The Uncommon Virtue That Will Save Your Life

The Smoke Signals We Ignore

The other day, I was leaving the café, heading to BJJ.

Same route I take most days.

The sun was out, traffic was light, and my body felt good—loose, alert, ready for whatever came next.

I was at a red light near Venice Bl. and saw a guy crossing in front of me.

Hoodie up, head down, and puffing on a vape like it was oxygen.

Thick clouds spilled out of his mouth with every exhale—so dense, they looked like exhaust from an engine about to seize.

And all I could think was:

But this guy?

He was just taking another hit.

It made me think:

Answer: He’s not.

And before I start casting judgment, I remember: I’ve done dumb shit too.

My roommates in Brentwood, back in the early 90s, used to shake their heads watching me crawl in after Hapkido training—bruised, limping, barely able to stand.

They were there when my spleen ruptured.

They drove me to the hospital.

And still, a few years later, I was back on the mat.

But vaping?

Really?

That’s not the same thing.

It reminded me of something my 10th grade history teacher once said in 1980.

I didn’t remember much about the history of Catholic Church, but he gave me two pieces of wisdom I’ve never forgotten:

It’s 45 years later.

And it’s still true.

The Death of Common Sense

We live in a world full of smart people making dumb decisions.

It’s not an intelligence problem.

It’s a common sense problem.

And it’s killing us—slowly, quietly, like a vape cloud in the lungs.

So what is common sense, really?

It’s not facts. It’s not IQ. It’s not degrees.

Common sense is the ability to see cause and effect in real time.

It’s knowing that if you spend more than you make, you’ll go broke.

That if you eat garbage, you’ll feel like garbage.

That if you surround yourself with losers, you’ll start losing.

It’s the stuff that should be obvious—but somehow isn’t.

Why?

Because most people don’t want to think.

• They want to feel.
• They want to be told what to do.
• They want someone else to figure it out.

And when that fails?

They want someone to save them.

But here's the truth no one wants to say out loud:

• Not your boss.
• Not your parents.
• Not your girlfriend.
• Not the government.

If your life is a mess, if your finances are a disaster, if your health is tanking, if you feel stuck—there’s no rescue mission coming.

You’re the only one on that lifeboat.

And unless you grab the oar, you're going to drift.

The Vaping Mentality

That guy I saw in the crosswalk?

That’s not just about vaping.

That’s a symbol.

It’s the symbol of every dumb thing we do because we’re not paying attention.

Every time we know something isn’t good for us but we do it anyway.

Every time we rationalize, justify, or numb out.

Vaping is just one form.

So is doom-scrolling.

So is porn addiction.

So is binge eating, or skipping workouts, or staying in a job you hate because it’s “comfortable.”

Common sense says: “That’s not sustainable.”

But feelings say: “It’s fine for now.”

And now turns into years.

The $15/Hour Warning

Let’s go back to what my teacher said.

He said that in 1980.

You know what sucks?

I was just talking to a buddy whose son was on Spring Break in South Carolina.

The minimum wage there? $7.50.

Almost half of what my teacher said you needed to earn to live a decent life 45 years ago.

Sure, inflation.

Sure, cost of living differences.

But c’mon.

The gap between survival and success is bigger than ever.

And most people are stuck in the gap because they never learned to use their head.

They didn’t develop the mental models, the filters, the frameworks to see the world clearly and make good decisions.

They don’t ask questions like:

• ​Who benefits if I stay stupid?
• What’s the second and third order effect of this action?
• Is this habit moving me toward or away from the life I want?

That’s what common sense actually is:

It’s a commitment to seeing reality clearly—and taking action accordingly.

No One's Going to Save You—But You Can Save Yourself

Once you accept that, life changes.

You stop waiting.
You stop blaming.
You stop outsourcing your power.

You start making decisions.
You start taking ownership.
You start surrounding yourself with others who get it.

That’s what we do inside The Leader’s Dojo.​

We’re a tribe of men who are done with excuses, done with BS, and done with waiting around for someone else to fix it.

We’re learning to use our heads—and our hands.

• We train.
• We build.
• We execute.

Common sense is our compass.

Responsibility is our code.

Freedom is our destination.

Putting It On the Mat

When I think about the dumbest decision I ever made, it wasn’t staying on the mat after my spleen got wrecked.

It wasn’t working long hours on construction sites with no ear protection, ruining my hearing.

It wasn’t even being afraid of being in a relationship.

It was the years I spent thinking someone else was going to hand me the life I wanted.

I believed that if I just worked hard, someone would notice.

That if I just “waited my turn,” life would reward me.

That if I followed the rules, I'd be okay.

But life isn’t a game of fairness.

It’s a fight.

And nobody gets a trophy for showing up.

I had to learn to think for myself.

To make decisions based on what works, not what’s popular.

To say no to things that looked shiny and say yes to things that were hard, boring, and right.

And you know what helped me most?

The mat.

Hapkido.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

The old dojos I trained in when I was younger.

Because the mat doesn’t lie.

It doesn’t care what degree you have or what excuse you bring.

It shows you the truth.

• You either have the skill—or you don’t.
• You either show up—or you quit.
• You either learn—or you tap out.

Every time you get on the mat, you're reminded:

And if you're not training your body, your mind, and your spirit to survive and thrive in a world full of chaos, you're just waiting to be taken out by the next wave.

So here’s the invitation:

If you’re tired of watching the world get dumber by the day...

If you’re tired of bad advice, weak men, and a culture that rewards victimhood...

If you know you were meant for more...

Come take the quiz.

See if you're a fit for The Leader’s Dojo.​

It’s not for everyone.

It’s for the top 20%—the men who still believe in strength, wisdom, and action.

The men who are building something real.

And the first rule we live by?

Use your damn head.

👇
​Take the Quiz – Join The Leader’s Dojo​

Are you sicked and tired of being surrounded by losers, lemmings and Luddites?

Then 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!​