A Two-Word Decision Framework
Plus, the listening to speaking ratio
In today’s newsletter:
📖 A Two-Word Decision Framework
💬 Writing a New Book about a One-Word Secret to Life
🔈️ Investing in Art (for Non-Artists)
🏫 The Listening to Speaking Ratio
✍️ An 80/20 Tip You Can Apply Today
Read time: 4.0 minutes

THE ONE THING
1. A Two-Word Decision Framework
Derek Sivers has a simple two-word rule for making decisions: It’s called “Hell Yeah.”
(He even wrote a book about it).
With every decision, if it's not a "Hell Yeah!", it's a "No."
Most leaders struggle with decision fatigue: too many choices, too many meetings, too many opportunities pulling them in different directions.
The "Hell Yeah" rule simplifies things.
When evaluating an opportunity, ask yourself:
Am I genuinely excited about this?
Does this align with my team’s biggest goals?
For the big, important decisions, if the answer isn't an instant and obvious "Hell Yeah!" then it’s a clear "No."
This framework applies to hiring, partnerships, projects, and even your personal commitments.
The takeaway
As a leader, your time is your most valuable asset. Protect it. Only commit to what excites you, moves the needle, and aligns with your bigger vision.

PERSONAL UPDATE
2. Writing a New Book about a One-Word Secret to Life
A quick reminder about this if you missed it in my last email
Two years ago, I started writing something I wasn't sure I'd ever finish.
It began as a single word, one I kept returning to whenever life got complicated. It’s a word that contains the answer to almost everything.
I've never written about this before. But I've thought about little else.
If you're curious, click here and you'll get the book for free when it’s published (I'm looking for early Amazon reviewers).
Here's the introduction.


This is a little teaser.
Again, If you're interested, click here and you'll get the book for free when it’s published (I'm looking for early Amazon reviewers).

PRESENTED BY
3. Investing in Art (for Non-Artists)
This week’s newsletter is sponsored by Masterworks, which helps you diversify your investments. More below.
Where to Invest $100,000 Right Now, According to Experts
Investors face a dilemma. When the S&P 500 finished its worst quarter since 2022 last month, diversifiers like bonds and bitcoin fell too.
Even with the turnaround in mid-April, analysts at Goldman Sachs and Vanguard have projected low-single-digit annualized returns from 2024-2034.
Bloomberg asked where experts would personally invest $100,000 for their March monthly edition.
One answer that surfaced for a second time? Art.
It's what billionaires like Bezos and the Rockefellers have privately used to diversify for decades.
Why?
Appreciation. The ArtPrice100 Index outpaced the S&P 500 overall from 2000 to 2025
Low-correlation. The postwar contemporary segment has moved independently of traditional investments like stocks since ‘95.*
Resilience. A scarce, physical, and global asset class with decades of demonstrated demand.
Thanks to the world's premier art investing platform, now anyone can invest in works featuring legends like Banksy, Basquiat, and Picasso, without needing millions.
Shares in new offerings can sell quickly but...
*According to Masterworks data. Investing involves risk. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. See important Reg A disclosures at masterworks.com/cd.

WORDS I LIKE
4. The Listening to Speaking Ratio


THE 80/20
5. An 80/20 Tip You Can Apply Today
Here’s a low-effort, high-impact tip you can use with your team today:
What: Set clear deadlines for your team’s tasks to increase the chance that they’ll get done
Why: Tasks that have specific deadlines associated with them develop a sense of urgency and avoid Parkinson’s Law
Example: “Please send this to me by Thu, Jan 4 at 3 pm US ET” is more effective than “Please send this to me in the next few days.”
Want more of those tips?
Check out my free Amazon Bestselling book called: Influencing Virtual Teams.
You can grab it for free by clicking the button and subscribing to the newsletter 👇️
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