Hello Reader,
“Oh, no… I want to do that trip solo.”
That was what my daughter said to me after I suggested we all go to Southeast Asia as a family. This was after she declared that area of the world was the next place she wanted to experience.
She’d literally just returned from a four-month “gap year” trip to Europe with two of her closest friends, so I’m not surprised that she’d caught the travel bug. I’m not surprised she wants to do the Southeast Asia trip solo, either. But I was surprised at my response to what she said.
I didn’t say anything.
Instead, I felt a series of senses. From loss to melancholy to pride. All of these feelings are familiar to me… just not in that context.
My daughter is pretty much grown up. Those family trips are never going to be the same. That familiarity is gone. I’m now left with a whole lot of unfamiliar, and that’s giving me another type of “un” feeling: uncomfortable.
You’ve likely heard the phrase, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” But I also think it can breed comfort and, sometimes, complacency.
And that can affect various aspects of our lives.
Here are three examples where familiarity breeding complacency can manifest in our day-to-day productivity and relationship with time:
Reflecting on these examples, it’s clear that embracing the unfamiliar is crucial for growth and enrichment, both personally and professionally. There’s something different on the other side of unfamiliar in my relationship with my daughter. I’m choosing to respond with curiosity over anything else. It’s not easy to do that, but it is the best way forward.
It’s really the only way forward.
To bring this idea into my work, I’ve introduced a new series within the structure of my podcast where I converse with my good friend, Patrick Rhone, on a monthly basis. This change is a step towards embracing the unfamiliar, keeping the podcast fresh and engaging for you… and for me.
We’re calling it PM Talks.
You can listen to the first episode in this new series using any of the following:
I invite you to challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone as well, both in your personal life and in your professional pursuits. It’s in this balance between the familiar and the unfamiliar that we can keep from “doing” productive and live a full life of being productive.
See you later,
Mike
P.S. I would love to hear how you’re embracing the unfamiliar in your own life. Reply to this email and share your stories with me.
The Lantern is a thoughtfully curated weekly email from Mike Vardy designed to help you craft a better relationship with time. Each edition brings you insights, inspiration, and practical tools through a simple yet powerful framework: Look (a thought-provoking video or visual), Listen (a compelling podcast or audio insight), and Learn (a deep dive into a key concept, article, or book). Designed to inform, inspire, and illuminate, The Lantern helps you navigate time with clarity and intention—without the overwhelm.
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