Life Without Semesters

Daily reflections on doing work that matters. No maps. No deadlines. Just the audacity to lead, create, and carve your own path every day.

How Many Drinks Have You Had In Your Lifetime?

I was playing a game with some friends, and one of the questions that came up was, “How many drinks have you had in your lifetime?” It got me thinking. Not just about drinks, but about time and how we spend it. After some quick math, I realized that if you’ve averaged 2 drinks per week over the past 10 years, that adds up to over 1,000 drinks.

But then the real question hit me: what if instead of drinks, we were talking about something more meaningful? Like books, or skills, or even personal growth?

If you read 2 chapters a week, just 2 chapters, that might not seem like much. But over 10 years, that adds up too. With an average book being around 50 chapters long, you’d have finished about 20 books by now. Without even breaking a sweat.

This isn’t about the drinks or the books, though. It’s about how small, consistent actions lead to extraordinary outcomes over time. We tend to underestimate the power of gradual effort. Two chapters, a few minutes of learning a new language, practicing a skill, or even exercising—they all seem insignificant in the moment. But over the years? It’s monumental.

The same goes for learning something new. Want to become fluent in a new language? Want to master a skill? Commit to a small, consistent action every week. Those little choices compound, and before you know it, you’ve transformed. The time will pass anyway, but what we choose to do with it—that’s the difference.

We live in a culture obsessed with the quick fix, the overnight success. But in reality, the best things happen incrementally. Brick by brick, page by page, skill by skill. Ten years from now, do you want to look back and see the results of your steady effort? Or do you want to wonder where all the time went?

A thousand drinks. Or twenty books. The choice, every week, is yours.

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How Intelligent is AI?

Everywhere you look, AI is being heralded as the next great leap. It’s optimizing industries, automating tasks, and maybe even replacing people in certain roles. But let’s ask the real question: how intelligent is AI, truly?

AI can be efficient. It can spot patterns faster than we can blink, process data like a superhuman accountant, and churn out content at breakneck speed. But is that intelligence? Or is it just a sophisticated calculator, crunching data without any sense of meaning?

Intelligence—real, human intelligence—goes beyond data processing. It’s about understanding context, about knowing why something matters. It’s about the nuance of empathy, creativity, and leadership. AI doesn’t know how to build trust, lead a team through uncertainty, or create something genuinely new. It can follow patterns, but it can’t inspire.

And this is where we need to pay attention. While AI might get better at completing tasks, it’s not going to replace what we as humans bring to the table: connection, meaning, and purpose. The irony is that as AI becomes smarter at doing what machines do—automating repetitive, process-driven work—it highlights the skills that AI can’t replicate. It reminds us just how important human intelligence is.

So, what should we focus on now? It’s not about trying to outdo AI at its own game. Let it handle the number crunching and repetitive tasks. What we need to double down on are the uniquely human skills—leadership, emotional intelligence, creativity. These are the traits that will become more valuable, not less, as AI continues to evolve.

In the end, AI is not a threat to human intelligence; it’s a tool that will force us to rediscover it. AI will never replace the leader who can connect with a team or the creator who brings something original into the world. If anything, it will make those roles more crucial than ever.

So, how intelligent is AI? Not very. Because real intelligence—real value—isn’t about processing power. It’s about heart, connection, and purpose. And that’s something no algorithm will ever replicate.

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“Do This And Get Picked”

Your value isn’t tied to the number of certifications you have or the prestige of your Ivy League degree.

“But you need this to get through the door,” they say.

What door?

How about taking charge of your career and building your own rooms instead?

We’ve been wired to believe that if we pay our dues, get the right certifications, and chase the next big thing, we’ll get picked.

You can either wait to be picked, or you can invest your time in doing actual work.

Stop signing up for things that make you wait for someone else’s approval. Instead, focus on developing skills that don’t require you to wait—skills that solve real problems and make your value visible by what you do.

And who says you can’t do both?

Optimize your wait time.

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We Are Here Every Day

Yesterday, I missed my flight. As I stood there, sorting out the rescheduling, the airline representative said something simple yet profound: “We have two flights that leave for that location. One at 12:30 PM and another at 7:30 PM. We are here every day.”

That phrase stuck with me. There’s something powerful about showing up consistently, no matter what. The airline has a schedule. They’re here every day, ready to fly, regardless of what happens. Even when things go wrong—weather delays, mechanical issues—they still make the effort to be there.

It got me thinking about my own commitments. Writing, for instance. I’ve made it a habit to write daily, but hearing that statement made me realize the importance of not just writing, but publishing—showing up and delivering, no matter what.

So here’s my new commitment: I’ll publish my work every day by 6 AM. It’s not just about writing; it’s about making a promise to myself and keeping it. Consistency isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s essential.

And this idea doesn’t stop with writing. We all have something we should commit to—whether it’s learning a new skill, launching a cause, or simply dedicating time to something we believe in. It’s not about perfection; it’s about showing up, every single day, drip by drip, making progress.

Start now. Focus on what you can control. Show up, even when it’s hard. Put your work out there, make mistakes, and then make better mistakes. It’s not about avoiding failure; it’s about learning and growing through it.

So, what’s your daily commitment? What will you show up for, every day? It doesn’t have to be grand. It just has to be consistent.

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Why I Stopped Using “Just” In My Conversations

Earlier this month, I decided to stop using the word “just” in my conversations. It might seem like a tiny shift, but the impact has been anything but small.

“Just” sneaks into our sentences like a thief, stealing power from our words. “I just wanted to ask…” or “I just think…” makes what follows feel smaller, less important. For a leader, clarity and confidence are everything, and softening your message doesn’t help anyone.

The moment I realized this was during a crucial meeting. I found myself saying, “I just think we should…” and it hit me—I was undermining my own ideas. Not by what I was saying, but by how I was saying it. I don’t lead by barking orders; I lead by influence, by bringing people together. But even in a collaborative environment, how you say something shapes how it’s received.

Three weeks later, the difference is clear. Without “just,” my words feel stronger, more direct. My requests are clear, my conversations are focused. It’s a small change, but it’s made me a better communicator.

But this isn’t about one word. It’s about paying attention to the little things that can make a big difference. In leadership, our words carry weight, and how we use them matters.

Communication isn’t about using complex or impressive words—it’s about being clear and intentional.

Want to sound smart and cool as a leader? Try “syzygy.”

The key thing, however, is that adding “syzygy” to your vocabulary or removing “just” isn’t what really matters.

What matters is that your message gets through, that it’s clear and understood.

Leadership isn’t about fancy words; it’s about making sure your communication hits the mark and inspires action. That’s what drives change.

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Out of Service

That’s the notice taped to the elevator in my building. It’s been there for over 10 days. No calls, no updates. Just a standard, “The elevator is out of service, sorry for the inconvenience.”

The person who put up the banner probably did exactly what was expected—print the sign, tape it up, send a generic email, and move on. Job done, right?

But who is responsible for caring?

What if we approached our work differently? Not just checking off tasks, but actually caring—about the people, about the impact, about what really needs to be done.

It’s easy to do the minimum, to follow the script. But what if we took the opportunity to do more? To show empathy, to communicate with the residents, to find a solution instead of just stating the problem.

The banner could have said, “We know this is frustrating. Here’s what we’re doing about it, and here’s how you can reach us if you need assistance.” A small shift, but one that shows care.

The difference between simply doing your job and doing work that matters isn’t about titles or tasks. It’s about choosing to care, to connect, to make a difference—no matter how small.

That’s the work that changes things. That’s the work worth doing.

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