The Paradox of Boundaries
Marcus Aurelius on structure and freedom Ever feel like your business is running you instead of the other way around? Your days are packed with client requests, last-minute changes, and endless emails. You’re “flexible.” You’re also exhausted. The irony: the business owners who seem to have the most freedom — the ones who set their […]
Stop Waiting to Feel Ready
Marcus Aurelius on what’s actually stopping you “Not worrying too often, or with any selfish motive, about what other people say, do, or think. Or is it your reputation that’s bothering you?” — Marcus Aurelius Marcus Aurelius wasn’t talking about business owners. His words describe perfectly why so many of us hesitate. We hold back, […]
Your Attention Is Being Stolen
Marcus Aurelius on what to do about it It was 8 PM and I was still at the office. I’d been busy all day. Jumping between patient visits, staff issues, Medicare documentation, and endless emails. My phone kept buzzing with notifications. My computer kept dinging with messages. I was exhausted and couldn’t point to anything […]
Leverage Changes Everything
Sun Tzu on the ball rolling downhill “Thus one need use but little strength to achieve much… one must take advantage of the situation exactly as if he were setting a ball in motion on a steep slope. The force applied is minute but the results are enormous.” — Sun Tzu Running a small business […]
Finding Opportunity in Chaos
Sun Tzu on what AI is doing to your industry This morning, reading The Art of War, I came across this: “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” It made me think about the wild and rapid changes artificial intelligence is bringing to nearly every industry. For small businesses, AI is shaking up […]
Passing the Torch
Sun Tzu on choosing who runs the business next “The wrong person cannot be appointed to command. Lin Hsiang-ju, the Prime Minister of Chao, said: ‘Chao Kua is merely able to read his father’s books, and is as yet ignorant of correlating changing circumstances. Now Your Majesty, on account of his name, makes him the […]
Meetings That Matter
Sun Tzu on the cost of mobilizing people “In the operations of war, where there are in the field a thousand swift chariots, as many heavy chariots, and a hundred thousand mail-clad soldiers, with provisions enough to carry them a thousand li, the expenditure at home and at the front… will reach the total of […]
Know Yourself, Know Your Competition
Sun Tzu on the two things you need to see clearly “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” Sun Tzu’s advice isn’t just for generals. It’s a lifeline for small business owners. To build a business that lasts, you need to understand two things. […]