Mike Sturm

Quick-start Guide

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What if a 3 x 5″ index card was all you needed to become more productive?

It just might be. Follow these steps and you’ll be on your way.

Grab a 3″ x 5″ lined index card and something to write with.
Flip the card to the unlined back and position it vertically. Set a timer for three minutes and write down every task you think you might need to do today.
Flip to the lined side. Put today’s day and date at the top.
Using your task list from the back, write your most important tasks in order of importance. Pick no more than nine — one for each line. The first item is #1, and so on.
In the “P” column, place the point value for each item: item #1 gets a point value equal to the total number of tasks, item #2 gets one less, and so on down to the final item, which is worth 1 point.
Add up all the possible points in the “P” column. That’s your possible points for the day.
As you complete items, cross them off and award yourself the point value in the “A” column.
At the end of the day, add up your earned points and put that at the bottom of the “A” column. Divide it by your total points possible and put that in the box at the bottom of the card.

Aim for a score of .750 or greater. If you achieve that, keep it up. If you score lower, think about fewer items per free hour tomorrow. Repeat each day.

In-depth Guide

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

The Today System is a productivity system designed around the simplest of tools: a 3 x 5 index card. It starts as a simple task list, but becomes a whole lot more.

It’s designed to focus only on what you can do today to move you toward where you want to be, and it builds out from there. It does four simple but important things:

Sustains your focus on the important things to do today
Acts as a physical source of motivation throughout the day
Establishes a productivity measurement based on what’s important to you
Helps you prioritize each day and represent those priorities tangibly

There are four levels, and you can stay at any one of them as long as you like.

FAQ

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Why an index card? Why not a to-do list in a notebook or an app?

Three reasons.

It’s your best shot at avoiding distraction. Social media gets a bad rap as a source of distraction, but our own productivity systems can be just as distracting. Planners, outlines, apps, and lists of projects can all pull you away from what you should be doing now. The card is meant to be separate from all that. It is its own thing. It is today.

Scoring Sheet

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Once you’ve moved up to Level 3, you’re ready to use the scoresheet. It has tabs for your daily score and notes, a running average, weekly reflection, goals and projects, and a digital version of your daily card.

There are two options.

Google Sheets template

Great for online use. It has all the tabs and functionality except the ability to create a new digital Today Card each day — you’ll copy and paste a new one manually. Not a big deal, but not as neat as the Excel version.

Testimonials

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Everyone thinks their system is great. So don’t take my word for it.

I’ve been using the Today Card for a few months now. I absolutely love it. Helps keep me focused on my most important tasks. I’m in Los Angeles and juggle work, kids preparing to leave the nest, and active community support. He’s so chill about productivity. Exactly what I aspire to.

— Jacki

With the Today Card I no longer keep the running task list open or accessible. Because I don’t need to reference the master task list during my day I am no longer tempted or distracted by different tasks when assessing what to do next. The daily scoring also gives structure to make each day count. It has been insightful to see where my expectations and reality varied.

Trying to Be a Magician vs. Doing the Magic

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

On the noble and ignoble intentions for publishing one’s writing, and the world of difference between the two

Photo by Marek Piwnicki on Unsplash

After writing and publishing online for the better part of a decade, I haven’t done so for about a year. And I feel okay about that. I never promised anything with my writing. There was never any obligation.

But for the longest time, I felt that I had to write and publish regularly. Over the course of the last year, I’ve realized just how destructive and selfish that feeling was.

The Optimist OS

Wed, 10 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Not long ago, I was taking a trip with my wife and kids, when I saw an interesting sticker on the outside of the hotel where we were staying.

![](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:488/format:webp/0*aIp77iqQVZF7UrOm.jpeg)

Logo of The Optimist Club, International

It was the logo of an organization called Optimist International, but nothing else.

I was intrigued.

When I looked up the organization, I found the following list of principles, which they call The Optimist Creed, which you can view in full below:

More Luxurious Chains: A Study of Contemporary Freedom

Sat, 20 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The book 1984 is famous (infamous?) for many things, but chief among them is reinforcing a particular vision of freedom. You could call it optimistic, but it is rooted in an almost pessimistic way of viewing people in societies.

That vision of freedom? It’s the vision that—no matter how many restrictions are placed on a person from the outside, we are always free to think and feel anything. If you manage to give that up, you’re no longer free.

