Review these quarterly. Edit them as you evolve. Principles that no longer serve you should be retired with gratitude.

How I Lead

1. Clarity is kindness

I communicate with directness and specificity. Vague expectations create anxiety. Clear expectations create safety. I say what I mean and mean what I say.

2. Energy before tactics

My state determines my effectiveness. When my energy is wrong, my decisions are wrong. I protect my physical, mental, and emotional reserves before optimizing anything else.

3. Fewer things, done completely

I resist the temptation to start many things. I commit to finishing what I start or explicitly choosing to stop. Half-done work creates drag.

4. Speed over perfection, except when it isn't

Most decisions are reversible. I move fast on those. Some decisions are permanent. I slow down for those. I know the difference.

5. People first, then problems

I invest in relationships before I need them. I assume good intent until proven otherwise. I address issues directly rather than letting resentment compound.


How I Decide

6. Regret minimization

When uncertain, I ask: "At 80 years old, will I regret not doing this?" I optimize for a life without major regrets, not a life without any failures.

7. Leverage vs. effort

Not all work creates equal value. I distinguish between:

  • High leverage: Small inputs that create large, lasting outputs
  • Low leverage: Large inputs that create small, temporary outputs

I ruthlessly protect my time for high-leverage work.

8. The 10/10/10 rule

For hard decisions, I consider: How will I feel about this in 10 minutes? 10 months? 10 years? This surfaces what actually matters.

9. Reversibility check

If a decision is easily reversible, I decide quickly and iterate. If it's hard to reverse (people, reputation, capital), I take more time. I don't treat all decisions the same.

10. Skin in the game

I don't ask others to do what I wouldn't do. I take responsibility for outcomes, not just intentions. I share in the downside of my decisions.


How I Live

11. Health is the foundation

Without physical and mental health, nothing else works. Sleep, movement, nutrition, and recovery are not optional — they are infrastructure.

12. Relationships compound

The people in my life are my greatest asset and my deepest responsibility. I invest time in relationships that matter. I let go of relationships that drain.

13. Time is the only scarce resource

I can make more money. I cannot make more time. I treat my calendar as a reflection of my values. If it's not on the calendar, it's not real.

14. Enough is a decision

I define "enough" in advance — enough money, enough success, enough recognition. Without a definition of enough, I will never feel it.

15. Growth requires discomfort

Comfort is the enemy of growth. I regularly place myself in positions where I might fail, look foolish, or feel uncertain. That's where the learning is.


My Non-Negotiables

These are the commitments you do not compromise, regardless of circumstance:


My Personal Board of Directors

These are the people whose judgment you trust to challenge your thinking. When facing a major decision, consult at least one.

Name Role in My Life What They Challenge Me On

Principles I'm Currently Testing

Not all principles are permanent. These are ideas you're experimenting with:

Experimental Principle 1:

Started:

Hypothesis:

Status:

  • Keeping
  • Discarding
  • Still testing

Last reviewed: