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 to do when trying harder stops working?
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Hello Reader, But underneath that? It’s really about your relationship with yourself. Because you can have the cleanest system in the world — the right tasks, the right times, the right tools — and still find yourself stuck. Still find yourself restarting the same habit for the fourth time this year. Still find yourself wondering why knowing what to do isn’t the same as doing it. I’ve known Steve Kamb for years. And when I read what his new book, How to Try Again, is actually about, I knew I had to have him on. It’s not about doing more. It’s not about doing it better. It’s about something that most productivity and wellness systems skip over entirely: how to begin again — without dragging the weight of every previous attempt with you. We’re going live today at 2 PM PT, and we’ll be talking about:
This is one of those conversations that isn’t really about productivity. It’s about the person doing the producing. And I think if you’ve ever felt the gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it — this one’s for you. See you later, |
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 9 | April 25, 2026 Hello Reader, I'm writing this a week ahead of when you'll read it. I just got back from several days of travel and I know another trip is coming. So I'm using the window while I have it. That's exactly what I want to talk about. Getting ahead feels like a win. And it is — for a moment. But here's what I've noticed more than once: the further ahead I get, the easier it becomes to stop maintaining the lead. The urgency that drove the...
Hello Reader, Episode 654 of A Productive Conversation is live — and this one's a solo episode. Just me, thinking out loud. It starts with a question: What if being busy is the biggest lie you're telling yourself? Not a small lie. A lie you've been telling so long it feels like identity. Over a thousand podcast conversations about productivity have taught me that the number one thing people get wrong isn't their system, their tools, or their habits. It's this: they've confused motion with...
Hello Reader, If you've been reading The Lantern for a while, you've noticed I end every newsletter the same way: See you later. It's not accidental. It's not a placeholder. It's deliberate. Three days ago, I finished recording a livestream that will serve as a solo episode of the podcast. Just me and those watching, thinking out loud about intentional productivity. And as I was scripting the scaffolding of it, I realized I needed a closing line that would work across everything I do....