Feelings First: A Modern Management Manifesto

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 00:00:00 +0000

You’ve probably heard that old saying:

People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Whether it’s attributed to Maya Angelou or a leader in the Mormon church isn’t all that important. What is important is that any time spent working with others—whether in a personal or business setting—will quickly validate it.

(Ir)rationality and Relationships

Feelings are important. Furthermore, feelings are efficacious—meaning they make things happen. We may think we act based on logic—reasons, evidence, and all that. But it’s been well documented in the psychological research that we tend to make a lot of decisions based on how we feel—only to rationalize them after the fact. And many times we do so quickly and unconsciously.

The 2 Cardinal Sins of Active Listening and How to Overcome Them

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Learn to reap the benefits of being known as a good listener

Image credit: Jopwell

Being a good listener is important. There seems to be nearly unanimous agreement on that. And yet, many of us continue to fail at becoming good listeners. Why is that?

I have found that there are 2 primary barriers when it comes to better listening:

sins of omission — you simply miss stuff because you weren’t paying attention, or not fully invested in the conversation.
sins of misinterpretation — you may have heard everything, but you interpreted it incorrectly.

Both of these sins are the result of poor motives — just different kinds of poor motives.

The Tragedy of the Forward-Progress Bias

Sun, 05 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Especially when we’re wrapped up in the pursuit of a goal, we tend to see anything that’s not clearly forward progress as a setback. In other words: We think If we’re not gaining ground, we’re losing it.

As a result, we can end up making risky moves in an attempt to try to move things forward. But we may end up only wasting our energy, and not even gaining ground—or even worse—losing it.

The 2,000 Year Old Temple Inscriptions That Sum Up How Self-Improvement Works

Sun, 27 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

It turns out that the ancient Greeks knew some secrets that we’re still struggling to learn

Credit: Spencer Davis

During the height of Ancient Greece’s influence, one could go to Delphi and visit the renowned Temple of Apollo. It was one of a series of temples built around 550 BCE. Unfortunately, it was destroyed under the influence of Roman emperor Theodosius I around 390 CE.

In one of the pillars in the forecourt of that temple were carved, 3 maxims — said to have been the best advice of the revered 7 sages of ancient Greece. They were:

What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?

Sun, 27 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +0000

How we unintentionally limit ourselves and the next generation — and the paradigm shift that can fix that

Photo by Ümit Yıldırım on Unsplash

One of our favorite things to ask children is what they want to be when they grow up. In most cases we ask the question with the best of intent. We want to encourage children to dream, and I think we also kind of want to live vicariously through them as they sprinkle us with their unadulterated dreams.

My System Won’t Work For You

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000

There’s this monologue I love from the show Breaking Bad. It’s about half-measures. You can read the whole thing here (warning: it’s a bit profane and grizzly).

The gist of the speech is that the speaker, Mike, used to a cop. He and his partner would regularly be called to the same couple’s house for domestic disturbances. The really large, abusive husband would regularly knock around the thin, fragile, scared wife. But each time Mike and his partner arrived, she would refuse to press charges against her husband.

When Less Really is More

Sun, 23 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000

How we simultaneously underestimate and overestimate ourselves, and how to avoid both

Is there any more overused cliché than “less is more”?

I guess that’s kind of ironic, given the spirit of the saying. But I digress.

There’s an application for the aphorism that I don’t think gets enough attention. It has to do with achieving goals and managing tasks. When it comes to estimating the goals you can achieve in a given time, we tend to underestimate ourselves. But we shouldn’t.

A Practical Guide to Recognizing B.S.

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000

An exercise in critical thinking, to help you wade through the sea of communication

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter. ’tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.

- Mark Twain

We humans have a special tool called language. And we do all kinds of cool things with it. We use it to make art — in the form of poetry and prose. We use it to express ourselves. But perhaps most importantly, we use it to inform and influence each other. That represents the most effective use for the tool of language, but it’s also the most dangerous.

The Use and Abuse of Humor

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000

I don’t tend to get excited about Hollywood folklore. But there’s one particular story I really love because it contains an unexpected pearl of wisdom, wrapped in a paradoxical sentence. It sounds contradictory, and like it can’t possibly be true. And yet it reveals something about human nature that’s worth thinking about.

An LSD Trip into Wisdom

The story in question comes by way of the 1960s/70s countercultural madman Paul Krassner, part of which appeared in an article he wrote for High Times magazine called “My Acid Trip With Groucho”. The tale he tells (which you can read in full here) is every bit as crazy as the title sounds.

