THE ONE THING

1. Start with the Obvious Answer First

I recently re-read Malcolm Gladwell’s book and remembered the story of Willie Sutton, a notorious bank robber from the 1930s.

Over his 40-year criminal career, Sutton stole around $2 million and escaped from prison three times.

A reporter once asked him, “Why do you rob banks?”

Sutton replied, “Because that’s where the money is.”

His sarcastic answer led to what is now known as “Sutton’s Law.”

In medicine, Sutton’s Law teaches students to consider the most common, obvious causes when diagnosing a patient’s symptoms.

In other words, it teaches them to start with the most likely explanation before exploring more complex possibilities.

The takeaway

As a business leader, you can apply Sutton’s Law when diagnosing organizational problems.

For example, if customer churn is rising, rather than jumping to factors like pricing models or competitor features, start by examining the most obvious (and most common) potential cause: poor customer support.

TACTICAL FRAMEWORKS

2. Better Decisions with the 10-10-10 Rule

Suzy Welch developed a simple framework to cut through the noise: the 10-10-10 Rule.

Before making a big decision, ask yourself:

1. How will I feel about this in 10 minutes?

2. How will I feel about this in 10 months?

3. How will I feel about this in 10 years?

This forces you to balance short-term emotions with long-term consequences.

For example:

✅ Accepting an unnecessary meeting might feel good in 10 minutes (avoiding conflict), neutral in 10 months, but negative in 10 years (a pattern of misplaced priorities).

✅ Having a tough conversation with an underperforming employee might feel terrible in 10 minutes, better in 10 months as performance improves, and excellent in 10 years as you build a culture of accountability.

The 10-10-10 Rule helps separate what feels urgent from what’s truly important—leading to better, clearer decisions.

The takeaway

Next time you face a tough decision, think about the answer for each 10-10-10 timeframe.

WORDS I LIKE

3. How to Impress Your Leader

Simple advice from Alex Hormozi that works in any field (or role) you’re in.

THE 80/20

4. An 80/20 Tip You Can Apply Today

Here’s a low-effort, high-impact tip you can use with your team today:

• What: Implement "Meeting-Free Mornings" every Tuesday and Thursday from 8am-12pm

• Why: With leaders spending 75% of their day in meetings and burnout at 56%, protected deep work time is essential for strategic thinking and mental recovery.

• Example: Block these hours in your calendar and your team's. Use the time for meeting-free work. Then track stress levels and productivity for 30 days. You'll likely see both improve."