Sign in Subscribe

Archive

Everything I have written, newest first.

  1. 💞 Do What You Love (Kinda)

    Seize opportunities to do projects and tasks that you are genuinely drawn towards, even if it's part of an overall job you don't "love."

    3 min read

  2. 🏃 Working on the Go

    Trying to get work done in the midst of heavy travel can be crazy making. It can also be invigorating, presenting unique opportunities and insights along the way. Lean in.

    4 min read

  3. 🎡 How to Build a Creativity Flywheel

    Five things anyone can do to jump start and sustain a creative flow

    4 min read

  4. 🥱 Be Bored

    In a world of scant attention, there's something we can do to try and reclaim focus that's both obvious and obnoxious: be bored.

    2 min read

  5. 🙋‍♂️ I'm the Author, it's Me

    As AI threatens to subvert the very purpose of written communication, it's important to me that you know that I, in fact, actually wrote this.

    3 min read

  6. 🍃 Our Hidden Suns

    Behind the leaves, beyond the clouds, shine unique suns that remind of us who we are. Don't forget they are there.

    3 min read

  7. 🤐 "What are you babbling about?"

    On trying something because it feels good to try, without getting too caught up in the desired outcome.

    2 min read

  8. 🧵 On Following the Thread

    Just because you don't know where something is going doesn't mean you shouldn't go there. The unknown, when pursued with authenticity and intention, can be some of the best life has to offer.

    3 min read

  9. 🌸 The Flower and Flame of Memorial Day

    Honoring sacrifice with service, one wilting flower, one spreading flame at a time.

    8 min read

  10. 👇 The Unfolding Experience of Now

    On being and experiencing the great unfolding.

    2 min read

  11. 🤫 AI Lies — Surprise!

    Use the models, yes, but beware that no matter how large their language, their preference of using the smallest effort can lead to deceitful outcomes.

    5 min read

  12. 🔄 To read, to write, to discuss...to think!

    A reflection of the reasons to read, write, and discuss, all in service of deepening our capacity to truly, unmistakably think.

    4 min read

  13. 🍎 5.5 Hours in NYC

    A focused trip helps me understand the impact I'm capable of and reminds me of the cost of moving quickly

    2 min read

  14. 🧭 Directionally Correct

    In moments of overwhelm, we'd do well to not only pause, but to objectively question if we're heading in the right direction. And if we're not, we'd do even better to adjust. Quickly.

    3 min read

  15. 🧠 In Defense of Introspection

    The reflective connections made between where one was and where they are now inform where one goes next. Don't let billionaires convince you otherwise

    2 min read

  16. 💁‍♂️ Life is Yes

    Saying "no" creates the possibility of "yes," but discerning which to say isn't always easy. To get there, we have to explore the value of each option, and then...jump.

    4 min read

  17. ⛔ Life is Temporary

    Life will, eventually, end. Fully facing up to that fact and all its implications can help us find meaning now, while we still have time to live that meaning out.

    3 min read

  18. 🎉 A Moment, a Celebration

    In the Year of Focus, I'm leaning into moments that command attention, even when I didn't expect them to.

    3 min read

  19. ⊹ Eisenhower and You

    Claude and I are on some coding adventures, and I cannot quite believe how easy it is bring ideas to life. First up: dynamic tools to assess prioritization and identity.

    3 min read

  20. 🫨 "Coding" for the Rest of Us

    To move forward a project I've had in mind for quite some time, I spent an hour with Claude Code. It will not be my last.

    4 min read

  21. 🙅‍♂️ Life is No

    "No" is an essential word, and we say it implicitly more often than we think. That's a very good thing.

    6 min read

  22. 🧬 Life is Procedurally Generated

    The world around us is constantly being generated in response to conditions outside our control. Plan and act accordingly.

    6 min read

  23. ⏩︎ Life is (Too) Fast

    In world where things move ever faster, intentional slowness helps get more done and deepens appreciation for the world swirling around us.

    5 min read

  24. 🧹 Keeping House

    A quick update on switching to Ghost, an upcoming name change, and a pay-what-ya-want model.