Knowing When to Think vs. When to Act

Sat, 11 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Building a habit of structured reflection and planning to maximize your effectiveness

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1200/0*gf-JgL-R8bogYy0a)> *“Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in.”* > > – Andrew Jackson

There is an important line that separates when to think and when to act. But it’s not easy to see-especially in the practice of daily life. On one hand, you don’t want to spring too quickly into action. Acting too quickly, without thinking things through, can end up causing all kinds of issues. You can end up doing the wrong thing, or doing way more than you actually need to.

The More You Think You Don’t Have Time to Plan, the More You Need to Do it

Sat, 20 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0000

When it feels like all you have time for is putting out fires, that’s when it’s most important to step back and reflect

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*m6FLppF9viQC7qxP)

image c/o Pixabay

There’s an old Zen parable that highlights the importance of spending your time wisely.

A man goes to a Zen master and says “I need help. I’m stressed, I’m overwhelmed, my mind races all the time, and it all feels like it’s all too much. What can I do?”

Which of These Two Approaches to Procrastination Works for You?

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0000

There is more than one way to eat a frog.

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*CsJy0G_mLTwICmG_)

Photo by [Rodion Kutsaev](https://unsplash.com/@frostroomhead?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral)

We’ve all dealt with procrastination. It’s that thief of time and energy that saps our productivity and can leave us feeling utterly powerless and pessimistic.

And it’s likely that we’ve all gotten a piece of advice about how to deal with procrastination. Friends, family, partners, and colleagues have probably offered you any number of suggestions. Perhaps you should read this interesting article in the Harvard Business Review. Perhaps you need more sleep. Perhaps you need to count down from 5, then just do it!

Your Commitments Are Your Life; Guard Them Zealously

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0000

On the concept of the emotional bank account and the importance and the tactics of keeping your word

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*9hH1OSFG1OOT6-nm)

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The single most important thing each of us has in our lives is our relationships. This is true at home, in our communities, and in our work — whatever that work may be.

And though you may not think of it often, your relationship with yourself is just as important as your relationships with others — if not more so. And the very foundation of any of those relationships is trust.

What If an Index Card Could Make You More Productive?

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0000

I tried all the popular productivity systems. This is what finally stuck.

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/1*vtm5eEvE8o5dA0Cm9QRfog.jpeg)

Photo: Netalieh/Getty Images

For the better part of a decade, I’d get frustrated at myself for not being able to make popular productivity systems to work for me. GTD, the Bullet Journal Method, Day Designer, The Franklin Covey planner, the Ivy Lee Method, time-blocking — I tried them all. Even if I kept up with a system for a couple months or so, I would inevitably lose motivation.

Then one day in November 2020, neck-deep in pandemic-induced
frustration, I took out a 3×5 card and wrote down the most important
things I needed to get done that day. Next to each task, I put a point value. At the end of the day, I tallied my score. I vowed to get the same score or
better the next day.

The Danger of the Fundamental Attribution Error and How to Avoid It

Sun, 17 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The often-overlooked cognitive bias that hurts both personal and professional relationships creeps in everywhere, and learning how to avoid it is crucial to your development

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*jZA8-zARxVFxsCay)

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Cognitive biases are all the rage these days. Writers all over the internet are abuzz with explanations of these flawed ways of reasoning that trip up our ability to be smart about various things. And for good reason — overcoming cognitive biases is key to getting smarter, making better decisions, and advancing in your chosen field.

But there’s one cognitive bias in particular that’s not only intellectually problematic, it’s also morally problematic — as well as completely harmful to our own self-interest. It’s a veritable triple-threat in the world of cognitive biases.

How to Choose the Right Productivity System For You

Sun, 10 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0000

BuJo? GTD? Ivy Lee? No single system is right for everyone, so make sure you’re asking the right questions to find which one is right for you.

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1200/0*DEK4RIXldpr35XAr)

Photo by[ Jan Kahánek on Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/@honza_kahanek)

If you’re reading this, it’s highly likely that you want to be more productive. And that’s a good thing. No matter what it is you’re trying to accomplish in this life, being more effective at it is worth working on. In many cases, the way to do that is by adopting a personal productivity system. But let’s look at why a personal productivity system is helpful in the first place. And while we’re at it, how should you go about choosing one from among those that are out there?

I believe there is one over-arching rule when looking at productivity systems: There’s no reason to adopt a personal productivity system unless you understand and agree with its foundational ideas.

