“Good times make weak people, weak people make bad times. Bad times make strong people, and strong people make great times.” History shows this to be true.

Sometimes, it’s a constraint that shows us how to work our way out of problem. When I was starting my business, I would wake up at 4am, work 8-9 hours per day at a full-time job, and come home to work more. It was monotonous, but I miss it. Because I was focused and driven in a way I am not right now.

My point is, challenges can be a doorway to something better, if you’re willing to step through. Too often, I refuse to see the doorway. Instead, it’s an obstacle that must be defeated. I go the long way to learn the lesson. Had I been more open to alternatives outside of my limited viewpoint, I would have seen that it was a shortcut to precisely what I wanted.

Find the doorway, not the roadblock.

‘Morale Sucks Because We Suck’

Jamie Dimon had taken over a flailing bank. About one year in, he asked the team to extend its hours to be more competitive. Everyone argued that morale was low and this would make it worse. He was sympathetic but said: morale sucks because we suck. When we suck less, morale will improve. He was right.

If you haven’t had to endure many challenges in your life, you will focus on alleviating your discomfort as fast as possible. Jensen Huang spoke about this in a viral clip: "People with high expectations have very low resilience. And unfortunately resilience matters in success. I don't know how to teach it to you except for I hope suffering happens to you…” https://

Failure builds character. As Huang said: “Greatness does not come from intelligence, it comes from character. Character is not formed out of smart people, it’s formed out of people who have suffered.”

It feels like our leaders increasingly lack this trait. Building character isn’t sexy. It’s chop wood carry water type shit.

Dimon blamed himself for the bank’s plateau. He recognized he’d been blind to their lack of focus and took accountability. And he committed to set a new standard. Most leaders will skip this part and go straight to the team without examining their own shortcomings. We are in need of leaders who take greater accountability. It’s how to go from good to great.

Health Tip: Community

My current obsession is community.

We cannot operate in a vacuum. I’m feeling a big pull to create with community. Our culture encourages us to isolate, but it’s in community where we heal, grow, and get ideas, and it’s our responsibility to push that outwards.

I’m planning to host an event for women business owners and leaders who want to connect, talk, learn, etc. Let me know if you’re interested and I’ll follow up with more information (the event will likely be in Venice).

My Swipes

The episode is worth a full listen. It’s about the crisis facing young men and what we can do about it (their future is tied to ours). But lots of other great stuff on TikTok, tariffs, and the California/American Dream.

Galloway also says something that I really identify with — he says that he was incredibly lucky to be born in California. Same. There is so much we have to fix in this country, but it pales in comparison to the potential we have at any given moment to do big things. Things that people in other places simply cannot do. I will not bemoan the state of things. Everything is an opportunity.

Lol Tweets

Me interacting with almost any human these days:

Love you, bye!