Man must struggle. Not for suffering’s sake, but because struggle adds meaning to life.

This week’s newsletter explores Aristotle’s two types of happiness: Hedonia (pleasure) and Eudaimonia (meaning and purpose). I share the story of playwright Tennessee Williams, who worked menial jobs while writing in the margins—and when success removed all struggle, he felt empty and depressed. Without vital effort, he became “a sword cutting daisies.”

Struggle is a feature, not a bug. It’s a teacher when examined, a destroyer when ignored, and a filter that reveals character under pressure. For young people especially, embracing struggle is the path to becoming the best version of yourself.

But struggle must be for something. For your family. For your mission. For growth. Not just for struggle’s sake. Because when you optimize for comfort and eliminate all hardship, you don’t find peace—you find emptiness.

Struggle for something that matters.

What would you create if you gave yourself permission to make something terrible?

This week’s newsletter is about the liberation that comes from letting go of perfection. I share how producer Rick Rubin gave his artists permission to suck after big commercial success, freeing them from the pressure to recreate the past. Even Adele went through this after album 21—realizing she couldn’t and shouldn’t try to be who she was then.

We all carry undue pressure. Some self-inflicted, others from family, society, or random people on the internet. But when you give yourself permission to suck, to evolve, to be authentically you—you free yourself. And you give others permission to do the same.

I give you permission to suck. To be you for you. Not the you you think they’ll like. Just you.

“A formidable person is one who seems like they’ll get what they want, regardless of whatever obstacles are in the way.” — Paul Graham

This week’s newsletter is about becoming that person. The kind of person who sees hardship as fuel, not a roadblock. The kind of person who understands that obstacles are the great equalizer, but what you do with them is the great decider.

I talk about why hard things are actually a feature working in our advantage, and why being formidable isn’t selfish—it’s service. When you become formidable, you give permission to everyone around you to do the same.

So let’s be formidable. Not because we’re special, but because we choose to be.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​