Thriving In A Chaotic World

‘When we aspire toward intimacy with what matters to us, we overcome alienation and disconnection and feel more at home in the world.’

‘Working on concrete tasks with objective and measurable results is a source of deep satisfaction and helps to keep us humble and grounded.’

‘By building multiple rooms in your identity house, you become less fragile, gain resilience, and bolster yourself against setbacks.’

‘It is important that your goals align with your values.’

‘Worry less about heroic days and more about creating a heroic body of work.’

‘Show up every day and give what you’ve got.’

‘Whenever possible, keep it simple and be wary of hiding behind complexity.’

‘You don’t need to feel good to get going; you need to get going to give yourself a chance to feel good.’

‘The more stress in your life, the more you should try to offset it with rest.’

‘Rest and renewal do not come at the expense of your primary pursuit; they are integral parts of your primary pursuit and your commitment to excellence.’

Never prejudge performance.’

Source:

Brad Stulberg (2026). The Way of Excellence: A Guide to True Greatness and Deep Satisfaction in a Chaotic World

‘Yes’ And ‘No’

‘Every decision about yes and no really comes down to how you’re going to spend your time.’

No is how you protect yourself and others from making bad commitments, dedicating resources trying to do things that cannot be done (not possible), are not allowed (against the rules), or that on balance, should not be done ( a bad idea or not the next top priority).

‘Every good no makes room for a better yes.’

Yes is the beginning of a collaboration, the start of something.’

Every good yes is a chance to make the most of a good opportunity and serve others by adding value and building your real influence.’

Every good no – or not yet– makes room for a better opportunity.’

Every bad yes is a waste of time, energy, and money that will crowd out a better opportunity.’

Every bad no is a missed opportunity or a delayed ( and maybe soured) opportunity if the no gets overturned.’

Every yes is a commitment, and every commitment deserves to be taken seriously and honored with a good plan and focused execution.’

Plan the work so that you can work your plan.’

Source:

Bruce Tulgan (2020). The Art of Being Indispensable at Work: Win Influence Beat Overcommitment And Get The Right Things Done