What My Spectacular Failures Taught Me About Jobs, Passions, and Finding My “Life’s Work”

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0000

How NOT to be naïve about your passion and find something you love doing.

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*LGCboh7_u2uT07Lm)

Photo by [Clark Tibbs](https://unsplash.com/@clarktibbs?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral)

My father worked for almost 40 years — for 12–16 hours per day, at a job that he hated. He worked all sorts of crazy hours, was shuffled from location to location, and by his account — hated every minute of it.

Also by his account, he was in this situation for 2 reasons:

The Best Answer to Give to (Almost) Any Question

Fri, 24 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Use it in your work life, personal life, and everywhere in between

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*QBmDzHOPxLgaGXfl)

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Early on in my sales training, I had to sit down with engineers and learn about the technical side of what the company sells. The company I work for places a lot of emphasis on its technical aptitude and sells based on industry-leading technical services. So when I began talking with the senior engineers, I expected some definitive and informative answers to most of my questions.

Instead, I kept getting the same answer to quite a bit of them. In fact, I got the answer so often that it became a kind of inside joke among those of us training with the engineers. The answer I kept getting was: “it depends.”

I Built My Own Personal Productivity System Around a 3 x 5″ Index Card

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +0000

I was a GTD fanatic for over 10 years, but when I realized it wasn’t giving me what I needed, I had to build my own system

![Index cards.](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*PodzRdLuQyTRWRyO)

Photo by [Kate Trysh](https://unsplash.com/@katetrysh?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral)

For the first 10 years or so of my working life, I was a *huge* [GTD](https://gettingthingsdone.com/) adherent. At times, I was more than an adherent, I was a *fanatic*. It seemed like the perfect system to me. I loved ubiquitous capture (and still do, as a matter of fact). Understanding the world in terms of *projects* and *next actions* seemed intuitively right to me. And to an extent, it still does. The concept of the weekly review appealed (and still appeals) to that part of me that knows how good it feels to really think deeply about the stuff of your life and plan to *take* *care* of it.

But for all that love I felt (and still feel) for GTD, I’ve had to come to grips over the past few years or with something that I just wasn’t able to get from it. There was a piece missing — 4 missing pieces, actually — that in my years of using the system and systems like it, I just couldn’t find in it.

The Anatomy of Goals, the Sneaky Ego, and Higher Powers

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +0000

A reminder that it’s not about you, and thinking otherwise is the primary reason why things go off the rails

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*d-eEhAn3xJPTZo5A)

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Goals are interesting. A goal is basically just a strong desire that things be different than they are now. That’s not too interesting. What is interesting is the reason *why* a particular goal is adopted by someone. That is, you want certain things to be different than they are now — but *why*?

In my own professional journey, I failed to ask that question on many occasions when it would have saved me some grief. Had I actually bothered to ask myself why I adopted certain goals, the answer I would have had concerning many of them would have been the same disappointing one: my ego. I wanted to achieve these goals to feel better about myself.

The Facts Don’t Speak for Themselves

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +0000

On Feelings, Facts, and the Minefield of Human Motivation

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*GHZFmmPcbBKdm9Q_)

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A few months ago, I was on the phone with the sourcing manager of a prospective customer. I had submitted a quote to her a week ago, and I was following up to see what the next steps were. As I suspected, the next step was: lower your prices.

I asked the sourcing manager that I was working with: what number do you need us to get to and why? Her answer was that she needed to see a 7% reduction in our pricing. She needed that because she and her leadership are facts-based people. Her (paraphrased) explanation was: “Just show me the facts. Show me the numbers. Facts tell the stories. It doesn’t matter how people feel about things. The facts speak for themselves.”

Love Doesn’t Work That Way…

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Finding both the work I love and the person I love took me on a journey that taught me to rethink everything I thought I knew about how love works

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*HVgC0L5K8YBW0BKt)

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From the time I was an adolescent, and I first became aware that I was responsible for making a life for myself, I knew that a good life involved *love*. I had to find work I *love*, a person I *love*, a place to live that I *love* — and so on. A good life meant finding love — in its various incarnations. And so when it came time for me to leave home and build a life of my own, I went looking for love.

Unfortunately, I ended up finding out that I — like so many of us — had gotten love all wrong. I misunderstood the mission — as it were — when it comes to love. I thought that what I was supposed to do was find love, in the way that you find a good deal at an antique shop.