    2 min read

  25. ⌛The Year of Timeliness

    What is time, and how do I actually use it? I spent substantial portions of this year evaluating time and my relationship to it,

    4 min read

  26. 🎙️ (Un)productive Hobbies

    The arc of my life, in terms of productivity, is a strange one. I think I've been missing something along the way.

    4 min read

  27. ❓The Questions Themselves

    Answers. We spend our lives in search of them. We are desperate for them, so desperate that we embrace slipshod shortcuts that allow us

    3 min read

  28. 📍Where You Are

    Let's start with a confession: Sometimes my best inspiration stems from Reddit. Take the Warrior-Scholar's Field Guide, for example.

    5 min read

  29. ⋰ Forward, Back, Left, Right...Diagonal

    Last night, I raised a glass with a friend. Catching odd inspiration, I ordered a Sazerac. I must say, it felt cool to order.

    4 min read

  30. 🫸 Patience, My Love

    Patience — ugh! Where's the fun in that? As someone almost always in go-mode, I'll admit that patience isn'

    5 min read

  31. 🫵 You, You

    The responses to last week's post about burnout and an intentional road to recovery have been overwhelming. Between public and private messages,

    3 min read

  32. ⇒ (Moving) Forward

    Hi! I've been gone for a bit. The reasons are both simple and complex. I'm coming back here in really

    3 min read

  33. 🤞 A Skeptic's Hope

    It's Fourth of July in the year 2025, and I'm conflicted. On Skepticism I am, by nature, a skeptic. At

    3 min read

  34. 📣 Out Loud

    Yesterday, I got to teach. It got me thinking of the unique power of the spoken word, and what that means about how we

    3 min read

  35. 📖 21 Lessons From My Father

    When I was 21, my father called me. "Listen, Ryan," he began, using his signature line to transition from small talk to

    4 min read

  36. 🧠 Where Is My Mind

    With your feet on the air and your head on the ground, try this trick and spin it, yeah Your head will collapse, if

    1 min read

  37. 🔋 Lunar Lessons

    Look to the moon and consider what it may teach you. It's always there, serving its purpose. It doesn’t always reveal

    2 min read

  38. 🔋 Memorials & Purpose

    I am here because others are not. I must move forward because others cannot. This swirled through my mind during the minute of silence

    2 min read

  39. 🔋 Finding Weird, Part 3 - The Bridge

    Fear, then strength…then what? We are at our best when we are ourselves. Our strange, unique, goofy selves. Believe that, and you will

    5 min read

  40. 🔋 Finding Weird, Part 2 - Strength

    Let's keep getting weird, eh? We all bring something different to the table. My contention is that the sooner we identify and

    2 min read

  41. 🔋 Embracing Weird, Part 1 - Fear

    Let's get a little weird, eh? One of the first posts I wrote in the recent incarnation of this blog was about

    4 min read

  42. 🔋 A Zebra's Perspective

    I wonder how many times I say the word "perspective" on a monthly basis. It's become one of those core

    2 min read

  43. 🔋 Priority Pivots

    You've seen Friends, right? Somehow I hadn't, at least not in full, until a couple years ago (good lookin'

    2 min read

  44. 🔋 The Humbling Quest to Get More Done

    Let me guess: you planned on getting more stuff done in 2025 than you did in 2024, and so far, it's not

    3 min read

  45. 🔋 Two Productivity Questions We Should (but don't) Ask

    What are the productivity questions we should be pondering but don't actually take the time to ask? Two Questions When we set

    4 min read

  46. 🔋 Back to Basics: Taking Notes & Taking Actions

    I'm back. Let's start by getting back to basics, eh? After hitting that milestone of 40 consecutive posts, I gave

    2 min read

  47. 🔋 A Productivity Nerd's Top 5 Lessons of 2024

    The end is here! As we chill the champaign and put the finishing touches on 2024, I've edited my swirling mess of

    6 min read

  48. 🔋 Let Yourself Get Distracted

    One of the most common words I use in these pages is "focus," so what I'm about to say might

