profile

Rick Lindquist

Back to basics

Published 4 months ago • 1 min read

Hi Reader,

(Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Sign up here.)

What I'm writing

What I'm learning

Complaining and pushing back are not the same thing. Inspiration: James Clear​

Personal agency is often the difference between success and failure. People with high agency feel in control over their lives. People with low agency feel powerless to change the direction of their lives. When you’re told something is impossible, do you give up? Or do you start thinking about how to make it possible? High agency is about finding a way to get what you want without waiting for permission or the perfect conditions. Inspiration: George Mack​

The best managers are great individual contributors who become managers only because no one else can do as good a job as they can. Inspiration: Steve Jobs​

Start every day by clarifying your must-dos. Then complete those before spending any time on your should-dos and could-dos. Inspiration: Sam Parr​

What I’m working on

  • I’ve been reflecting on 2025. It was a crazy, reactive year. Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face. For 2026, I settled on three core annual themes to drive my prioritization across personal life, relationships, and work:
    • Getting back to basics
    • Going from reactive to proactive (and surviving to thriving)
    • Shifting from a strategy of playing it safe and reducing risk to taking smart risk and being ok looking a little foolish
  • Tyler and I recorded our 2025 recap episode at Startup to Last.
  • I continue to invest every week into exploring new AI use cases while also deepening my understanding of how it all works. (I’ll be sharing my journey here via this Artificial Intelligence (AI) Handbook if you’re interested in following along.)

What I'm thinking about

”Getting back to the basics is the simplest way to find calm in the chaos” —Unknown

Getting back to the basics is not a step backwards. It’s about catching your balance so you can take another leap forward.

Connect with me on X or LinkedIn.

-Rick Lindquist

P.S. One of the best parts of this newsletter is discussing ideas with readers. Let me know what you think. I read every reply.

Rick Lindquist

Read more from Rick Lindquist

Hi Reader, (Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Sign up here.) What I'm writing Peter Kaufman on the Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Thinking — Peter Kaufman on multi-disciplinary thinking: why combining mental models across disciplines leads to sharper judgment, better strategy, and smarter decisions What I'm learning Financial wealth without independence often leads to time poverty. Inspiration: Morgan Housel Danny Meyer built Shake Shack into a $4 billion company by hiring using a...

24 days ago • 1 min read

Hi Reader, (Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Sign up here.) What I'm writing Reading “The Struggle” out loud — “The Struggle” is a concept popularized by Ben Horowitz, which describes the lonely, anxiety-filled journey of entrepreneurship. Notes from Growth Elevated's 2026 Ski + Tech Event — Here are my notes from a few very interesting sessions on improving personal health and longevity, using AI, and maximizing your board of directors as a CEO or Executive Director. Notes from How to...

3 months ago • 2 min read

Hi Reader, (Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Sign up here.) What I'm writing Saying no — The ability to say no is a superpower. It gives you the power to choose how to spend your time. What I'm learning Some of the calmest, most likable people I know maintain a deep sense of gratitude. They feel lucky to be alive. Their primary worry is not self-doubt. It’s about whether they might fail to maximize this privilege (of being alive). Inspiration: Kevin Kelly The only thing you can control...

3 months ago • 1 min read