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Image credit: Matt Hall Racing

Sunday, May 3rd, 2026 

Hello Hooligans,

Oops, I missed my April letter to you. The month felt more like a Red Bull stunt plane than a smooth cruising altitude. It was hectic, and I only managed to level out a week or so ago.

Where was I? Well, my coffee bean delivery job took a bit more out of me than I’d anticipated. Then there was a pile of work staring me down like a villain in a Clint Eastwood Western. 

In other news, a good friend of mine has decided to take a sharp left—or possibly a right—with his career. He realised he no longer wanted to do digital marketing during a job interview for a digital marketing job.

Talk about a crossroads. Wake-up calls come at the oddest times.

He has now decided to move into the high-pressure world of, well, high-pressure washing. Some may say there is a strong link between the two. I’m incredibly excited for him; it’s a big leap into the world of running your own business. Being willing to make mistakes and get back in the ring for another swing is a true test of character.

But we also have to celebrate the wins.

Not like a drunken sailor out on the town, but with a quiet fist-bump to yourself when you land a new client, or when someone rebooks you because you did great work and didn’t accidentally blast their garden furniture into the next suburb.

Starting something new takes optimism—not the glossy, motivational-poster kind, but the quiet kind that says, “I don’t know exactly how this will go, but I’m willing to make a move.” I remember thinking when I first started my business, "This is mine to stuff up." It’s a slightly different mindset, but you get the drift.

And sometimes, when you make a move, the world gives you a little nudge back.

Photo Credit: The Guardian

When $2 Buys More Than a Ride

I was reminded of that while reading a story from The Guardian’s “Kindness of Strangers” series.

A woman wrote about being utterly exhausted while wrangling two children under three. She had just moved from the Kimberley region of Australia to Tasmania—no sleep, no support network, and trying to furnish a house from op-shops. She was the kind of tired where you accidentally drive the car into your own fence.

One day, outside the supermarket, she let her kids sit on one of those little mechanical rides near the entrance. She didn’t put any money in. When you have small kids and a tight budget, paying for a wobbling plastic helicopter isn't exactly a priority.

Then an older man walked past, dropped $2 into the slot, looked at her, and said, “Have a nice day.”

That was it.

No grand gesture. No life-changing intervention. Just two dollars, a few kind words, and a tiny pocket of relief. Her children are teenagers now, and she still thinks about it.

I love that. Because sometimes, what changes the day isn't a massive breakthrough. It is a small move:

• A stranger putting $2 into a ride.
• A repeat client booking you again.
• A quiet fist bump when something finally works.
• A moment where someone notices what is needed and does one useful thing.

And maybe that is why this next thing caught my eye.

Image Credit: littletroop.com

The Game You Didn’t Realise You Were In

It’s a board game called No Worries If Not—aptly described as “the game you never wanted to play.”

It is a satirical take on people-pleasing, overthinking, multitasking, and the constant, exhausting apology of trying to make sure everyone is happy and no one is mad. Players move through places like Self-Doubt Spiral and Judgment Junction, all in pursuit of the glorious destination: Everyone’s Happy and No One’s Mad Land.

It is funny because it is absurd. It lands because it is recognisable. But the hoest truth is, if you want to please everyone, sell ice-cream.

Most of us know what it feels like to play some version of a game we didn't design. The rules are unclear. The goalposts shift. You are trying to keep people happy, keep momentum, keep perspective, and keep yourself intact—all while somehow trying to make a useful move.

So, how does all this tie together?

On the surface, a career-changing pressure washer, a $2 coin, and a board game about people-pleasing don’t have much in common. But they all landed on my desk while I was reading about a concept called "Outer Focus."

It’s part of the Roche Martin emotional intelligence framework, but stripped of the corporate-speak, it’s basically just the art of making a useful move in a world you don’t fully control.

It’s built on three ideas that usually sound a bit like a motivational poster, but look different in the wild:

Self-actualisation: This isn’t about finding your "calling" while a soundtrack plays in the background. It’s my friend realising digital marketing felt wrong and choosing a path that felt more like him, even if it means getting wet and starting over. It’s moving toward what’s real for you, even when it’s messy.

Optimism: This isn't pretending everything is fine. It’s the $2 coin. It’s the quiet belief that despite the chaos, there is still something decent you can contribute. It’s asking, “What is possible from here?” instead of just "Why is this happening?"

Adaptability: This is the "No Worries If Not" move. It’s reading the board, noticing the goalposts have shifted (again), and choosing your next move without losing your soul to the "Self-Doubt Spiral."

I like these three because they aren't about pretending life is simple or fair. They’re about staying purposeful when it isn’t.

That’s the thread I keep coming back to: the useful move.

A stranger helping a tired mum. A friend choosing work that fits. A person trapped in a people-pleasing loop deciding they don't have to play by those rules anymore.

Maybe that’s all we really need. Not a laminated, color-coded five-year plan—just the ability to stay awake to the world and choose the next move with a little more grit and a lot less overthinking.

That feels like a game worth getting better at.

Refining Your Approach: Three Actions for the week ahead

If you’re feeling a bit like you’re playing a game you didn't design, try these "useful moves" this week:

1) Drop a $2 coin (Optimism)
You don’t need to save the world to change someone’s afternoon.
Try this: Find one person in your orbit who looks a little "Kimberley to Tasmania" tired. Don't offer a grand intervention; just do one tiny, useful thing. Send a "no-reply-needed" text, handle a small task they’re dreading, or buy the coffee. You don't need to become 'besties' with the person, aim to give them a little bit of relief, or the "one-percenters" as I often call them

2) Check your "Pressure" levels (Self-actualisation)
It’s easy to get stuck doing work that feels like a villain in a Western—menacing and soul-crushing.
Action: Pick one project on your plate and ask: "Am I doing this because it’s mine to do, or because I’m afraid of leaving Everyone’s Happy and No One’s Mad Land?" If it’s the latter, see if you can take a "sharp left" toward a version of the task that actually feels like you.

3) Edit the "No Worries" (Adaptability)
We often lose our momentum by over-apologising for existing.
Try this: The next time you’re about to type "No worries if not!" or "Just checking in!"—stop. Delete the fluff. Send the request or the update straight. It’s a small way to stop playing a game of people-pleasing and start making a useful move. Read the board, state your piece, and see how the world nudges back. It's kind to others, but most of all, it's kind to yourself.

Need help tuning out the noise to tune into your people?

Send me a message or hit reply, and let’s start with finding your benchmark.

Guest Post

Our regular good friend of this letter, Paul Edwards, has had a lot on his plate lately—including buying and selling a house—so he’ll be back with us soon.

Expecting more?

There is so much more to write on each letter I send, but I appreciate limited attention spans and other commitments. I know you would like more, so get in touch and I am happy to chat. 

I like to think we are all little cheer squads for each other in this world and our default position is that we all want each other to succeed in business and in life, so feedback and ideas are always welcome. I know it is coming from a good place. I am even open to a ‘letter to the editor’, if you are inspired to write.

Thanks for reading this far. 

Write back and let me know what breakthrough you have had after reading this letter. What thoughts you had. Just a sentence (or longer, if you like).

Write to you next month.

Rich

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