: \[The Energy Project*](https://theenergyproject.com/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*

### Part 4: The Emotional Dimension: Triggers, Resilience, and Culture

1. **On the impact of underappreciation:** "Feeling underappreciated for the tasks you have accomplished drains your energy to a dangerous degree." — [*Source: \[Goodreads*](https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/83375.Tony%5FSchwartz?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
2. **On negative emotions:** "Negative emotions like anger, frustration, and fear are highly toxic and drain energy rapidly. We perform best when we feel positive." — [*Source: \[Harvard Business Review*](https://hbr.org/2007/10/manage-your-energy-not-your-time?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
3. **On the inner critic:** "The voice in our head is often far more critical and unforgiving than any external boss could ever be." — [*Source: \[The Way We're Working Isn't Working*](https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Way-Were-Working-Isnt-Working/Tony-Schwartz/9781439127663?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
4. **On building emotional capacity:** "Emotional capacity is built through the experience of navigating difficult feelings, not by avoiding them." — [*Source: \[The Power of Full Engagement*](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/318854/the-power-of-full-engagement-by-jim-loehr-and-tony-schwartz/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
5. **On workplace culture:** "The most effective leaders are those who manage their own energy alongside the energy of those they lead." — [*Source: \[Harvard Business Review*](https://hbr.org/2007/10/manage-your-energy-not-your-time?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
6. **On the power of appreciation:** "Expressing appreciation to colleagues does more than make them feel better; it genuinely replenishes their emotional fuel tank." — [*Source: \[The New York Times*](https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/01/opinion/sunday/why-you-hate-work.html?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
7. **On vulnerability:** "Admitting what we don't know and where we need help is a source of immense emotional relief and connection, yet many corporate cultures punish it." — [*Source: \[The Energy Project*](https://theenergyproject.com/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
8. **On managing triggers:** "When you are triggered, buy time. Taking a deep breath and pausing before you respond can mean the difference between a constructive reaction and a destructive one." — [*Source: \[Harvard Business Review*](https://hbr.org/2007/10/manage-your-energy-not-your-time?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
9. **On self-awareness:** "You cannot manage your emotional energy if you are blind to how you are actually feeling in any given moment." — [*Source: \[The Way We're Working Isn't Working*](https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Way-Were-Working-Isnt-Working/Tony-Schwartz/9781439127663?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*

### Part 5: The Spiritual Dimension: Purpose, Meaning, and Core Values

1. **On defining spiritual energy:** "Spiritual energy is simply the energy derived from connection to a deeply held set of values and to a purpose beyond our self-interest." — [*Source: \[The Power of Full Engagement*](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/318854/the-power-of-full-engagement-by-jim-loehr-and-tony-schwartz/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
2. **On the power of purpose:** "Purpose is an unparalleled source of energy. When you care deeply about what you are doing, you have access to reserves you never knew existed." — [*Source: \[Harvard Business Review*](https://hbr.org/2007/10/manage-your-energy-not-your-time?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
3. **On values in action:** "It is not enough to profess your values; you must behave in ways that demonstrate them every single day." — [*Source: \[The Power of Full Engagement*](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/318854/the-power-of-full-engagement-by-jim-loehr-and-tony-schwartz/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
4. **On the crisis of meaning:** "Many people are exhausted not because they are doing too much, but because they are doing too little of what matters to them." — [*Source: \[The Way We're Working Isn't Working*](https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Way-Were-Working-Isnt-Working/Tony-Schwartz/9781439127663?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
5. **On character:** "Character is the courage to stand by your values when doing so costs you something." — [*Source: \[The Power of Full Engagement*](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/318854/the-power-of-full-engagement-by-jim-loehr-and-tony-schwartz/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
6. **On making time for what matters:** "If you don't actively schedule time for your highest priorities, the demands of others will consume your days." — [*Source: \[Harvard Business Review*](https://hbr.org/2010/05/the-magic-of-doing-one-thing-a.html?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
7. **On legacy:** "We spend so much of our lives optimizing for near-term achievements that we often forget to ask what legacy we are building over the long haul." — [*Source: \[The Energy Project*](https://theenergyproject.com/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
8. **On truth-telling:** "Facing the truth about ourselves—our shortcomings, our self-deceptions—is the first, necessary step toward spiritual growth." — [*Source: \[The Power of Full Engagement*](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/318854/the-power-of-full-engagement-by-jim-loehr-and-tony-schwartz/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
9. **On aligning work and life:** "The ultimate goal is not work-life balance, but alignment. Is the life you are living aligned with the values you hold most dear?" — [*Source: \[The Way We're Working Isn't Working*](https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Way-Were-Working-Isnt-Working/Tony-Schwartz/9781439127663?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*

