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.
What are you choosing to care about?
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Hello Reader, We tend to believe that doing more will get us where we want to go. More effort. More output. More improvement. You likely know Mark from The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F-ck. His work has reached millions by challenging the idea that we need to fix everything—and instead asking us to focus on what actually matters.In this conversation, we’ll look at the tension between effort and meaning, why caring about too many things can quietly work against us, and how choosing differently can change how we live and work. Bring your questions. This one should be a good one. |
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. 2, Issue 7 | April 11, 2026 Hello Reader, The Curious Cruelty of Arrival There's a particular ache that comes with finally becoming yourself. You look around at the work you're doing, the way you're moving through the world, the lines you draw without hesitation — and something in you says yes, this is it. And then, almost immediately, something else says why did it take so long? Both things are true at once. That's the curious cruelty of arrival. Recently, I...
The Lantern by Mike Vardy Vol. 2, Issue 6 | April 4, 2026 Hello Reader, I found it at Dollarama. The World According to Tom Hanks by Gavin Edwards, tucked in among the seasonal decor and reading glasses. For a bit more than a dollar — dollar stores don't exactly live up to their name these days — I walked out with something I didn't expect: a list of ten commandments distilled from the life of America's most decent human being. You can see all ten here. I've been sitting with the ninth one...
Hello Reader,I was lucky enough to spend time with my mom last week during a work trip. It was great to see her for the first time in a couple of years – and just a few days before her birthday. Today her birthday arrived. There’s something about that kind of time that feels different. Not slower, not faster, just… more noticeable. Like you can actually feel it passing instead of trying to manage it. Most days don’t feel like that. Most days feel like something to keep up with. Or get...