Anything — Not Everything.

Last Tuesday, I Googled "YouTube channel for business" at around 9:30.

By 11:00, I was three-windows-deep in posts about how to monetize your video content.

During lunch, I was watching a YT tutorial on building passive income through digital products.

Yeah … I had ZERO of those topics on my to-do list for the day.

***

All I really needed was a place to host our first video testimonial.

That’s it. Just one simple thing. But my unbridled search ended up derailing my entire morning.

I’m not too proud to share (as this story reveals the obvious) — tech is MY “shiny object.”

New apps, platforms, tools, AI … I love it all. 🤩

But most of the time, I don’t need a new tool. I need to use what I already have … with more focus and intention.

***

Friends, welcome to 2025 (aka: The Attention-Suck Olympics), where every scroll is a new event demanding your attention. Social media. Webinars. Guru-inflated LinkedIn posts.

Everyone is screaming the latest “must-do” tactic like it’s THE life raft to save your career or business.

The hard part isn’t finding new ideas.

It’s committing to the right ones — and ignoring everything else.

***

I really feel that focus is a form of courage these days.

It’s the strength to choose your own path (with the entire world yelling and shooting off fireworks in the background).

And the ability to tune it all out and say, “That’s cool. But not for me. Not right now.”

That kind of clarity doesn’t come from more (of anything). It comes from subtraction.

Every "no thanks" is a louder "heck yes!" to what really matters.

So the next time someone’s supposed results make you second-guess your game plan, ask yourself: “Is this aligned with where I’m going? … Or am I just being lured in by shiny objects?”

Because you can do anything — but not everything.

And real success lives in the choosing. 🙌

Otter vs. Fathom

The Battle of AI Notetakers

Contestant #1 — Otter

Otter transcribes your meetings in real time, adds speaker tags, and even lets you search by keyword. It’s like having a diligent assistant who types everything for you.

Free forever plan: 300 monthly minutes and 30-minute max per call

Upgraded plans: Start at $8.33/month

Best for: Anyone who wants a searchable, all-in-one meeting archive — especially across different platforms.

Why it works: It gives you a transcript and a second brain, without you doing a thing.

Contestant #2 — Fathom

Fathom records your Zoom calls, generates shareable highlights, and breaks down key insights automatically. Think of it as Otter’s cooler cousin who knows how to write a summary that actually makes sense.

Free forever plan: Unlimited recordings + summaries for 5 meetings/month

Upgraded plans: Start at $19/month

Best for: Business folks that want instant recaps and highlights — without re-watching the whole meeting.

Why it works: It doesn’t just document, it distills. That’s focus-power, on steroids.

AND THE WINNER IS …

🎉 FATHOM 🎉

Fathom wins with its clarity and quick, concise, copy-and-paste summaries. But with either option, you're spending less time re-watching and more time doing.

Expansion Pack

Extra Fuel for Curious Brains

These hand-picked gems dig deeper, spark ideas, and help you stay in motion — minus the overwhelm.

7 Habits to Stay Focused in a World Full of Distractions
Practical steps to eliminate distractions. (Harvard Business Review)

How To Sidestep Shiny Object Syndrome
Start by establishing a clear, guiding vision for your company to maintain focus and avoid distractions. (Forbes)

The Knowledge Project Podcast
“The best of what other people have already figured out.” If you like your wisdom dense and your insight practical, every episode delivers battle-tested strategies from the world’s sharpest minds.

How I Built This Podcast
Hear the raw, real moments behind beloved brands — pivots, face-plants, breakthroughs, and all.

Victory Points

By: Mike Shary
( my board-game-loving, copywriter extraordinaire and mentor, Dad ❤️ ) 

A truly Ingenious first-step game that everyone loves!

As I mentioned last week, once you take the first step into modern board gaming, you’ll discover a whole new world of fun and social interaction that you never imagined. To help you get started, I’m introducing some of my favorite “first step” games.

Last week’s game was the card-collecting, route-building game, Ticket to Ride Europe. (#promo)

This week we’re looking at an abstract strategy game designed by the godfather of modern gaming, Dr. Reiner Knizia. It’s called Ingenious. (#promo)

There are so many reasons why virtually everyone who we’ve introduced to Ingenious loves it!

First of all, it’s easy to learn. There are only a handful of rules to understand, and new players can begin playing within minutes.

You and up to 3 friends will take turns placing domino-style tiles onto a hexagonal grid. Each tile shows two of six possible colored swatches.

When you place a tile, you score points on color tracks based on how many matching colors you extend in straight lines from the tile’s position. You just match colors and think ahead.

Despite its simplicity, Ingenious offers surprising depth.

That’s because there’s an ingenious twist (pun definitely intended) … Your final score is the lowest of your six color tracks.

That means you have to balance your scoring across all six colors. If you ignore even just one color, you’ll be in trouble!

This encourages thoughtful decision-making without becoming overwhelming. It teaches new players to plan ahead, adapt, and strategize, all in a super-fun, low-pressure game that only lasts 30-40 minutes.

With its simple mechanics, elegant design, and engaging strategy, Ingenious is unlike any game you’ve ever played.

It’s a great way to open the door to modern board gaming fun for you, just as it has for many of our friends — one hexagon at a time.

If you’re ready, here’s a few ways we can work together:

1. Free Brainstorming Session: Stop overthinking and start executing. In this bite-sized strategy session, we'll identify your biggest growth opportunities and ways to implement them immediately.

2. One-on-One Deep Dive: Ready for real transformation? Let's spend 60 minutes mapping out your business evolution. We'll tackle your biggest marketing challenges and create a customized, actionable roadmap for growth. Ideal for entrepreneurs who are done waiting on "perfect."

3. 60-Day Web Accelerator: Join other business coaches, speakers and consultants who've learned to launch fast — and iterate later. This intensive program will build, transform and optimize your entire online system in just 60 days. No more endless tweaking. Just real results.