If any of my American friends are going to travel this year and they’d like to know of some lesser known Canadian cities or towns that they can say they’re from to seem more authentic… I got you.

I could not pass up on the price of Nick Drake’s 4-vinyl set of The Making of Five Leaves Left on Amazon today.

Sure feels like there’s a general strike on the horizon here in Canada…

Canada Post executives are paid 10–15 times more than the very people who keep the system running. Their specialized skills are overstated and increasingly replaceable, while frontline work is undervalued and irreplaceable. The gap isn’t just unfair — it’s unsustainable for a public service.

🎙️ Just published a new episode of A Productive Conversation: Leslie Grandy Talks About Creative Velocity and the Future of Ideas. Have a listen:

Equinox + first draft, all on the same day. Feels like timing is on my side. 📖👀

🎙️ Just published a new episode of A Productive Conversation: Neil Ghosh Talks About Doing More Good and Building Legacy. Have a listen:

Social media isn’t inherently awful—it’s an amplifier. The question is: how do we curate our attention so it serves us, not the other way around? I explore this in my latest essay. mikevardy.com/curation-not...

I sure hope that link-placeholder-12 can bounce back from that injury…

@typeoneerror.com The cardiac cats strike again today! 🤯🐅🏈

Yesterday I broke my own rule and posted something contentious to my personal Facebook page. I had a feeling this would happen: posting about heavy issues doesn’t just amplify your stance, it also invites all the contention that comes with it.

🎙️ Just published a new episode of A Productive Conversation: PM Talks S2E9: Connection. Have a listen:

Sometimes being productive means hitting reset. Not perfection, just presence — owning the stumble, then moving forward.

Read the news today & felt I had to speak up. You can be anti-Israeli govt & not anti-Israeli people. You can be anti-Hamas & still pro-Palestinian people. This “thing” is about power, land, identity—and the people trapped in the middle. If you can’t see that nuance then give your head a shake.

I know I want to do more video. That’s why having this conversation with Ben Amos was a huge help for me. We talked about how to use video with purpose, from audience avatars to storytelling that converts. Listen here: mikevardy.com/podcast620/

Cherry cola, turned up to 11.

Is there a word for a level of harmony somewhere between ease and discord? Because I think that’s kind of where I am tonight. I’m fine… just curious about what this feeling could be best defined as.

Productivity isn’t just about doing more. It’s about doing what matters — and taking the time to reflect so you can keep doing it better. That’s the foundation of The Productivity Diet. Get your copy here: mybook.to/theproducti...

I may just get to have Jollibee in the next 24 hours.

Hustle is a season, not a lifestyle. Chris Ducker and I talk about his new book and what it means to be a long-haul leader. Listen here: mikevardy.com/podcast621/

On Steven Pressfield’s birthday, I pushed past resistance to publish my first video in a while. It’s about Do the Work and the rhythm of Act → Reflect → Act. You can’t do both at the same time — but you need both. Check out the (short) video: youtu.be/F8Qrr2tbIMY

I love Nate Bargatze’s stand-up but there’s only so much funds I can spend. I’m crossing my fingers that I win the Radiohead lottery.

The conditions you’re in matter. That’s why I use Attention Paths—a way to match the right kind of work to the time, energy, and tools you have. It’s a game-changer. I share how it works in The Productivity Diet: mybook.to/theproducti...

This is a chunk of Day 1 of the Forge Your Future Challenge… compressed into 2 minutes. Want the full replay (and access to the next sessions)? Email askmike [at] mikevardy [dot] com with FORGE in the subject line, and I’ll send you everything you need.

As a night owl, I'm finding that devoting time to social stuff in the early part of the day – as long as it is scheduled – has worked very well for me. Low intensity progress is what I'm looking for as the day begins.

If your days feel scattered, start by giving them direction. Time Theming helps you decide what each day is for—instead of letting the day decide for you. I walk you through it step by step in The Productivity Diet: mybook.to/theproducti...

