Read or subscribe to the Friday Five at michaelwmchugh.com
No. 308 | November 21, 2025
Welcome to this week’s Friday Five—a short dose of insights, inspiration, and favorites to help you start the weekend with clarity and focus.
Music of the Week
Branford Marsalis is a saxophonist, composer, and head of the jazz band the Branford Marsalis Quartet.
A native New Orleanian, Marsalis grew up in a musical household—his mother was a jazz singer and substitute teacher, and his father was a pianist and music teacher. Music has been in his blood since birth.
For more on Marsalis and his band, listen to: Spiritual Dance, Blossom, and Long As You Know You’re Living Yours.
Quotes of the Week
The practice of letting go—it’s something I’ve been working on lately. Letting go of expectations, control, ego, and outcomes. I try to release anything outside my control. These quotes get to the essence of that mindset.
“Let go of the past, let go of the future, let go of the present.” – Buddha
“Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
“Sometimes letting things go is an act of far greater power than hanging on.” – Eckhart Tolle
“We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” – Joseph Campbell
“Do not cling to a small vision. Be willing to let go of what worked yesterday.” – Reed Hastings (Netflix)
Article of the Week
“The tragedy of life is often not in our failure, but rather in our complacency; not in our doing too much, but rather in our doing too little.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
Complacency has killed many great companies, sports teams, and organizations. It’s human nature to fall asleep at the top.
Nvidia’s Jensen Huang has made sure that hasn’t happened at his company. He keeps a vigilant watch over complacency.
One of the ways he does it is by building resilience into Nvidia’s culture. Resilience matters to him—he believes people with unrealistic expectations often have low resilience.
Another tool against complacency: hiring well. He brings in the strongest people he can find—people who believe in the mission.
He knows competitors want to put him out of business, so future-proofing remains an obsession.
For more on Nvidia, Jensen Huang, and the book The Nvidia Way, check out my article below:
📝 Avoiding Complacency: Nvidia’s Jensen Huang on Resilience and Future-Proofing
Book of the Week
It’s How We Play the Game: Build a Business. Take a Stand. Make a Difference. is the story of Dick’s Sporting Goods told by founder Dick Stack’s son, Ed Stack.
Dick’s started as a small bait-and-tackle shop in Binghamton, New York, in the late 1940s. Today, it’s a multi-billion-dollar operation with more than 750 stores.
Ed bought the business from his dad. The handoff was tumultuous at best as Dick didn’t want to relinquish the reins of what he started.
The business faced near-death more than once under Ed’s leadership, but his steadiness ultimately righted the ship.
For more on the incredible story of Dick’s Sporting Goods, the Stack family, and perseverance, read the book below:
📚 It’s How We Play the Game: Build a Business. Take a Stand. Make a Difference.
Podcast of the Week
Michael Lewis is my favorite writer. He’s written countless New York Times bestsellers, and his storytelling is phenomenal.
He recently joined Armchair Expert to talk about a wide range of topics.
Topics include advice from his dad early in his career, stories from his time as a stock boy at an art dealer, how he learned that economics rules the world, and the gambling epidemic affecting young men.
For more on Michael Lewis, his books, and his stories, listen to the episode below:
🎧 Michael Lewis On The Gambling Epidemic
Enjoyed the Friday Five? Hit reply and let me know what stood out—or forward this to a friend who might appreciate it too.
You can also follow along on Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
