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.
When Letting Go is the Most Productive Move
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Hello Reader, Sometimes, the most productive thing you can do is… let go. That became crystal clear last week during a capstone presentation in the Maximize Your Minutes program. One participant shared that their biggest breakthrough wasn’t about doing more—it was about releasing what no longer served them. That idea has surfaced in a few ways for me recently:
That’s exactly the kind of work we do in The READY Retreat. It’s a place to discern what’s still meaningful and what you can finally let go of—without shame or second-guessing. We kick off this virtual retreat in full swing tomorrow (May 13th) so if you to learn more and claim a last-minute spot for the retreat, you can do that here. Not sure if it’s time to let something go? Try this 3 question check-in:
Even dropping a single item from your someday/maybe list can create more momentum than adding five new ones. Letting go isn’t quitting. It’s choosing presence over pressure. And sometimes, that’s the clearest path forward. – Mike P.S. We literally just wrapped up a co-working session designed to help participants in The READY Retreat set themselves up for a solid three days. Care to join us starting tomorrow (with access to everything you need to prepare starting today)? Click here. |
The Lantern: A Weekly Guide to Navigating Time with Intention
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.
The Lantern by Mike Vardy Vol. 1, Issue 11 | May 10, 2025 Hello Reader, Time seems fixed—calendar days, business hours, deadlines—but moments like this remind us it’s a man-made construct. Earlier this year, the U.S. House of Representatives redefined what counts as a “legislative day,” stretching one day across many to serve a specific agenda. It’s less about manipulating time itself, and more about manipulating our relationship with time—and with that, everything time touches: power,...
The Lantern by Mike Vardy Vol. 1, Issue 10 | May 3, 2025 Hello Reader, Tomorrow is May the 4th. A day when memes and marketing collide to turn Jedi wisdom into digestible pop culture bites. But some of that wisdom is worth lingering on. Like this: "Your focus determines your reality." — Qui-Gon Jinn Qui-Gon didn’t chase the seat at the table. He didn’t care about the Jedi Council’s absolutes. He cared about what the Force was saying — not what the system insisted. He listened. He waited. He...
The Lantern by Mike Vardy Vol. 1, Issue 9 | April 26, 2025 Hello Reader, There’s this tricky space between “not yet” and “done.” It’s called almost—and it can feel like purgatory. You’ve made progress. You’re closer than you were. But you’re still not where you want to be. That can mess with your head. I’ve been there. Staring at something nearly finished and wondering if it’s even worth pushing through. Comparing where I am to where I think I should be. But here’s the thing: almost is still...