### Part 6: Oscillation: The Rhythm of High Performance

1. **On the definition of oscillation:** "Oscillation is the rhythmic movement between energy expenditure (stress) and energy renewal (recovery)." — [*Source: \[The Power of Full Engagement*](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/318854/the-power-of-full-engagement-by-jim-loehr-and-tony-schwartz/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
2. **On biological needs:** "Nature has a rhythm, and so do our bodies. Attempting to override that rhythm with caffeine and willpower always ends in a crash." — [*Source: \[The New York Times*](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/opinion/sunday/relax-youll-be-more-productive.html?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
3. **On stress as a tool:** "Stress is not the enemy. The enemy is the absence of recovery." — [*Source: \[The Power of Full Engagement*](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/318854/the-power-of-full-engagement-by-jim-loehr-and-tony-schwartz/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
4. **On building muscle:** "Just as a muscle grows by being pushed beyond its limits and then resting, human capacity expands through cycles of intense exertion and profound renewal." — [*Source: \[The Power of Full Engagement*](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/318854/the-power-of-full-engagement-by-jim-loehr-and-tony-schwartz/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
5. **On the danger of linearity:** "Linearity—the expenditure of energy without matching recovery—eventually breaks down the system, whether it is a biological organism or a corporate team." — [*Source: \[The Way We're Working Isn't Working*](https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Way-Were-Working-Isnt-Working/Tony-Schwartz/9781439127663?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
6. **On micro-recoveries:** "You don't need an hour to recover. Even taking two minutes to stand up, stretch, and breathe deeply can shift your nervous system back into balance." — [*Source: \[Harvard Business Review*](https://hbr.org/2007/10/manage-your-energy-not-your-time?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
7. **On recognizing fatigue:** "We have become so accustomed to feeling chronically tired that we no longer recognize it as a deficit. We accept it as the normal state of affairs." — [*Source: \[The New York Times*](https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/01/opinion/sunday/why-you-hate-work.html?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
8. **On corporate pacing:** "Companies that push their employees for constant, linear output are systematically destroying the very talent they depend on." — [*Source: \[The Energy Project*](https://theenergyproject.com/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
9. **On sustainable routines:** "Highly effective people rely on positive rituals—highly specific routines that become automatic over time—to ensure they oscillate effectively." — [*Source: \[The Power of Full Engagement*](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/318854/the-power-of-full-engagement-by-jim-loehr-and-tony-schwartz/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*

### Part 7: Leadership and Workplace Design

1. **On the crisis of engagement:** "On one hand, companies are offering more wellness options than ever. On the other hand, employee burnout has risen to such a level that it is considered a workplace hazard." — [*Source: \[The Energy Project*](https://theenergyproject.com/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
2. **On what employees need:** "Employees are vastly more satisfied and productive when four core needs are met: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual." — [*Source: \[The New York Times*](https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/01/opinion/sunday/why-you-hate-work.html?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
3. **On bad bosses:** "A toxic boss can destroy the energy of an entire department faster than any heavy workload." — [*Source: \[Harvard Business Review*](https://hbr.org/2007/10/manage-your-energy-not-your-time?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
4. **On creating safe environments:** "Leaders must cultivate an environment where taking a break is not viewed as a sign of weakness, but as a commitment to sustainable high performance." — [*Source: \[The Way We're Working Isn't Working*](https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Way-Were-Working-Isnt-Working/Tony-Schwartz/9781439127663?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
5. **On open-plan offices:** "Open-plan offices are catastrophic for focused work. They practically mandate continuous interruption." — [*Source: \[The New York Times*](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/opinion/sunday/relax-youll-be-more-productive.html?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
6. **On meeting culture:** "If you schedule meetings back-to-back without transition time, you are ensuring that people arrive at the next meeting mentally depleted." — [*Source: \[The Energy Project*](https://theenergyproject.com/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
7. **On role modeling:** "If the CEO tells people to unplug on weekends but sends emails on Sunday morning, the culture will follow the emails, not the mandate." — [*Source: \[Harvard Business Review*](https://hbr.org/2010/06/the-productivity-paradox-how-sony-pictures-gets-more-out-of-people-by-demanding-less?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
8. **On trusting employees:** "Give people the autonomy to do their work where and when they want, and evaluate them purely on the value they produce, not the hours they log." — [*Source: \[The New York Times*](https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/01/opinion/sunday/why-you-hate-work.html?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
9. **On the cost of turnover:** "When you treat humans like machines, they eventually break down or leave. The hidden cost of burnout is the massive expense of replacing your best people." — [*Source: \[The Way We're Working Isn't Working*](https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Way-Were-Working-Isnt-Working/Tony-Schwartz/9781439127663?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*

### Part 8: Trump, Truth, and the Writer's Life

1. **On writing "The Art of the Deal":** "I put lipstick on a pig. I feel a deep sense of remorse that I contributed to presenting Trump in a way that brought him wider attention." — [*Source: \[The New Yorker*](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/07/25/donald-trumps-ghostwriter-tells-all?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
2. **On short attention spans:** "It’s impossible to keep him focused on any topic, other than his own self-aggrandizement, for more than a few minutes." — [*Source: \[The New Yorker*](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/07/25/donald-trumps-ghostwriter-tells-all?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
3. **On the concept of "truthful hyperbole":** "It was a way to justify bending reality to his will. I created the term, but he embraced it because it excused his lies." — [*Source: \[The New Yorker*](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/07/25/donald-trumps-ghostwriter-tells-all?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
4. **On transactional relationships:** "In his world, every relationship is transactional. You are either a winner or a loser, and there is no room for empathy." — [*Source: \[The New York Times*](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/11/opinion/trump-movie-apprentice.html?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
5. **On creating a myth:** "I was essentially manufacturing a persona. I took his scattered, relentless drive for deals and shaped it into a coherent, appealing narrative." — [*Source: \[The New Yorker*](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/07/25/donald-trumps-ghostwriter-tells-all?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
6. **On the motivation to speak out:** "I couldn't stay silent knowing that the fiction I helped create was being used to manipulate the public into viewing him as a competent leader." — [*Source: \[The New York Times*](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/11/opinion/trump-movie-apprentice.html?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
7. **On observing power:** "When you sit next to someone with that level of power and wealth for months, you realize very quickly that material success does not equate to emotional maturity." — [*Source: \[The New Yorker*](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/07/25/donald-trumps-ghostwriter-tells-all?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
8. **On ghostwriting:** "The job of a ghostwriter is to inhabit the subject's voice, which means you have to temporarily suspend your own judgment. The danger is when you forget to turn it back on." — [*Source: \[The New Yorker*](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/07/25/donald-trumps-ghostwriter-tells-all?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
9. **On personal regret:** "If I were writing 'The Art of the Deal' today, it would be a very different book. I would call it 'The Sociopath.'" — [*Source: \[The New Yorker*](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/07/25/donald-trumps-ghostwriter-tells-all?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*
10. **On the enduring lesson:** "My experience with him ultimately drove my later work on the importance of self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and living with purpose. He was the antithesis of everything I came to value." — [*Source: \[The New York Times*](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/11/opinion/trump-movie-apprentice.html?ref=antoinebuteau.com)*\]*