To Make or to Be Made

Sat, 28 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The thin line of choice we face every day between us and the world

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*vpT2itZPdztsZaV_)

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> “Life is really simple, but men insist on making it complicated.”

The quote above is from Confucius. I think about it from time to time — whenever my list of things to do seems to have swelled to larger than I can manage.

I also think about it when I catch myself doom-scrolling on Twitter, or falling down Wikipedia rabbit holes, or standing in front of the open pantry, mindlessly eating most of a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos. I think about it as I sense things becoming too complicated for me.

The One Virtue Ben Franklin Prized Above Them All

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0000

No matter your environment, practicing humility in speech is a great step toward being a better person

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*vJILdyn5pUqA8oJX)

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In Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography, he lays out 12 virtues that would serve as his guideposts for becoming a better person.

Temperance
Silence
Order
Resolution
Frugality
Industry
Sincerity
Justice
Moderation
Cleanliness
Tranquility
Chastity

But Franklin notes that not long after adopting this list, a friend of his politely told him that he seemed much to proud. Specifically, he tended to speak to others in a way that made constructive discussions difficult.

Known Knowns, Unknown Unknowns, and Everything in Between

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Some thoughts about a famous 20 year-old quote and what it means for how to learn and strategize

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*d1zFDTvWjRTE2a3_)

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In 2002, U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was conducting a briefing about the possible link between Iraq and weapons of mass destruction. At one point, a member of the press asked about a report that something hadn’t happened. Rumsfeld took the opportunity to turn the event into a masterclass of obscure epistemology (the study of knowledge):

Reports that say that something hasn’t happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns — the ones we don’t know we don’t know. And if one looks throughout the history of our country and other free countries, it is the latter category that tend to be the difficult ones.

What I Do When Meditation and Mindfulness Practice is Too Much

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0000

![](https://miro.medium.com/max/875/0*-jHWpai4eyeLsN38)

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The internet is saturated with content about mindfulness. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more widely discussed phenomenon in a wider array of different spaces — from business to technology to mom-blogs to the world of sports. The buzz about mindfulness continues to be loud. There are apps, journals, classes, books, podcasts, and so on. Each with its own method and practice to advocate for.

I’m guilty of having jumped on many of these bandwagons myself. I’ve tried, and still have on my iPhone, many different mindfulness and meditation apps. Despite having gotten into Buddhism and meditation long before the iPhone was even released, I still felt the pull of the new and fresh technological takes on this ancient idea.

The $100,000 Salt Shaker and Other Worthwhile Investments

Tue, 27 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +0000

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1200/0*J0w4U9DdZy2bYU61.jpg)I recently finished the book [*The Last Lecture*](https://www.amazon.com/Last-Lecture-Randy-Pausch/dp/1401323251) by Randy Pausch. It’s a great, concise book that does triple duty as an autobiography, confessional of a dying man, and collection of frank and quirky advice.

One of my favorite stories from the book is so short, it’s easy to overlook. But it gives flesh and bone to the vague skeleton of a principle I’ve come to hold to tightly since I first entered the world of business. I’ll let Pausch’s story do its own heavy lifting.

The Merits of Never Fully Growing Up

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +0000

On approaching 40, my pretend rocket ship, and my 7 year-old self-improvement coach

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*xZT_ENGhUQ8LPgkW)

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Watching my kids grow up has been an experience truly unlike any other. And I’m not referring to how fast time flies, and how quickly they grow, and all those old clichés. That all happens, yes, but what’s *really* gotten me is how much of *their* growing up is bringing back my own memories of growing up.

And beyond that, I’m being reminded of all sorts of differences between child me and grown-up me. They’re sneaky differences — differences that seemed to have established themselves some time between when I was 8 and 38. I can’t pinpoint exactly when they happened, or how they happened. But somehow, I’m on the other side of some allegorical river. I’m a grown-up — somehow.

What Can You Do Without?

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +0000

On sculpting a life you can be proud of

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A few days ago, I turned 38. As I read that sentence to myself, it’s still hard to reconcile with how I see myself.

38. That’s almost 40! That’s the age of my parents — my friends’ parents — Mr. and Mrs. Whatever. But me? I’m not almost 40!

But the truth is I am almost 40. Time just kept on moving forward, despite my not having given it permission to do so.

“A Kingdom of Ends”

Sat, 26 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The simple ethical principle that’s stuck with me for over half my life

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I’m always on the hunt for simple principles for better living. So here’s one that I’ve held dear for quite some time. It goes back to my early days in college — right after I failed at being an illustration major, and began studying philosophy. One of my first classes was Classical Ethical Theories, where we studied what the great minds spanning 2,000 years had to say about what constituted good living and right actions.

