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The time-saving power of one simple word

The time-saving power of one simple word

In this issue: the fantasy of "overnight success," how one simple word gives your time back, the critical thing you need when iterating, and what grudges does to your physical health.

PJ Milani
May 27, 2025

In partnership with

🤔 INTERESTING

Illustration by milaniCREATIVE.art showing three target boards, each hit with arrows closer to the bullseye from left to right. The targets are labeled “Better… Than… Yesterday,” representing the entrepreneur’s mantra of continuous improvement through consistent progress.

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Success isn’t about being a genius on your first shot. Just ask the data (which tells a sobering story).

1st time startup founders success rate: 18%
Those same founders success rate by 10th attempt: 65%

"Better than yesterday" isn't just motivational fluff. The idea of becoming an overnight success is a fantasy. A harmful one. (and this doesn’t just relate to entrepreneurship) It's how mastery actually works.

Think about it. If you improve just 1% daily, you'll be 37x better in one year.
Not 365% better.
3,700% better.

You might ask, how do you actually improve 1% daily?

Answer 3 simple questions:

“What went slightly better today than yesterday?"
“What small improvement can I make tomorrow?"
“Where am I aiming my next arrow?”

It’s not about having perfect aim.
It’s not about being the best.
It’s just being a little better. Everyday.

P.S. I talk more about the importance of consistency in this post.

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📐 DESIGN

If you’re a long time reader, you may have noticed I iterated a new banner!

Iterations!

Settled on version 10 if you're counting! 😅

Here's the funny thing about iteration. You need fresh eyes to see straight.

That's why finding your creative safety net matters. Those trusted few who'll tell you:

"This font feels off"
"Actually, the shadow is too far too the right"
"The old logo had more charm because…"

Without them, you're just rearranging pixels in the dark. Find your people.
(shoutout to Hannah Wilson and Michael J Boorman — Hype crew for life!)

Before

Visual IDEAs banner featuring a playful ninja character with lightbulbs on its head, symbolizing creativity and insight. The word “VISUAL” appears in handwritten style, and “IDEAs” is bold and highlighted in blue, reinforcing the focus on imaginative thinking through visuals.

After

What do you think about the new banner?

Like it! | Probably still needs work

🔮 ENCHANTING

Illustration by milaniCREATIVE.art showing two hourglasses side by side. The one on the left is capped at the top with the phrase “I don’t have time,” symbolizing restriction. On the right, a hand is pouring sand into an open hourglass labeled “Learning to say no,” representing how intentional boundaries can restore time and control.

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Time doesn’t disappear.
It’s given away, one "yes" at a time.

We make time for what we prioritize.
And the shape of a priority starts with the gentle art of “no.”

🧠 ANALOGY

Visual metaphor by artist Pejman Milani illustrating the concept of holding onto a grudge versus moving on. The left side of the image shows a figure sinking underwater, tied to a heavy stone labeled 'Grudge' with the caption 'Holding On.' On the right side, a figure is swimming upwards, free from the stone, with the caption 'Moving On.' This image represents how holding onto grudges can weigh a person down, while letting go enables freedom and progress. The background features a gradient of blue to depict water, with teal figures and a dark gray stone. The artist's signature '© Pejman Milani | @milaniCREATIVE' is located in the bottom right corner.

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Letting go doesn't mean saying what happened was okay.
But what would you say if it might literally save your heart?
Read more.

🤓 WHAT I’M READING NOW

“Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative” by Will Eisner

I discovered Will Eisner from Scott McCloud, author of “Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art.” As you can see, my copy has seen better days! There’s so much practical wisdom on visual thinking and visual storytelling crammed in “Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative” that I’m prioritizing rereading it this summer.

Before this book, I never thought about how the shape of a weapon communicated whether it was “good” or “bad”

ONE LAST THING

I don’t normally like to read the news these days but when I do, I stay away from the mainstream sites and read the digest from our second partner for this newsletter:

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