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I write about books, business, habits, and ideas that age well — the kind of insights that compound over time.

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Entrepreneurship — Lessons from building and studying businesses
Books — Notes, reflections, and curated reading lists
Friday Five — A weekly dispatch of five things worth your time

Latest Articles

  • Friday Five: Change Your Mind, Simplify, Try Again, Break Dependencies, Repeat

    Friday Five: Change Your Mind, Simplify, Try Again, Break Dependencies, Repeat

    Welcome to this week’s Friday Five: insights, inspiration, and a few personal favorites to kick off your weekend. Music of the Week 311 (Omaha’s finest) — Omaha is more than just Berkshire Hathaway HQ. It’s also home to 311, the band behind tracks like Amber, Beautiful Disaster, and Love Song. Formed in the ’80s, their…


  • Thomas Edison’s Ego: Lessons from the Wizard of Menlo Park

    Thomas Edison’s Ego: Lessons from the Wizard of Menlo Park

    Ryan Holiday’s Ego Is the Enemy argues that our greatest obstacles are often internal, rooted in selfishness, pride, and self-importance. The Wizard of Menlo Park offers a vivid, real-world example of this principle through the story of Thomas Edison’s ego. Thomas Edison’s ego shaped both his triumphs and his troubles. He struggled to acknowledge competitors,…


  • Friday Five – Quality over quantity, Taking a break, Work and don’t worry

    Friday Five – Quality over quantity, Taking a break, Work and don’t worry

    Music of the Week Hailing from Pennsylvania, Breaking Benjamin is a rock band formed in the late 1990s. The band was formed by Benjamin Burnley (lead singer, guitar) and Jeremy Hummel (drummer). Breaking Benjamin’s lineup has changed over the years. It’s currently composed of Benjamin Burnley, Aaron Bruch (bassist, backup vocalist), Keith Wallen (guitarist, backup…


  • Thomas Edison’s Happiness: Work, Willpower, and Big Ideas

    Thomas Edison’s Happiness: Work, Willpower, and Big Ideas

    According to The Wizard of Menlo Park, Thomas Edison’s happiness stemmed from three core principles: working on large-scale projects, immersing himself completely in his work, and maintaining control over the decision-making process. Thomas Edison’s happiness was fueled by action. He found joy in tackling massive, complex problems. Whether inventing the phonograph or building an electric…


  • How Thomas Edison’s Discipline Shaped a Legacy of Innovation

    How Thomas Edison’s Discipline Shaped a Legacy of Innovation

    There’s a saying by former Navy SEAL Jocko Willink: Discipline equals freedom. The more discipline you have, the more freedom you gain. Thomas Edison lived this truth. As The Wizard of Menlo Park reveals, discipline wasn’t just part of Edison’s approach—it was foundational. At times, it defined him. At other times, it nearly undid him.…


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Michael McHugh
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