That class introduced me to Immanuel Kant, who had a unique way of thinking about how to go about living in the world with others:

Are You Rushing, or Are You Dragging?

Sun, 20 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Of Tempo, Timing, self-knowledge, and listening to feedback

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*etmESEwsG9v4uWWa)

Photo by [Abbie Bernet](https://unsplash.com/@abbiebernet?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral)

I love the power of a good question. A good, simple question can refresh stale thinking and change how you view yourself. It can get your mind back on track, and out of a rut.

Here’s a good one, which I lifted from a very tense scene in the movie Whiplash. The fanatical perfectionist teacher, Terence Fletcher, has the band play the jazz song “Whiplash” — giving new drummer Andrew Neiman a shot at showing his stuff.

Who Are You, Anyway?

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000

On identity crises, the mind, and human potential

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Photo by [Philipp Berndt](https://unsplash.com/@philberndt?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral)

The topic of personal identity is a big deal. People can spend their whole lives just trying to find out who they are. And people’s conceptions of who they are can radically change after certain life events, or certain experiences they go through — be they traumatic or joyful. People even actively work to change their idea of themselves — as well as how others see them — through sustained action.

What we usually end up with after our respective journeys to find out who we are is a series of adjectives and nouns that indicate roles. We’re a parent, a doctor, a refugee, a soldier. We’re Black, APAIC, Latinx, white. We’re bisexual, homosexual, asexual. We’re transgender, cisgender, nonbinary. We’re Hindu, Christian, Jain, atheist. We’re quiet, outspoken, restless, obedient, servile, creative, loyal.

Doing What You Love vs. Loving What You Do

Sun, 30 May 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Rethinking the narrative about career and life goals

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Photo by [Caleb Jones](https://unsplash.com/@gcalebjones?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral)

When I was a kid, it was clear to me that my father really disliked his job. Aside from the many nights he didn’t see me before I went to bed — and the early mornings when I woke up and he was already gone — he would also explicitly tell me that he *hated* his job.

His dislike for his job became a sort of rallying cry between the two of us. After all, his father (my grandfather) hated his job as well. I came from generations of men with jobs they hated. As I approached college age, my father would advise me not to repeat these mistakes. He urged me to find what I love to do, and never settle for another line of work.

The Profundity of Everyday Things

Mon, 10 May 2021 00:00:00 +0000

A study in reframing and appreciation

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Photo by [Gabriella Clare Marino](https://unsplash.com/@gabiontheroad?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral)

I worked with this guy, call him Josh (not his real name), for a few years. He was a bit younger than me, and after he had been t at the company for about 2 years, I became his manager. In an effort to get to know him better, as I like to do for my team, I took him to lunch.

Josh had served in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan, and had been in combat situations on several occasions. He had seen an IUD blow up a truck. He had been part of a firefight with some insurgents who came out of nowhere. He’d been in situations that many of us can only imagine. So I asked him something I’m always curious about.

Of Crab-Catching, Chasing Happiness, and Strategic Sitting and Waiting

Sat, 01 May 2021 00:00:00 +0000

What an encounter with some scared crustaceans taught me about how we pursue the important things in our lives

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Image by [Clickphoto Switzerland](https://pixabay.com/users/clickphoto-2417268/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1357666) from [Pixabay](https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1357666)

I had the pleasure this past week of visiting Tampa on a business trip. My home base in Illinois has remained relatively cold as of late, so it was nice to spend time in warmer weather. As a bonus, the hotel I was staying at was located within a mile of the beach. Being a Midwesterner, I don’t get the chance to see the ocean much. So of course, I had to take it.

On my first morning there, I set out for a short run. After only a few minutes, I made it to the beach. I made my to a clear spot surrounded on either side by some plant life. As I approached, I noticed a wave of little movements to my right. Upon closer examination, that movement was a whole group of tiny little crabs-scurrying away into some bushes. I moved to a different part of the beach, to get a different vantage point of the beautiful scenery. After a few minutes, I walked back to my initial spot, and was surprised to see that the crabs had reappeared-but were now scurrying away from me once again. Which was unfortunate, as I wanted to capture some video of them doing their cute, crabby things.

What If I’ve Got This Productivity Thing All Wrong?