    3 min read

  49. 🔋 Optimizing for Profit

    When you create, when you introduce parts of your weird and unique self into the world, can you avoid the temptation to immediately optimize

    3 min read

  50. 🔋 You Should Miss a Deadline

    I'm growing more comfortable with missing deadlines, and I think you should too. That's probably a weird thing for a

    3 min read

  51. 🔋 Why I Write

    What's the value of writing a blog like this? One of my favorite newsletters is Ness Labs. It's a mindful

    4 min read

  52. 🔋 Rest

    Rest. Okay? Actually rest. Those words are as much for you, dear reader, as they are for me. Thanksgiving is two days away. For

    1 min read

  53. ☄️ Emerging from the Notification Hellscape

    Every app on your phone wants your attention. Right now. Every store you've ever purchased from wants you adding more to your

    2 min read

  54. ☄️ A Man Who is Freezing

    How do you get anything done when nerves are frayed, emotions are high, and information flys about in all directions? In my life, I&

    3 min read

  55. ☄️ Actionable Notes

    A colleague reached out for some advice, saying "I need to nail down a consistent way to stay on top of my stuff.

    2 min read

  56. ☄️ You Can't 10x Your Productivity

    I recently came across a popular Thread captioned "10 images to 10x your productivity." The graphics are cute, and there are some

    2 min read

  57. ☄️ In Search of Equanimity

    My system surfaced the right highlight for me at the right time: Thanks, system! (having highlights across PDFs, articles, and books feed into a

    2 min read

  58. ☄️ I Just Don't Wanna

    Today is one of those days. The to-do list is full, the calendar is set, and the clock ticks ever forward, but the

    1 min read

  59. ☄️ Preemptively Closing Loops & Go Bags

    Yeah, that's right. Another post about loop closing — do the thing immediately or write it down. It's just too darn

    2 min read

  60. ☄️ The Onion Attention Challenge

    When The Onion nails a headline, it nails the headline. It's concise and relatable, spurring some odd type of introspective chuckle. Those

    2 min read

  61. ☄️ Unto the Senseless Breach

    Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more; King Henry V unleashes these words from a commanding position above battle-worn troops, clad

    2 min read

  62. ☄️ Externalizing Gratitude

    A few months back, I wrote about my new process of starting each day with gratitude. While I can't report perfect consistency,

    3 min read

  63. ☄️ Joy in Saying No

    I am, to put it mildly, a fan of the "closing loops" method. I believe it to be one of the highest

    3 min read

  64. ☄️ Thanks For Your Patience

    I typically steer away from productivity "hacks." Even when they work, the gains are ephemeral. You get some type of boost for

    2 min read

  65. ☄️ On Feedback — Soliciting, Listening, and Responding with Intention

    I get a lot of feedback in this job. A lot. Students, alumni, staff, board members, donors, partners, colleagues, strangers…there's no

    4 min read

  66. Artificial Knowledge

    Jurassic Park holds up. I mean that not only in a holy-cow-this-mix-of-anamtronics-and-CGI-is-actually-passable-in-2024

    2 min read

  67. The Human Behind the Profile

    A little experiment, eh? Take a minute to skim the LinkedIn profile of someone you admire. What stands out? How do you feel reading

    1 min read

  68. How the End Gives Life to the Means

    Note: This post is heavy, but I'm not writing from a negative headspace. It may be triggering for folks who are processing

    3 min read

  69. Procrastination in a Bunker

    On deployment, I wrote a newsletter. I was 21, sending reflections from a foreign land with tight restrictions on what I could and could

    2 min read

  70. The Thing That Made Me Read

    Two weeks ago, I posted a poem with a shade of mindefulness. Last week, a guacamole recipe with a dash of democracy. Dear reader,

    4 min read

  71. For Country and Guac

    Last week, three things happened: First, I got to lead a seminar on the Declaration of Independence and Tocqueville's Equality of Conditions

    5 min read

  72. Is Be

    On an evening flight home from a deeply rewarding trip, I caught a confounding mix of exhaustion and pulsing energy. I started writing, and

