WORK LESS WEDNESDAY

WLW #146

February 26, 2025

👋 Hey Reader!

This is issue #146 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. New Podcast: Outcomes vs. Deliverables, Charging Your Worth, Saying No, Ignoring AI

Last month I spoke at an event called “Life’s Work” in La Jolla, California, organized by my friend Blake La Grange.

In my Q&A conversation, moderated by Patrick McAndrew, we discussed:

  • Selling outcomes instead of deliverables
  • Why you shouldn’t “charge what you’re worth”
  • The “Line In The Sand” test for picking clients
  • Why everyone’s a gangster until they have to turn down $10k
  • Good pain vs. bad pain in business
  • How to use my “Agent Rule” to charge more money
  • Why full price or free is still the best policy
  • Why I didn’t touch AI until 2025

You can watch it on YouTube here, or check out the podcast version here.

💸 2. What Warren Buffett Thinks About Paper Money – Highlight From 2024 Investor Letter

Every year Berkshire Hathaway publishes their Annual Report, which includes a letter from Warren Buffett.

If you’re in business, I recommend reading them.

Buffett is a clear writer, a clear thinker, and you can trace the history of his whole career through them, starting in 1946.

So this week, the 2024 report dropped.

There are many gems in Buffett’s letter, but this take really stood out to me.

Going into 2025, I think we can all agree uncertainty feels higher than usual.

So in times of high risk, what still matters?

Hint: It’s not US dollars.

“Paper money can see its value evaporate if fiscal folly prevails. In some countries, this reckless practice has become habitual, and, in our country’s short history, the U.S. has come close to the edge. Fixed-coupon bonds provide no protection against runaway currency. Businesses, as well as individuals with desired talents, however, will usually find a way to cope with monetary instability as long as their goods or services are desired by the country’s citizenry. So, too, with personal skills. Lacking such assets as athletic excellence, a wonderful voice, medical or legal skills or, for that matter, any special talents, I have had to rely on equities throughout my life. In effect, I have depended on the success of American businesses and I will continue to do so.”

Businesses and skills.

🖕 3. “Fuck You Money” Is Useless Without The Fuck You – Blog by Rick Foerster

Amazing article that ask the tough question:

What is the point of financial freedom if we never feel free?

I can’t tell you how many conversations I have with people who have “more than enough,” that feel like they’ll never “have enough.”

Rick nails it:

We chase financial freedom, believing it’s the key to independence.

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But the real prison isn’t material, it’s psychological.

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It’s the internal constraints that traps us, often long after the external ones are gone.

​Read the full article here.

🐦 4. Best Purchase Under $100 This Year- A Bird Feeder

​The vibe of our home has increased 10X with this one simple addition:

The humble bird feeder.

I’m lucky to live in an area (Western North Carolina) with a ton of birds.

Some of the birds we’re seeing:

  • Tufted Titmouse
  • Eastern Towhee
  • Carolina Wren
  • Northern Cardinal
  • Carolina Chickadee
  • White-breasted Nuthatch
  • Pileated Woodpecker
  • Red-bellied Woodpecker
  • House Finch
  • Morning Dove
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • European Starling

Two lessons we’ve learned already:

🌱 Buy Real Bird Seed – The stuff they sell at Home Depot sucks. It is full of seeds birds won’t really eat – Only 27% is eaten on average! Buy real bird seed from a company that specializes in birds from your area.

🌶️ Get “Hot” Bird Seed – “Hot” bird seed keeps the squirrels away. It sounds like Hot Cheetos, but you really need it unless you want squirrels to discover your feeder and turn it into their buffet. Birds don’t have taste receptors for heat, so they don’t feel it. The brand we use: https://order.wbu.com/shop/bird-food/bird-seed/fiery-feast)

🖐 5. More Things I’m Into This Week

🚨 ICYMI: I Dropped A New Video Last Week – No One Wants Design. They Want This.​

🗞️ Chapter 1 Of Tim Ferriss’ “No Book” Is Live – Read It Here​

🎶 Soundtrack To This Issue – MJ Lenderman’s Tiny Desk Concert​

📓 Coffee Table Book I Bought This Week – David Cronenberg: Clinical Trials​

💬 Quote On Happiness I’m Pondering – From Fooled By Randomness by Nassim Nicholas Taleb​

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