Rhythm beats luck

Some call it winging it. Others say they’ll figure it out on the fly. But what happens when spontaneity meets productivity? Playing by ear works beautifully for jazz musicians who’ve practiced scales for decades. For the rest of us trying to create value,...

Guard the gold

You wake up fresh. Brain clear. Possibilities abundant. Then you check email. By 10am, you’ve responded to seventeen messages, attended a pointless status meeting, and handled three “quick questions” that weren’t quick at all. Congratulations....

Daily deposits

“How do you write every day?” People ask this about the daily musing we’ve sent for years. The answer isn’t willpower or extraordinary discipline. It’s small, consistent deposits. I don’t write one email each morning. I write one or...

Chaos tax

We crave order but create chaos. Then wonder why our days feel scattered. Chaos isn’t free. It compounds with interest, demanding payment in lost focus, missed opportunities, and depleted energy. The solution isn’t external. It starts with honest...

Daily walks

The CEO knew better. During our two-day strategy session at a remote hillside retreat, deep in planning and decision-making, he insisted on something seemingly simple: walks. Before dawn’s first light, during breaks, and as evening shadows stretched across the...