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Internal Friction:

Fall in Love with the Starting Line

WHEN TO USE 

Use when dread or perfectionism is keeping you from beginning something you’ve been circling.

WHAT TO DO

List three things you’ve been avoiding starting, and name what the “starting line” feeling is for each, such as dread, vagueness, or perfectionism. Each day for a week, set a ten-minute timer and simply begin one of them; you don’t have to finish or do it well, only start. Most people find the anticipation is far worse than the act itself, and that the starting line is more crossable than it feels.

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Hard Things

Name the Weather

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Shows why broad labels like “stressed” and “fine” can limit self-awareness, and what changes when you name what you’re actually feeling.
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See the Real Work

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Helps you notice the strengths people use beyond their formal responsibilities, especially the quiet ones that are easy to overlook.
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Empathy That Doesn’t Burn You Out

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Reframes empathy as understanding someone’s experience without absorbing it, so you can stay present without taking on their emotional weight.
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Build the Pool

  • Hard Things
Creates a clearer boundary between work and life so unfinished tasks and unresolved conversations are easier to leave at work.
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Vocab Rehab

  • Habits
Reveals how extreme language can amplify stress and how more accurate self-talk can change your response.
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Rush to Curiosity, Not Advice

  • Hacks
Tests how curious you really are about the people you work with, especially when familiarity and efficiency make it easy to assume you already know.
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Train Your Nervous System

  • Hacks
Shows how a few intentional breaths can help your body reset, creating enough space to think more clearly in high-pressure moments.
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One Rep Counts

  • Hacks
Turns an intimidating first step into something small enough to start, proving that progress doesn’t have to be impressive to count.
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Protect What AI Can’t Replace

  • Hard Things
Examines which human capabilities may weaken as AI makes work faster and more automated.
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The Slow Yes Rule

  • Hard Things
Challenges the pressure to make fast hiring decisions and creates space to assess evidence before extending an offer.
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