🔥Key Takeaways 🔥
Optimize for people, not plans.
Let your priorities shape your decisions.
Leave room for the unexpected.
Optimizing a Good Time
The older I get, the stranger the phrase optimizing a good time sounds.
The first year we went on our now-annual family vacation, I (who am I kidding... mostly my wife) spent a lot of time planning.
We researched restaurants, compared attractions, bought tickets weeks in advance, and made sure we didn't miss anything worth seeing. If there was a "Top 10 Things to Do" list, we wanted to check off as many as possible.
Each year we've planned a little less.
This year—year five—we practically didn't plan at all.
We booked a place to stay (the only thing we did in advance), packed the car, and decided we'd figure out the rest when we got there.
So far, five days in, our planning has looked something like this:
"What do you want to do tomorrow?"
Then the next morning, over coffee:
"Does that still sound good?"
Maybe the beach.
Maybe the pool.
Maybe a museum.
Maybe a cheese tasting.
Maybe ice cream.
Sometimes we wander through a few shops.
Sometimes we do almost nothing.
Five years ago, I probably would've worried we were wasting opportunities.
Now I think we were making room for them.
Looking back, I realized something.
I wasn't planning less because I cared less.
I was planning differently because I cared about something different.
Without really thinking about it, I'd started running our decisions through what I call The Family Filter.
Instead of asking, "What's the best use of our time?"
I found myself asking, "What would everyone enjoy today?"
One question tries to maximize experiences.
The other tries to maximize the people having the experiences.
You can optimize an itinerary.
You can optimize a spreadsheet.
I'm not sure you can optimize a good time.
Sometimes best days begin with a simple question:
"What sounds good today?"
No optimization required.
Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.
Reading Recommendation: Sleep Smarter
I've struggled with sleep for a long time, and I'd be lying if I said I'd completely figured it out. But Sleep Smarter changed the way I think about sleep and gave me practical ideas that have made a real difference over time.
I'm Working on Something...
I've been working on something new, and I'd love your help.
Send me a question—about anything.
Family. Purpose. Growth. Health. Simplicity.
Or even music, books, sports, or whatever else has been on your mind lately.
If it's something you're wrestling with, there's a good chance someone else is too.
Reply to this email with your question. It might just show up in what I'm working on.
Until next time—
🔥Keep the fires burning,
— Clay
P.S. I’d rather grow Campfire Gentleman through real connections than algorithms.
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