Sun, 25 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

A story of how we’ve muddied the waters and how a heartfelt letter of resignation reminded me of an important little idea I’ve been overlooking

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Whatever your thing is, whatever passion you have, it has an origin. It’s that place where for you at least, it all started. For me, since my thing is personal productivity, that origin was a site called[ 43 folders](http://43folders.com).

In its heyday, it was a place to find everything from wonky tips on how to use apps better to deep and insightful essays about the nature of work and life. But in 2011, that all came to a halt — at least as far as the website was concerned.

The Fourth Mode of Creative Work

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The different reasons why we create things, and the possibility of an idyllic place where they all converge

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Photo by [Tyler Franta](https://unsplash.com/@tfrants?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral)

Over my time creating things, I’ve heard three conflicting messages about the reasons why a person should create. Let’s call them the 3 *modes*. And the longer I continued to create things, the less sure I became about which message was the one to take to heart. They all make sense in their own way. So what to do?

You should create for your own sake.

Create and put in the work because you’re expressing yourself. Don’t concern yourself with market testing, or polling your audience. Do what you feel, and do it to express what you feel. Do what makes you proud, and what you believe in — period.

Pleasure, Pride, and Procrastination

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

An essay on the motivational forces that pull us from and push us toward doing our best work, and how I deal with them

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I have struggled with procrastination for as long as I can remember. As a kid, being asked to clean my minimally messy room turned into a day long project. I would go through many iterations and variations of avoiding the simple task that I was given. At 9 AM, my mother would ask me to pick things up. When she returned at noon, almost 0 progress would have been made. It was agonizing to both of us.

Fast forward to my time in college, and the situation was much the same. I was aware of deadlines for papers, but paid them no mind until the night before — when the panic would strike. The result was a whole lot of stress and self-flagellation as I forced myself to sit down and do the work. And yet somehow, I would even find ways to procrastinate then, up until the very final minutes.

Customer Service as a Way of Life

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

No matter our job or circumstances, we all have customers, and serving them is our most important and beneficial work

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/1*njhaYUNRuAXitWDHaszJ8A.jpeg)

Photo by [fauxels](https://www.pexels.com/@fauxels?utm_content=attributionCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pexels) from [Pexels](https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-people-s-hand-on-top-of-wooden-table-3184397/?utm_content=attributionCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pexels)

My first job was as a bagger at a grocery store about a mile from my house. Every day, after clocking in, I had to check in at the front desk to receive my day’s assignment. Once I got there, a manager on duty would look at the schedule, see what needed to be done, and assign me my work for the shift.

But that big front desk was also the customer service desk. It was where customers would bring returns, haggle about wrong prices, and generally look for help. Because of this, at any given time when an employee came up to check in, there’d be a customer there, wanting help right away.

The 7 Books That Gave Me a Productive Start to the Year

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

A run-down of the most impactful books I’ve read so far this year, and what I took away from them

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*JALypCdU6VbKif3f)

Photo by [Tom Hermans](https://unsplash.com/@tomhermans?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral)

At the beginning of the year, I hopped on the 12-week year wagon. That is, I began setting goals and measuring my activity based on 12-week intervals that I treat like a year. If you’re curious about how this works, [check out the book](https://amzn.to/3uh6YmD). I highly recommend it.

Right now, I’m in the period where my “year” has ended. I’m reviewing, renewing, and setting the goals and plan for the coming 12-week year.

5 Valuable Life Lessons From a Year of Quarantine

Sun, 21 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000

When life as we knew it turned upside-down, I was fortunate enough to pick up a few helpful pieces of insight along the way

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As for most people in the U.S., my life was turned upside-down around March 15th, 2020. We had been hearing about COVID-19 for a few months, and the chatter became progressively louder, but we didn’t expect that it would turn into a lockdown that would keep most of the world away from each other for over a year.

But here we are — a year since being told to stay in our homes and away from each other — and it’s hard to underestimate just how much has changed during that time. When I say “changed,” I’m not talking about the world stage. I’m not talking about the political discourse, the tone of news coverage, the corporate rallying cries, or the socioeconomic structure. All of those things changed radically, of course. And they’re important to understand. But I’m no expert on those.

Happiness is…Scrubbing Toilets, Serving Time, and Flipping Burgers?

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Morihei Ueshiba and some overlooked truths about personal growth and happiness

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In the first pages of *The Art of Peace*, Morihei Ueshiba lays down a lesson that has stuck with me for the decade or so since I first read it:

One does not need buildings, money, power, or status to practice the Art of Peace. Heaven is right where you are standing, and that is the place to train.

