I’m Mike Vardy, and I help people build a better relationship with time — not by controlling it, but by working with it. Through my writing, courses, and community, I explore how intention and attention shape a more meaningful life — one rooted in the original idea of productiveness over productivity.
It’s January 20. You’re not behind.
|
Hello Reader, Every year on January 18, I resurface an old SNL sketch that’s very much not safe for work. The punchline? Everyone has already abandoned their New Year’s resolutions by that date. Darkly funny. Uncomfortably familiar. Yesterday also happened to be Blue Monday—that so-called low point of January where motivation dips and optimism wobbles. You can debate the science (and you probably should), but the feeling? That part’s real enough. So if the year hasn’t gone the way you imagined so far, let’s get one thing straight: You’re not late. As of today (January 20) about 5.5% of the year is behind us. That means 94.5% is still ahead. That’s 345 days. Plenty of runway. Now, here’s the important nuance. Yes, you can start the year you want whenever you want. January 1 isn’t sacred. Neither is Monday. Or the 1st of the month. But starting over every time things wobble? That’s not a reset... it’s a stall. The real work isn’t about perfect beginnings. It’s about continuity. Not restarting the year. Not scrapping the plan. But gently—and deliberately—re-entering the path you meant to be on. So instead of asking, “Should I start again?” Try asking:
You don’t need a clean slate. You need a clear next step. And if today feels heavy, that’s okay. Take the step anyway—but take it kindly. I’m rooting for you—not just on January 1, but on January 20… and January 137… and whenever you decide to keep going. See you later, P.S. If continuing feels easier with others around you, the READY Retreat begins today inside the TimeCrafting Trust. It’s a calm, guided way to reset without starting over—and you can join the community for as little as $14/month. No pressure. Just a place to re-enter with intention. |
The Practice of Productiveness
I’m Mike Vardy, and I help people build a better relationship with time — not by controlling it, but by working with it. Through my writing, courses, and community, I explore how intention and attention shape a more meaningful life — one rooted in the original idea of productiveness over productivity.
The Lantern by Mike Vardy Vol. 1, Issue 47 | January 17, 2026 Hello Reader, There’s an unlikely lesson hiding in The Room. By most standards, it’s a failure. The performances are awkward. The dialogue is strange. The story barely holds together. And yet, people keep showing up. Years later. Together. On purpose. The reason isn’t quality. It’s completion. Tommy Wiseau made the movie. He didn’t wait until it was perfect. He didn’t stop because it might be misunderstood. He finished it and...
Hello Reader, Most of us remember what a physical growth spurt felt like. Awkward. Uncomfortable. A little disorienting. Your clothes didn’t fit. Your coordination was off. You needed more rest than usual. And crucially—you didn’t cause it. You didn’t hustle your way into it. Your body just grew, and you had to adapt. A personal growth spurt works the same way—but we often treat it very differently. Instead of accommodating it, we try to capitalize on it. We add goals. Announce intentions....
The Lantern by Mike Vardy Vol. 1, Issue 46 | January 10, 2026 Hello Reader, Legacy is often treated like a project—something to be engineered, safeguarded, and eventually revealed. A thing we can shape in advance if we make the right moves and say the right things. But that belief quietly distorts our relationship with time. It suggests that time is a resource we can spend toward a future outcome we control, rather than a relationship we’re meant to live inside of—moment by moment. When...