Less Is the Way: The Counterintuitive Path to Power, Peace, and Personal Leadership

The Day I Chose Less

I remember one of the turning points in my life happened not on a construction site, not in the dojang, but on a quiet Sunday morning.

I had been working 60+ hour weeks as a foreman on a massive job downtown. The kind of project that devoured your time, your energy, and your relationships. At the same time, I was juggling martial arts training, side hustles, relationship responsibilities, and trying to mentor a few younger guys on the crew.

I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought being a leader meant doing more, sacrificing more, and always saying yes.

But one Sunday morning, sitting at my usual cafe with my journal and a strong cup of coffee, I wrote a simple question:

"What would happen if I stopped doing 80% of what I'm doing?"

That question changed everything.

I made two lists:

• One with things that actually moved my life forward.
• One with things that just kept me busy, stressed, and distracted.

The second list was four times longer.

That day, I started subtracting. Not adding. I stopped chasing everything and started choosing the few things that actually mattered. It wasn't about doing more. It was about doing less—but better.

And that's when everything started to work.

The Trap of Doing More

Most people fail not because they're lazy, but because they're too busy.

They do too much. They say yes too often. They try to be everything for everyone. And the worst part? They think that's what success looks like.

But here's the truth: Hustle culture is a lie.

Working more hours doesn’t mean you're working smarter. Doing more things doesn't mean you're getting better results. It usually just means you're wearing yourself out for very little return.

If you’re always exhausted, if you feel scattered and unfocused, it’s probably not because you’re doing too little. It’s because you’re doing too much—and too much of the wrong stuff.

Success doesn’t come from doing everything. It comes from doing the right few things really well.

Subtract to Grow

Vusi Thembekwayo, a South African entrepreneur, said something in a video that stopped me in my tracks:

That hit hard. Because most people are trying to be more: more successful, more impressive, more liked. But what if the answer isn’t to be more?

What if the answer is to be you?

The real you. Stripped of the noise, the performance, the pressure. The you that doesn’t need to hustle for approval. The you that has nothing to prove.

Subtraction isn’t weakness. It’s clarity.

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Take away what doesn’t belong. Let go of what drains you. And what you’ll find underneath all that clutter is power.

The 80/20 Principle

Here’s a truth most people ignore: 80% of your results come from 20% of your effort.

The problem? Most people are trapped in the 80% that barely moves the needle. They spend their days in low-return tasks, shallow conversations, and endless distractions.

But the real growth, the real wins, come from the 20%:

• The key habits that drive success.
• The few relationships that fuel you.
• The rare moments of focus that change everything.

If you want to level up, stop trying to do more.

Start figuring out what your 20% is—and go all in.

Cut the rest.

Simplicity Is a Superpower

In construction, the best plans are simple and clear. You know what to do, when to do it, and why.

On the mat, the best technique isn’t the flashiest one—it’s the one you can pull off when you're tired, under pressure, and out of breath.

In life, the same rule applies.

Simplicity is freedom. Complexity is bondage.

You don’t need 10 productivity apps. You need one clean calendar and a list of what matters most.

You don’t need 50 goals. You need one goal that actually matters to you.

You don’t need to be a superhero. You need to be a human who shows up, consistently, for what counts.

The Myth of High Capacity

Some people pride themselves on being able to do it all.

"I can handle it. I can multitask. I can carry the load."

And maybe you can. But should you?

You're not a mule. You're not a machine.

You're a strategist. A warrior. A leader.

Leaders don't carry more. They carry what matters. They know how to choose. They protect their energy, their time, and their mental focus like sacred ground.

If you want to lead a better life, stop trying to carry everything.

Pick up what matters. Let go of the rest.

A Simple System to Do Less (But Better)

1. Audit your week. Track how you spend your time. You’ll be surprised how much of it is wasted.
2. Circle the 20%. Highlight the tasks, people, and activities that actually help you grow or bring you peace.
3. Cut one thing. Just one. Start there. One task, one meeting, one obligation that isn’t helping.
4. Say no. Practice turning down something that doesn’t align with your priorities.
5. Repeat weekly. Simplicity is a habit. You build it like a muscle.

Putting It On the Mat

There’s a moment in every martial artist’s journey where they stop trying to do everything. They stop trying to look good. They stop trying to win every spar.

They start moving with calm. With clarity. With precision.

I hit that point on the BJJ mat.

White belt. 59 years old. Everyone younger, faster, stronger.

I was trying to do it all. Too many techniques. Too many tricks. Too much effort.

One of the black belts pulled me aside and said:

That hit me in the chest.

Because that wasn’t just mat advice. That was life advice.

Doing less. But doing it better. With peace. With patience. With purpose.

That’s the way of the warrior. That’s the way of the leader.

You don’t need to be more.

You just need to be more you.

And the first step?

Let go of what isn’t you.

Call to Action: Join The Leader's Dojo

If this message spoke to you—if you’re ready to stop pretending, stop overdoing, and start showing up as your real, powerful, focused self—then it’s time to take the next step.

Come join us at The Leader's Dojo.​

It’s the community built by martial artists, for martial artists.

A tribe of warriors, leaders, and badasses who are walking the path of discipline, simplicity, courage, and truth. Just like you.

This isn’t another self-help group. This is where fighters become philosophers. Builders become leaders. Students become masters.

Let’s stop doing more. Let’s start being more—together.

Join the Leader's Dojo, where you not only discover how badass you are but you're surrounded by other badass warriors and leaders who will help you to be even better.

​Join now here!​