Mike Sturm

Quick-start Guide

What if a 3 x 5″ index card was all you needed to become more productive?

In-depth Guide

FAQ

Why an index card? Why not a to-do list in a notebook or an app?

Scoring Sheet

Google Sheets template

Testimonials

Trying to Be a Magician vs. Doing the Magic

On the noble and ignoble intentions for publishing one’s writing, and the world of difference between the two

The Optimist OS

More Luxurious Chains: A Study of Contemporary Freedom

Feelings First: A Modern Management Manifesto

(Ir)rationality and Relationships

The 2 Cardinal Sins of Active Listening and How to Overcome Them

Learn to reap the benefits of being known as a good listener

The Tragedy of the Forward-Progress Bias

The 2,000 Year Old Temple Inscriptions That Sum Up How Self-Improvement Works

It turns out that the ancient Greeks knew some secrets that we’re still struggling to learn

What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?

How we unintentionally limit ourselves and the next generation — and the paradigm shift that can fix that

My System Won’t Work For You

When Less Really is More

How we simultaneously underestimate and overestimate ourselves, and how to avoid both

A Practical Guide to Recognizing B.S.

An exercise in critical thinking, to help you wade through the sea of communication

The Use and Abuse of Humor

An LSD Trip into Wisdom

Knowing When to Think vs. When to Act

Building a habit of structured reflection and planning to maximize your effectiveness

The More You Think You Don’t Have Time to Plan, the More You Need to Do it

When it feels like all you have time for is putting out fires, that’s when it’s most important to step back and reflect

Which of These Two Approaches to Procrastination Works for You?

There is more than one way to eat a frog.

Your Commitments Are Your Life; Guard Them Zealously

On the concept of the emotional bank account and the importance and the tactics of keeping your word

What If an Index Card Could Make You More Productive?

I tried all the popular productivity systems. This is what finally stuck.

The Danger of the Fundamental Attribution Error and How to Avoid It

The often-overlooked cognitive bias that hurts both personal and professional relationships creeps in everywhere, and learning how to avoid it is crucial to your development

How to Choose the Right Productivity System For You

BuJo? GTD? Ivy Lee? No single system is right for everyone, so make sure you’re asking the right questions to find which one is right for you.

What My Spectacular Failures Taught Me About Jobs, Passions, and Finding My “Life’s Work”

How NOT to be naïve about your passion and find something you love doing.

The Best Answer to Give to (Almost) Any Question

Use it in your work life, personal life, and everywhere in between

I Built My Own Personal Productivity System Around a 3 x 5″ Index Card

I was a GTD fanatic for over 10 years, but when I realized it wasn’t giving me what I needed, I had to build my own system

The Anatomy of Goals, the Sneaky Ego, and Higher Powers

A reminder that it’s not about you, and thinking otherwise is the primary reason why things go off the rails

The Facts Don’t Speak for Themselves

On Feelings, Facts, and the Minefield of Human Motivation

Love Doesn’t Work That Way…

Finding both the work I love and the person I love took me on a journey that taught me to rethink everything I thought I knew about how love works

To Make or to Be Made

The thin line of choice we face every day between us and the world

The One Virtue Ben Franklin Prized Above Them All

No matter your environment, practicing humility in speech is a great step toward being a better person

Known Knowns, Unknown Unknowns, and Everything in Between

Some thoughts about a famous 20 year-old quote and what it means for how to learn and strategize

What I Do When Meditation and Mindfulness Practice is Too Much

The $100,000 Salt Shaker and Other Worthwhile Investments

An off-beat guide to better investment — both financial and social

The Merits of Never Fully Growing Up

On approaching 40, my pretend rocket ship, and my 7 year-old self-improvement coach

What Can You Do Without?

On sculpting a life you can be proud of

“A Kingdom of Ends”

The simple ethical principle that’s stuck with me for over half my life

Are You Rushing, or Are You Dragging?

Of Tempo, Timing, self-knowledge, and listening to feedback

Who Are You, Anyway?

On identity crises, the mind, and human potential

Doing What You Love vs. Loving What You Do

Rethinking the narrative about career and life goals

The Profundity of Everyday Things

A study in reframing and appreciation

Of Crab-Catching, Chasing Happiness, and Strategic Sitting and Waiting

What an encounter with some scared crustaceans taught me about how we pursue the important things in our lives