I’ve talked for years about the 3-minute rule. If it takes under three minutes, do it now. In plumbing, I generally use it to talk about callbacks. Do it once, do it right. Future re-work just erodes profit and credibility. Lately though I'm realizing that rule was pointing at something bigger. Touch it once. Not as a productivity trick. As a constraint for operating at a higher level. Here’s what I think of as a “touch”: -Opening the same email multiple times -Rereading the same draft without deciding -Thinking about the same task again tomorrow -Starting something without finishing it -Passing work forward unfinished because it feels easier now Every extra touch is a tax. On attention. On energy. And on trust - especially in leadership. Most inefficiency isn’t from doing hard things. It’s from revisiting simple things we avoided finishing. Thus incurring a dummy tax every additional time our monkey brain revisits it. Touch it once doesn’t mean “rush.” It means: >Decide while you’re there >Finish the thought >Close the loop >Or consciously park it with a next action No half-touches. No mental bookmarks. No future you problem. This is where it connects back to regulation. When I’m scattered, I touch everything five times. When I’m calm, clear, and present — once is enough. Higher standards don’t come from doing more. They come from respecting attention — yours and everyone else’s. I’m practicing this as a personal constraint. Not perfectly, but intentionally. What’s one place in your day where you’re touching things more than once - and paying for it?

I suck at multi-tasking. Despite the fact that I’ve been doing it all my life, the real question is… why? Have you ever felt the power of dedicated, focused attention on a single objective? It’s deep. It’s powerful. It works. Instead, I typically spin... Thoughts. Worries. Businesses. Goals. Conversations. Notifications. Butterflies to chase. If my brain had a smell, it’d be burning rubber. And we don’t talk about the wear and tear enough. Not just on results — on us. Multitasking chews up mental tread. Constant switching overheats the engine. Nothing breaks all at once… it just slowly degrades. The other day I was running errands while on a “quick” phone call. After reflection, I did neither well. Double the inefficiency; Half the fun. Created friction that didn’t need to exist. That’s what all gas, no traction looks like. Movement without progress. Effort without momentum. Focus preserves the machine. Less burnout. Less noise. Fewer self-inflicted repairs. I’m trying to not do more anymore. The inner turmoil is to stop grinding myself down while pretending it’s productivity. What’s one thing in your life right now that deserves your full, undivided attention?

I am starting to catch myself when I use the word "try." Why am I "trying" and not "doing" when I use the word try... I have been hyper aware of this, not easy to do, but I am catching myself when I use that word. There is a phrase I use called TAN (Take Action Now). When I catch myself using the word "try," I immediately think to myself, how can I take action to not try, but DO. Thoughts?

It was probably the most difficult thing I had to do. It felt wrong. I felt like I was disappointing people. It’s something I’ve struggled with forever. I learned to say “no” in 2025. For some people, this is not a big deal, but for me, it’s a struggle. Many of these “nos” were for social moments that I just simply could not commit to without completely burning out. Many of them were also for favors that I simply could not abandon my time for. Some of them were business related. I pride myself on being extremely reliable and trusted. The downside to that is people can begin to EXPECT you to show up any time, anywhere, and drop everything you’re doing for them. In part, I set this expectation because I am always willing to help, but the reality started to set in that I couldn’t help everyone and I could not afford to burn time and effort by always saying yes. I found that once I decided what aligned with my needs/wants/values, it became much easier to say no to something that didn’t fit. What I found to be the most important aspect of saying no was that it put me back in control. The tension, anger, and frustration was mounting because I felt like I was losing my time and control. Once I started saying no, I was back in the drivers seat. It’s made a world of difference. This isn’t a new lesson, but if you have ever felt like this, just know you can say “no” and your world and the people around you who matter will not change the way they think of you. I took control back by saying no and it has allowed me to deepen relationships and continue to grow. I never thought that would be the case. Please feel free to share your thoughts, insights, and experiences on this.