Decisions, Incentives, & The Future of Work

Last week, a handful of conversations stretched my thinking in ways I didn’t expect.

The kind that don’t just give you answers, but change how you see the question.

I’m constantly reminded how much proximity matters.
Being around sharp, honest thinkers compresses years into moments.

This is my attempt to pass a few of those moments along.

If something hits . . .sit with it.
If something challenges you . . .even better.

Let me know what sticks.

1. Engineers vs. Creatives (and why decisions matter)

A conversation with a good friend Preet reframed something simple:

• Engineers reduce friction

• Creatives expand possibility

Example: Preet shared with me an example about building a window

• Engineer: “Give me dimensions.”

• Creative: “How do you want it to look?”

Both matter. But only one moves things forward quickly.

The unlock:

• The goal is to reduce the steps to a decisions

• Progress > perfection

• Speed compounds learning

Where creatives fit:

• Not to slow things down

• But to define why it matters and what it should become

Which brings me to Raj Singh…

He’s building the product behind Mark Manson’s work (Purpose app).
Check it out . . .super neat.

• He knows how to build

• What he needs is clear, pre-defined thinking (which Mark provides + a direct channel for media and distribution, which Raj is working to build)

Takeaway:
Great builders don’t need more ideas.
They need structured context.

2. The Quiet Misalignment in Creative Work

A conversation with a writing/publicity attorney sparked this:

Many professionals should be using AI more.

They aren’t.

Why?

Because their business model punishes efficiency.

• Lawyers bill hourly

• Freelancers bill hourly

• Writers bill per output

If they get faster → they earn less (unless demand is infinite)

So the system resists improvement.

This is the real shift happening:

• The hourly model is breaking

• Incentives are misaligned

• Speed is no longer optional

3. Where Creative Work Is Actually Going

A friend in Northern California . . .

• Built 17 AI agents using OpenClaw

• Mid 5-figure revenue in 4 months

• ~$200/month in operating expenses

• On track for 7 figures by EoY

This isn’t normal yet. But it’s directionally obvious.

The shift:

• From doing the work → to designing the system

• From producing → to directing

• From skill → to taste + judgment

The people who win won’t be:

• The best writers

• The fastest designers

They’ll be the ones who:

• Know what good looks like

• Build systems that consistently produce it

On Lenny’s podcast, a woman shared she has bought a ton of Mac Mini’s, named them like “new pets”, and operates her dynamic life using them. Listen here.

Heading into the Week

A few questions worth sitting with:

• Where am I overthinking a two-way door decision?

• Am I optimizing for output… or for leverage?

• Does my business model reward efficiency . . . or fight it?

• Am I executing tasks… or building systems?

Final Thought

Most people are trying to do better work.

Few are redesigning how the work gets done.

That’s the gap.

If you're thinking about starting a newsletter, or evolving how you show up with your voice, I've been experimenting with different styles over the past year as we continue to build a system to help people like you, do this work at scale.

More on that soon.