I'm convinced that getting ahead in 2026 is easier than EVER.

Two things are now exceptionally rare:

1. Clear thinking

2. Owning your attention

If you can do both there simply is no way you won’t get ahead…

99% of people don’t think clearly because they never take the time to sharpen their ideas and reasoning. Worse: they increasingly use LLMs to think FOR them.

Without clear thinking, you can’t solve the right problems or make good decisions. The best way I know to clarify your thinking is to have a regular writing practice. It can be a long-form newsletter, tweets, or just journaling to yourself. When you write your thoughts out they materialize into a concrete form. You will start to see where you are unclear or contradictory.

But clear thinking is not enough – you also need to own your attention so you can focus and execute. The bar here is SUPER low… most people can’t do anything without checking their phone every 10 minutes. Imagine how much you’ll get ahead if you can learn to focus on a task for just a few hours!

My advice here is to take modern technology way more seriously than you think. Smartphones/social media and increasingly AI are nuclear grade weapons pointed directly at your brain. Don’t try to rely on willpower. You will lose. Instead, you need to completely reset your dopamine system and reshape your work environment.

Spend a few weeks meditating regularly. Go into nature and leave your phone at home. Start reading at night instead of scrolling. Spend time deliberately being bored.

Then REMOVE all temptations. Completely turn off your phone and leave in another room while you work (or use a Brick or similar technology to help you out). Close all tabs that don’t help with your work. Etc. The trick is to make focused work the most exciting thing immediately available to you.

And no, none of this is convenient. But you don’t have a choice. If you don’t own your attention, someone else does.