WORK LESS WEDNESDAY

WLW #201

May 06, 2026

👋 Hey Reader!

This is issue #201 of Work Less Wednesday, where I share with you 5 things you should know about, in 5 minutes or less. That leaves you with 10,075 other minutes this week.

📗 1. Book I’m Perusing – AD Reader (Vol. 2) by Now-Time​

Been enjoying the latest release from Now-Time, The AD Reader (Vol. 2).

Billed as “Texts that shall survive their time,” the reader is a compilation of 25 writings from across the ages.

It’s a combination of design, images, and philosophy that is meant to be absorbed, not consumed.

I’ve enjoyed being exposed to new ideas and thinkers, as well as the general aesthetic and vibe of the book.

The books are currently out of print, but if you hop on their mailing list, they occasionally reprint (and sell out fast).

🎻 2. YouTube Channel I’m Digging – Creative Sovereignty

My friend Zander just launched a new YouTube channel for his business, Creative Sovereignty.

Zander is a world class Cello player, a former Cirque du Soleil performer, an incredible entrepreneur, and on top of that, a great friend.

I was fortunate enough to speak to his clients at their in-person event last year in Montreal (you can watch the replay here).

If you’re a creative entrepreneur, I would definitely check out what Zander is building.

💪 3. Great Article I Read This Week – Fuck willpower by Cate Hall​

This article picks up where the 80/20 Principle and The 4 Hour Workweek leaves off.

Here are some select quotes:

“The Myth of Willpower is the idea that virtue lies in exerting extreme effort to overcome obstacles, and that any success attained without effort is actually bad, bordering on immoral.”

“Instead of focusing on willpower as the solution, you should be focusing on making your goals as easy as possible to achieve.”

“The truth is that high-agency people are always looking for shortcuts. They are never thinking, “how can I work hard and demonstrate my willpower,” but rather, “how can I get results faster by maximizing my leverage?”

“If your life is well-designed, it should feel easy to live up to your ideals, rather than hard.”

​Read the full article here.

🍂 4. Eden Is Dead – What That Should Tell You About AI

I was lucky enough to be invited to be beta tester for Dan Koe’s new startup, Eden.

It was billed as “workspace for creatives.”

It was a cool product with some really interesting use cases.

But yesterday all the beta users got a shocking email…

Eden (in its current form) is shutting down.

“We went broke and had to let go of over half the team.”

Basically, they introduced agents and their AI bill went through the roof.

“We’re talking about being billed $1,000 every 30 minutes… we don’t make anywhere near that amount.”

“We simply aren’t a massive corporation that can subsidize it’s users for $5000 of usage on a $20 per month plan.”

They were 2 weeks away from bankruptcy.

So they pivoted the product completely.

(You can check out the new version here)

This is a conversation I’ve been having constantly with my consulting clients.

Eden is just a canary in the coal mine.

No one is paying the true cost of AI credits or tokens right now.

They are HIGHLY subsidized.

We are in the phase of the $20 Uber to JFK Airport from Manhattan.

But eventually, these companies are going to have to make money.

And you’re going to have to ask yourself…

“Would I pay 10 times more for the AI tools that I’m currently using?”

Worth thinking about.

🖐 5. More Things I’m Into This Week…

🎧 What I’m Listening To – Harold Budd / Brian Eno – The Pavilion Of Dreams (1978)​

😂 Stand Up Comedy Competition I Enjoyed Watching This Week – Funny AF with Kevin Hart​

📘 Book I’m Reading – The 7-Figure Consultant by Alan Weiss​

📰 Interesting Article I Read This Week – What would you do if you believed in yourself more? by Erifili Gounari​

💬 Quote I’m Pondering…

“Two are needed for every art: one who makes it and one who needs it” – Ernst Barlach (German sculptor)​

How we can work together

When you’re ready, here are two free ways I can help you:

  • 👤 My Substack. My weekly Substack inner entrepreneur discusses the internal side of entrepreneurship – mindset & growth.
  • 🎧 My Podcast. Listen to or watch my free podcast The Rich Webster Show. It is an unfiltered look behind the scenes at my life and work.

And two paid engagements:

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