Ramit Sethi's 'Rich Life' & the Power of Dr. Benjamin Hardy's 1-Page Reports

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Borrowed

"Don't let short-term fluctuations distract you from your long-term plan."

From "I Will Teach You To Be Rich" by Ramit Sethi [Book]

Learned

Ramit Sethi, personal finance guru and author of "I Will Teach You To Be Rich," talks about how saving money, isn’t about skipping the latte you're craving on your morning commute (video). Instead, it's about creating a system where you've already made the big decisions elsewhere (e.g., automating your monthly savings account deposits) so you can live more freely without feeling stuck in low-impact day-to-day choices.

This idea is powerful when applied to many areas of life. For example, maintaining a healthy diet isn’t about saying no to a slice of cake on your birthday; it’s about holding yourself to a standard of nutrition and creating a lifestyle where making healthy choices daily comes easy (e.g., meal planning and removing unhealthy snacks from the pantry)—while allowing yourself to enjoy the occasional indulgence. Like the giant ice cream cone I had this weekend.

I’ve been thinking about how this concept applies to running an agency. It's easy to react to challenges and hurdles if you're not clear on your goals and have the systems in place to make progress. One activity former Barrel CEO Peter Kang initiated earlier this year that's been helpful is the 1-page report method (video), inspired by author Dr. Benjamin Hardy.

At the start of each quarter, I write down how we performed the past quarter and align on the goals for the coming quarter. Each month, I capture our progress on these goals and outline what initiatives are in progress. Having this clarity helps align leadership and stay focused on the right activities, avoiding deliberation over projects and initiatives that won't drive meaningful impact.

One initiative I'm excited about is further refining our agency positioning, both in the types of clients we take on and the services we offer them. I see this move as similar to committing to a "rich life" or maintaining a healthy diet—acting as another filter in what we prioritize and aim toward in our 1-page report. Although early, the new direction has already sparked good conversations about its impact and potential.

I look forward to exploring how this focus can help us establish new standards, improve decision-making, and make progress. What’s top of mind in all of this is bringing the team along on this journey, ensuring everyone feels aligned and invested in these efforts.