At the start of 2025, I dubbed this “The Year of Profitability,” and now that it’s come to a close, I can say we successfully fulfilled that intention. We ended the year with 2.15M in gross revenue, and $650,000 in net profit, for a 30% gross margin. That’s our second-best year ever as a business!…
In the summer of 2005, when I was 20 years old, I sat down and wrote one of my first personal goals: “Hold a position in the Associated Student Government of Saddleback College at start of Fall semester (August 22, 2005).” I had just dropped out of college on the East Coast after burning through…
My wife Lauren and I met at a co-working space in San Francisco in our mid-twenties. I was working an entry-level position at a creative consulting agency, at the bottom of the pyramid. Lauren was making $15/hour at an arts nonprofit, living rent-free with her aunt. We both saw no pathway to climb in our…
When I began writing my next book more than a year ago, on the topic of “annual life reviews,” I assumed that the practice was a fairly recent invention. Maybe it came from the self-help movement of the 1970s. Or from corporate performance reviews. At most, I figured it might trace back to Ben Franklin…
You discover something fascinating—maybe it’s vibe coding, sustainable investing, or sourdough baking. Your excitement builds as you imagine mastering this new skill. But then reality hits: Where do you even start? The internet offers endless tutorials, courses, and “ultimate guides.” Your bookmarks folder grows heavy with resources you’ll “definitely check out later.” Weeks pass, and…
I spent 2 years serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Eastern Ukraine from 2009 to 2011. I lived in the town of Kupyansk, a couple hours outside Kharkiv, near the Russian border. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life, teaching me so much about myself and life and the people and…
I’ve suspected for years that the traditional concept of “goal-setting” was on its last legs. Every time I bring up “SMART goals,” I can see the light go out in my students’ eyes. An unmistakable feeling of dread and aversion fills the room, and the decline in energy and enthusiasm is palpable. They know they…
As I write these words, I am crossing the Drake Passage, one of the most remote places on Earth. We are crossing from Ushuaia at the southern tip of South America to the spit of land known as the Antarctic Peninsula. It is a barren, featureless expanse that isn’t part of any continent or ocean….
I’m thrilled to share a special guest post by my wife, Lauren Valdez. Lauren approaches productivity in a way that’s refreshingly different from my digital-first philosophy. She’s deeply rooted in the tactile and intentional, favoring physical tools like journals over digital systems. Journaling has been her cornerstone for reflection, decision-making, and creativity. I’m excited for…
At the end of each year, I sit down to reflect on my milestones and memories—big and small—that shaped the past 12 months. It’s become one of my favorite rituals to celebrate progress and set the stage for what’s next. Thankfully, technology can do a lot of the heavy lifting, making this process easier and…
It has been only by writing this series of essays that I’ve come to realize that I have a set of principles I follow for my personal development. They might not be right for everyone, but they’ve certainly served me well.
How do you reconnect with the wisdom of your body after years of ignoring it? In Part III, I dive into the physical sensations and suppressed emotions that shaped my journey back to wholeness. From the persistent pain that first pushed me inward to the transformative experiences of ayahuasca and somatic therapy, I explore how