Highest ROI Decision I Ever Made
A lot of people think money is their most impactful resource.
I think it's energy.
The more time I spent building businesses, refining operations, and helping organizations identify inefficiencies the more I realized I didn't want to tolerate an incredible amount of friction in my life where it didn't belong.
Your life is a system whether you designed it or not.
The question is whether that system produces energy or consumes it. For me, that realization changed everything.
I love living in Austin. I love being within walking distance of great coffee, incredible food, live music, and conversations with people building interesting things. By lowering the barrier to the things that energize me, I interact with them more often. I see shows almost every night of the week. I meet strangers. I absorb culture. I stay connected to the creative energy that drew me there in the first place.
But balance matters. That's why I also have a ranch.
The ranch grounds me in a completely different way. It demands responsibility. There are animals that depend on me. Chores that's demand is on the season not my calendar. Century old trees that honestly break my brain when I stop and think about everything they've witnessed. It reminds me how small I am and how important consistency can be.
It also happens to be where some of my best work gets done.
I've learned that I don't solve problems by sitting at a desk staring at them. I solve them while moving. Most ranch chores are repetitive and mindless enough to let my brain get to work on something else. If I'm solving a problem for a client, there's a good chance part of it was built while mowing a pasture or mending fences.
The funny part is that none of this was designed around productivity. It was designed around my energy. How I wanted to feel and where I felt it belonged.
The more I learned about process, the more I became committed to reducing unnecessary lift. I duplicated routines between properties. Simplified closets, so the work isn't moving them it’s having fun pulling a great fit from what is in front of me. Reduced decisions. Every repetitive motion that could be improved was improved. Not because I wanted to become more efficient, but because I wanted more energy available.
I think it makes sense to optimize the life supporting the work because work expands to whatever energy you leave available for it.
The same is also true for growth.
The biggest unlock in my career wasn't learning how to achieve a goal. It was learning how to define the path before taking the first step. Who needs to be involved? What relationships matter? What aligns with my values? Which challenges will keep me sharp?
Years ago, I heard a story about travelers crossing the Sahara. Every few miles there would be a barrel lit on fire marking the path forward. You couldn't see the destination. You could only see the next marker.
That's still how I think about growth. Stay calm, observe openly, engage deeply, take the high road. The destination matters, but the next step matters more.
I've found far more value managing energy than my time and whether you realize it or not, everything in your life is either feeding it or taking from it.