Hi Everyone,

Happy Friday! Thanks for spending part of it reading The Lake Street Journal.

This week we’re talking about Bill Clinton’s priorities, life lessons, and a slower pace. Let's get into it.

Three or Four Things

If you can't fit your priorities on a notecard, you're doing too much.

As Chris Whipple wrote in The Gatekeepers, "Bowles [Clinton's chief of staff] carried around a card with the president's top priorities written on it—and rebelled when Clinton tried to go off script.

'One day the president came out of the office and he had another one of his great ideas,' Bowles recalls. 'And believe me, they were unbelievably great ideas. And I turned to him and said, "Mr. President, you have got to go back into that Oval Office right now! You've got to look at this list of things that you and I agreed you wanted to get done. Not that I wanted to get done, but you wanted to get done. If you will stay focused on those three or four things, I can set up the organization and the structure and the focus to make 'em real. But you can't do a thousand things."

It's true for presidents, CEOs, coaches, even parents doing chores around the house. Three or four things max.

Finish one, move to the next.

Three or four tasks done makes a good day.

Three or four goals accomplished makes a good presidency.

Three or four feature rollouts makes a good year at a software company.

Balance the budget. Launch a new service. Reduce the turnovers. Finish the potty training. One thing at a time. Focus, focus, focus.

As a college professor of mine used to say, "If you chase too many geese, you will catch none."

Why do you think I still remember that advice more than a decade after I heard it? Because it's so damn useful. It's universal. It's timeless.

It's true for college students and Fortune 500 CEOs alike. Fewer priorities equals more accomplishments.

Easier said than done. Better done than said.

Six Lessons from My 33rd Year

I turned 33 this week. I've tried to make a habit of jotting down the more important life lessons I learn throughout the year and then turning them into an article on my birthday.

I think they're fun to look back on, and maybe some of the things I learned will be helpful to you too. Here's the short version. You can read more about each one in the full article.

• Eat more protein.

• Winning beats being right.

• Expect less of others, more of yourself.

• Never take a sticker off your child's arm.

• Take a small action toward a big goal every day.

• Handwritten notes are treasures. Treat them like it.

The Magic of the Pandemic

I enjoyed this reflection on 2020 because it echoed my feelings.

I was grateful for the way life slowed down due to COVID. I could work from home—which I'm still doing—spend more time with my family, eliminate a commute I hated, and spend more time outside.

My life improved in a bunch of ways, but I think most of it comes down to a slower pace. More focus on the things I care about and less focus on the things I don't.

This is an important point for leaders too. The more you can slow down your pace, eliminate the inessential, the more time you'll have to think. To reflect. To give your mind the space it needs to work properly. All those things result in better decision making, one of the most important jobs of a leader.

We don't all have this luxury. But if it's possible for you, I'd encourage you to spend some time this weekend thinking about how you can make it happen. How you can slow down to improve your life.

Workout of the Week

This was a fun workout that smokes your grip and tests your ability to hold on to the bar.

“Catch Me if You Can”

5 rounds for time:

• 1k bike erg or 400m run

• 10 toes to bar

• 10 clean and jerk (95)

Aim to complete this in less than 20 minutes. I came in at 19:02.

Here’s a short video of my first round.

Quote of the Week

"The most successful managers are those that are secure enough to surround themselves with extremely strong-willed, talented people." - Margaret Tutwiler

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Talk soon,

Joe