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.
You need more of THIS in your "productivity diet"
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Hello Reader, I hope this message finds you well. Today, I want to explore a concept that goes beyond traditional ideas of productivity. It’s about reaching the quintessence in our tasks, projects, and overall approach to being productive. Quintessence, a term rich in history and meaning, originated from the medieval Latin ‘quintessentia’, which itself descends from the Latin ‘quinta essentia’, meaning “fifth essence”. Historically, this concept was pivotal in ancient and medieval philosophy, representing the purest, most essential substance that transcends the four classical elements of air, earth, fire, and water. In modern usage, quintessence refers to the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class. It embodies the utmost purity and concentration of essence in any substance or idea. The evolution and philosophical implications of this term are fascinating. Why Quintessence Matters That's where quintessence comes in. Embracing quintessence in our work is like discovering an essential element in our productivity diet—it enriches and fulfills beyond ordinary measures. I invite you to reflect on this concept of quintessence in your daily routines. Where can you see quintessence in your work? Perhaps it’s in the careful crafting of a client proposal, the innovative approach to a routine task, or the way you structure your day to align with your peak energy levels. So... how do you believe you can elevate your tasks to embody this richer, more fulfilling form of productivity? Feel free to reply to this email and let me know – especially if it will hold you accountable to adding this important element to your "productivity diet." I'd love to hear from you. See you later, P.S. Quintessence not only enhances our productivity but also brings us closer to achieving true quality and fulfillment in everything we do. For more insights on integrating such profound elements into your daily routine, I highly recommend Scott H. Young’s new book, “Get Better at Anything.” It’s packed with strategies to help you elevate your approach to work and life, aligning perfectly with our quest for quintessential productivity. |
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.
Hello Reader, Productivity makes a quiet promise: anything can be moved with enough effort. Break it down, schedule it, show up consistently, and it yields. Most of the time the promise even holds. But everyone is carrying at least one thing it can't touch. A relationship that went silent. A version of yourself that didn't happen. A chapter that closed without your signature at the bottom. A wish that things were different, standing right beside the knowledge that they won't be. There's no...
Hello Reader, There's a line in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly that gets passed around like folk wisdom: If you work for a living, why do you kill yourself working? It comes out of Tuco's mouth. That matters more than the line itself. Tuco is a bandit. He spends the entire film scheming, running, getting double-crossed, walking across a desert, and coming within an inch of being hanged more than once. Nobody works harder in that movie. Nobody suffers more for what he's chasing. He just...
The Lantern by Mike Vardy Vol. 2, Issue 27 | September 5, 2026 Hello Reader, The calendar is dragging its feet this year. Labour Day always lands on the first Monday of September, and this year that Monday is the 7th. That is as late as it can possibly be. Summer got a two-day extension nobody asked for, and the long weekend that usually kicks off the "real" year is still sitting out there past this Saturday morning. Because let's be honest about what Labour Day actually is. January 1st gets...