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Otium & Negotium: The Ancient Roman Art of Peak Performance

Luxurious garden outside a classical building with columns, featuring neatly trimmed hedges, palm trees, and a central pool. A dark statue sits on a rock near the pool, with mountains and blue sky in the background.

On the heels of a 5-week vacation in Italy, my dad dropped in for a surprise visit. We took him to the Getty Villa in Malibu, inspired by the country home of Julius Ceasar’s father-in-law, which was excavated from the rubble of Mount Vesuvius. We took the garden tour and discovered the Roman concepts of “otium” (leisure … Read more

Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day: How to Build a Business Empire that Stands the Test of Time

Partial view of the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, showcasing its ancient stone arches and weathered exterior. The sky is overcast, highlighting the iconic architecture against the muted background.

It’s so easy to get swept up in the “boom town” mentality of “get it while you can” — chasing the trends and basing an entire business on what’s hot — NOW, rather than taking a step back and asking, how long is this going to last? Do I want to have to rebuild in a year or two once I’ve ridden this gravy train as far as it will go? Is this the kind of business I really want?

The True Definition of Creativity: 6 Simple Steps to Be Creative On Demand

Person wearing jeans and patterned sneakers jumping over a puddle on a concrete path, causing splashes of water. Urban background with blurred buildings.

I was teaching my students how to schedule daily block time for the big creative work of their business when Kristin asked, “But what if your muse comes out at 3 in the morning.” I answered, “Sounds like you have to train your muses.” And that got me thinking about creativity… and the creative process. … Read more

How to Sell Without Selling: What a Cuban Pedicab Driver Taught Me About Sales

A man wearing a sleeveless shirt rides a rickshaw through a dimly lit street. The background features buildings and a car with headlights turned on, indicating evening time.

Murray and I walked out of our hotel in the Cuban coastal town of Cienfuegos and two pedicab drivers immediately flocked on us, asking us where we were from and following closely us as we walked down the street. They wouldn’t take “No” for an answer, and our mood quickly soured. We continued to walk … Read more

Unicorns Exist: How I Got to Inbox Zero and Reclaimed My Life

A flat lay photo featuring a vintage blue typewriter on a wooden surface, surrounded by a closed green book, an open blank notebook, reading glasses, a pinecone, a pencil, and a box labeled CASLON 223/55:5.

My mentor Brendon Burchard once said: “Email is nothing but an efficient organizing system for other people’s priorities.” Whenever I opened my email, I would remember his words, and weep inside a little. I had messages coming at me from all directions, from clients, partners, prospects, randoms, lists, subscriptions, accounts, notifications… you name it. My “email situation” as Murray was calling it had truly reached a breaking point. So here’s what I did about it…

The Cuba Paradox: Lessons on Innovation from the Tiniest Country that Could

Cruising up the Malecon in Havana, Cuba

Visiting Cuba is like entering a living time capsule from the 1950s… Classic cars crisscrossing the streets. Gorgeous architecture crumbling into decay. An economy struggling to come out of the cold war shadows. Murray and I had the distinct impression that Havana would have become the Paris of Latin America if the embargo hadn’t pushed the pause … Read more

How to Cure the “All or Nothing” Syndrome

Person lying in bed with bare feet sticking out from under a white blanket, in a softly lit room.

I’ve seen hundreds of my best-intentioned students fall prey to what I call the “all or nothing syndrome”. They say to themselves: “I’ll build my business when I have time…” “I’ll focus on my business when I finish _________…” “I’ll work on my business when I’m feeling 100%…” I totally get it. This really matters … Read more