Meetings are indispensable when you don't want to do anything.

Host: The late afternoon light filtered through the windows, casting a warm, golden hue over the conference room. The table was cluttered with half-empty coffee cups, stacks of papers, and a lone laptop glowing softly in the corner. The buzz of a fluorescent light above added to the quiet hum of the room. Jack sat at the end of the table, his arms crossed and his eyes fixed on the ceiling as though trying to will himself into motivation. Jeeny, sitting across from him, absently tapped her pen against the table, a faint smile playing on her lips as she watched him.

Jeeny: (raising an eyebrow) “You seem a little… distracted, Jack. What’s going on?”

Jack: (sighing, leaning back in his chair) “I’ve had enough of meetings. You know, the kind where nothing ever really gets done? The kind that just drag on and on until you realize no one actually wants to do anything, but everyone’s pretending like they do?”

Host: Jeeny chuckles softly, her gaze turning towards the whiteboard in the corner, filled with scribbled notes that no one had referred to in the last thirty minutes. The faint murmur of voices from down the hall barely filtered through the walls.

Jeeny: “I get what you mean. It’s like we’re all here, filling the space with words, but none of us really want to move forward. Just spinning our wheels. Almost like we’re trying to avoid doing the actual work.”

Jack: (with a wry smile) “Exactly. That’s the thing about meetings. They’re indispensable when you don’t actually want to do anything. It’s like we’ve created a system where the meeting itself becomes the activity. You can check a box, pretend like you’ve accomplished something, but all you’ve really done is waste time.”

Host: Jeeny looks at him, her eyes narrowing slightly, sensing a deeper frustration beneath his words. The room feels like a tomb of unresolved tasks and neglected objectives, the weight of unmet deadlines hanging heavily in the air.

Jeeny: “But is it really the meetings, Jack? Or is it that we’re not willing to face what’s actually required? Maybe we’re hiding behind the meetings because it’s easier to stay busy without doing anything real.”

Jack: “Maybe. But there’s a strange comfort in it. Meetings are like safe zones. You can sit there, talk about all the things you’re supposed to be doing, and feel like you’re being productive, but really, it’s all just words. At the end of the day, nothing gets done, and no one’s accountable for anything.”

Host: Jeeny leans forward, her fingers resting lightly on the table. The clutter around them seems to mirror the chaos of their conversation — full of ideas and promises that are never fully realized.

Jeeny: “But isn’t that just the illusion of productivity? We make ourselves believe that by gathering, by talking, we’re getting closer to something. But the truth is, it’s a way to avoid the hard work. The kind of work that requires commitment and action, not just talk.”

Jack: “And that’s the trap, isn’t it? We get stuck in the idea that the meeting is the task. We get comfortable in the circle of discussions, and we never actually step out of it to do what needs to be done. It’s like a form of procrastination wrapped in the disguise of professionalism.”

Host: The room grows quieter, the tension between them palpable. The clock on the wall ticks steadily, as if reminding them that time is being lost. Outside, the faint sound of the city moves on, indifferent to their struggle to break free from the cycle.

Jeeny: “So, what do we do about it? Do we keep showing up to these meetings, pretending we’re making progress, or do we break out of the loop and face the discomfort of action?”

Jack: (leaning forward, his tone thoughtful) “Maybe it’s about recognizing the difference. There’s a place for meetings, sure. But they shouldn’t be a substitute for doing. The trick is to stop hiding behind the agenda and start looking at the real work that needs to get done. No more pretending. No more waiting for someone else to move the ball forward. Just… act.”

Host: The conversation lingers, and for a moment, the room seems to hold its breath. The weight of the words rests on them both, a shared understanding forming in the space between their spoken thoughts.

Jeeny: “So, you’re saying we need to break the cycle? Get rid of the meetings that don’t serve a real purpose, and focus on the work that matters?”

Jack: (nodding slowly) “Exactly. Meetings can be helpful, but they should never be the end goal. The goal is always the work. The action. If we’re not moving forward, if we’re just circling the same conversations, then it’s time to stop talking and start doing.”

Host: The room, once filled with the dull buzz of distractions and unspoken frustrations, now feels still, as if the air itself is waiting for something to shift. The clock continues its steady march forward, marking the time that they will no longer waste.

For a brief moment, both Jack and Jeeny sit in the quiet, acknowledging that sometimes the hardest part isn’t the work itself, but the decision to stop talking and finally begin.