    2 min read

  73. Think - Part Two

    Last year around this time, I reflected on one of the most important things my father taught me: to think. Father's Day

    3 min read

  74. How Dare You Procrastinate

    Picture this. You're putting off an important task but you feel so guilty about putting off the task that you can'

    3 min read

  75. The 98: Multitasking Lies

    I'd like to think I'm an inclusive and engaging teacher. I've only had someone walk out of my

    2 min read

  76. Cross-Pollinating Productivity

    What can we learn from going outside our industry and examining how folks in very different fields get things done? I’m starting to

    4 min read

  77. The Power of a Name

    I caught up with a law school classmate last week — a sharp guy who speaks about his work with an invigorating amount of technical

    3 min read

  78. The Flattening

    I was spurred to start blogging regularly because of (1) a nagging concern that we’re increasingly flattening the human experience into one-dimensional

    2 min read

  79. Habitual Mindfulness

    I learned recently that James Clear sells a copy of Atomic Habits every 15 seconds. That's wild. I've been familiar

    3 min read

  80. Starting With Gratitude

    What’s something I’m grateful for today? This is the question at the top of my daily log. It’s the question I

    3 min read

  81. Deep Work Experiment

    What would the Warrior-Scholar Project team be able to accomplish if we each blocked off four hours of distraction-free, focused work time

    4 min read

  82. Productivity ≠ Self Worth

    'Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” - Ferris Bueller

    2 min read

  83. Appreciating a Disaster

    Welcome! If you enjoy the blog, consider subscribing and forwarding to a friend. Join me every Tuesday as I develop my working theory of

    3 min read

  84. Your Contextual Value

    Last week, a trip to the doctor led me to reflect on how one can provide their maximum and unique value. This week, I&

    3 min read

  85. Your Maximum & Unique Value

    Ask any professional paid to provide me some type of service, and I think you'd hear something similar: I am a strange

    2 min read

  86. 2023 Productivity Year in Review

    In December 2022, I wrote my first annual productivity review. As I started drafting the 2023 version, I hesitated about framing it like this

    9 min read

  87. Serve

    When I was seventeen, I raised my right and took an oath: I, Ryan Andrew Pavel, do solemnly swear that I will uphold and

    3 min read

  88. Solitude

    I am a person who practices solitude. The syntax of that sentence probably sounds off, even clunky. We’ll come back to that. One

    3 min read

  89. If My Kids Ask About Joining the Military

    It’s the day after July 4th (aka July 5th). Amidst yesterday’s fireworks and cookout, I found myself pondering: how would I feel

    3 min read

  90. Think.

    Think. This is what my father taught me. When I faced a challenge, made a poor decision, or tried to figure out what to

    3 min read

  91. Go With the (Lazy) Flow

    Culture is a strange thing. Leaders can and should be intentional about how they build and reinforce it, but sometimes it develops or regresses

    3 min read

  92. The 5 AM Flight (and other questionable decisions)

    So, here's the dilemma. Travel is an ever present part of my job, and I love it. I'm actually hard-

    3 min read

  93. Two Thousand and Two Ways to Feel Inadequate

    Hello inadequacy, my old friend. I've come to battle you again. This morning, I woke up and did a quick scroll through

    2 min read

  94. Saying Yes

    The other day, I walked past Revival Food Hall in Chicago. I stopped in to snap this picture and take a few minutes to

    4 min read

  95. Presumption of Guilt - My Disabled Journey

    A year and a day ago, I started writing about my disability. I was dealing with a particularly rough patch of symptoms, and there

    2 min read

  96. Write. It. Down.

    I’m at a conference this week, where thousands of people will make thousands of connections and will commit to thousands of follow-up

    2 min read

  97. 2022 Productivity - Year in Review

    In the last week of each year, I strive to do two work-adjacent things: (1) review the systems and mentalities I rely on

    6 min read

  98. It's Alive!

    *ahem* It's time to dust off this 'ole thing and get cranking on some content. I started this back in college

    1 min read