Hi Reader,

This is my first newsletter in 2025. I hope you are having a happy and healthy new year!

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What I'm writing

​How will you measure your life? — I revisited and updated my notes from Clayton Christensen's famous 2010 article. Money is not the most powerful motivator in our lives. The most powerful motivators are opportunities to learn, grow in responsibilities, contribute to others, and be recognized for achievements. There are some great nuggets in here.

What I'm learning

Busyness is not the same as productivity. Busyness is measured in inputs (e.g., hours logged), while productivity is measured in outputs (e.g., results achieved). Inspiration: Eddie Cheng [Twitter]

A good reputation comes from earning the respect of those who matter most, not from being liked by everyone. When you seek to please all people, you are likely to prioritize their approval at the expense of your values. Inspiration: Adam Grant [Twitter]

Building a personal brand increases your influence and authority, opens new business and relationship opportunities, and gains you a competitive advantage. Inspiration: Nathan Barry [Newsletter]

Delegation becomes a superpower when you enable others to anticipate priorities and complete them without you. Inspiration: Athena [Newsletter]

What I'm thinking about

“Wasting your time doubting whether you’re going to be successful or not is pointless.” —Kobe Bryant

​This is an excellent segment from the late Kobe Bryant. Doubt is wasteful. Failure is an ingredient to success. Control what you can control, train as hard as you can, and then see what the outcome is. Whether you win or fail, you must wake up the next day and continue the journey. Don’t dwell on the losses or the wins. Let them go.

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-Rick Lindquist
​@ricklindquist​

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