🎙️ Just published a new episode of A Productive Conversation: Chris Ducker Talks About Long Haul Leadership and Lasting Success. Have a listen:

🎙️ Just published a new episode of A Productive Conversation: Ben Amos Talks About Video Strategy and Storytelling. Have a listen:

Today my son went back to high school. Last month my daughter moved to Montreal for university... for the next 3 years (at least). Not that long ago, I was walking them to their first days of school. Gretchen Rubin nailed it. gretchenrubin.com/articles/se...

The Colbert Questionert asks: “One song forever?” Jon Batiste picked something interesting (but not necessarily surprising): youtu.be/UblZRjrf7SQ... I’d choose Radiohead’s Let Down—a track that always feels new no matter how many times I hear it. What’s your forever song?

Productivity isn’t about cramming more into your calendar. It’s about managing your attention, not your time. That’s what The Productivity Diet is built on. Grab your copy here: mybook.to/theproducti...

Steven Pressfield reminds us: resistance is the enemy. On his birthday, I made my first video in a long while — about a lesser-known book of his and the process of Act → Reflect → Act. We can’t do both at once, but we can’t skip either. Watch here: youtu.be/F8Qrr2tbIMY

What if you ended the year with intention instead of inertia? This week we’re kicking off a new challenge designed to help you do that. Small steps. Strong focus. Sustainable progress. Join us: mikevardy.com/forgeyourfu... #productiveness #GreatLockIn #ForgeYourFuture

Last night‘s sunset was… very orange.

There’s a strange kind of courage in waiting. Georgia O’Keeffe said she spent a whole summer just waiting to be herself again. I get that. Sometimes the real work is letting the self return on its own terms.

Today I got a free trial for Mubi so I could watch Pavements. We shall see if there’s anything else on there that keeps me around…

Been a Bengals fan since the ’80s. First time I’ve ever felt gross about it.

“You don’t choose a life, Dad. You live one.”

Charlie Kirk telling Taylor Swift she’s not in charge is the funniest case of projection since Napoleon bought a step stool.

Student: “What does ‘the pot calling the kettle black’ mean?” Teacher (probably):

Working away with my “new to me” James Taylor record playing in the background. Couldn’t pass on it for $8 — it’s got my fave song of his (Secret O’ Life) on it. (And on Saturday I scored The Cars’ Greatest Hits for $3 at Salvation Army. That’s going on next.)

Today, I did something I’ve never done before. I gardened. Really gardened. Felt great.

Watching debates online (or being part of one) is very revealing. Reason rarely leads. Emotion usually does. Our attention? It gets pulled along for the ride. Thomas Merton said, “Clarity affords focus.” Clarity comes not from emotion in the heat of the moment but from reason, guided by attention.

Welp, @hankgreen.bsky.social's weird little bean-buddy app helped me clean my office. I cleaned the office, the bean made socks, balance was achieved, dogs and cats are now living together. Also I gave the bean a potted plant.

As you can see from this photo, I’m not terribly useful at 6:15 in the morning. Your body clock tells you more than the wall clock ever could. Following energy-based attention paths lets you lean into your natural rhythms — and still find flow when you’re off them. This’ll help: mikevardy.com/lit/

Now that Pierre Poilievre is back in Parliament, remember this: he lived rent-free at Stornoway — a taxpayer-funded mansion — for months when he wasn’t even an MP. So when he starts railing against “entitlement” or “wasteful perks,” know he’s already taken full advantage of both.

All I want to do for the rest of the day is sit in my study and listen to a bunch of Radiohead. But I don’t think that’s a good idea.

While checking out Jesse Welles on JRE tonight, I decided I should be saying “far out“ a lot more.

🎙️ Just published a new episode of A Productive Conversation: Michael Timms Talks About Inspiring Accountability Without Blame. Have a listen:

They said it was illegal. Air Canada flight attendants did it anyway. Now there’s a deal—and maybe a precedent. They made the invisible visible. That’s the real win.