Compound Effort Over Grand Gestures

To be resourceful is also to respect your time and energy.

Like Warren Buffett’s “cigar butt” analogy, I ask myself: What use is still left in me? Even a small stub can spark something if I’m willing to act on it.

That doesn’t mean working non-stop. I relax, stroll, and enjoy the little things—a good bowl of noodles, an old toy in a secondhand shop. But I earn my rest through effort. No lounging with guilt. No waiting for permission.

I’m not chasing greatness. I’m trying to be the best version of myself. That means setting boundaries: I don’t surround myself with people who crave fast success or drain energy. I stay small, deliberate, and focused. An orange tree can’t grow apples, so I stop trying to become someone I’m not.

If something isn’t working, I don’t blame others. I study the situation, check if it’s within my control, and take responsibility for my choices—including the people I bring in. The team I work with now must reflect that mindset, even if our paths began years ago.

Pull-ups taught me this. You don’t fake your way to strength. You train, quietly, one part at a time. One day, you can eventually do one full rep without noticing it—and you move on to the second reps, without fireworks.

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