Hi Friends,
Welcome back to the messy middle. August was a wide month: many projects, many laps, and two more surgeries than I'd have liked. Here's how it shook out.
Who am I again? I am Brett Bejcek. I live by my top values of Exploration, Iteration, and Connection. Exploration is what I do; I do it through iteration; and I do it to create more connection. I am prioritizing physical health, building community, and cultivating creativity.
Fun Metrics. A peek into my life: some tied to goals, others just for fun. Because I’m not a business, I’m a silly human. And silly humans sometimes spend 30 minutes comparing pastries consumed instead of finishing their to-do list.
ㅤ | July 2026 | August 2026 | Change |
Avg workout min /day | 107 | 79 | - 26.2% |
Avg steps / day | 14,056 | 9,173 | - 34.7% |
Flights taken | 3 | 3 | +/- 0.0% |
Books read | 1 | 0 | - 100.0% |
Side projects shipped | 2 | 5 | + 150.0% |
Pastries consumed | 12 | 20 | - 66.7% |
Days journaled | 6 | 6 | +/- 0.0% |
Fun lil’ memories
Highlights of August:
- Shipping, shipping, shipping. With so much access to AI models, I felt the startup buzz again, and it turns out the buzz is mostly just curiosity with a deadline. What makes a great trivia question? What makes a great kids game? How do people actually think about gift giving? I'm still very much in a diverging stage, and I've decided that's not a bug. I can take ten shots on net in the time it used to take me to line up one. Conventional wisdom says a lack of focus is what kills things. But conventional wisdom forgets that most things die anyway. So I'd rather have ten or fifteen little playgrounds, watch what works, and let the ideas cross-pollinate. Focus can come later. Right now, my job is to wander well.
- Jake + Ishani got married. My favorite summer place (Bellingham) with my favorite people (Jake, Ishani, their families, Kevin). It was magic. I love the way the fog rolls over the mountains and sticks to the bay. I love how the trees look like they have stories they're not quite ready to tell. I love that the seagulls wake you up whether you asked them to or not. I love the train ride through the old forests, and being out on the water spotting Dot Island from far away, knowing exactly what it looks like up close. Seeing the macro in the micro. It's a place where I feel at home, and I'm grateful I get to return to it every summer.
- A 6:44 mile. Way faster than I expected. I still finished in the bottom 80 percent of the race (seriously, who ARE these people?), but I enjoyed pushing myself more than I thought I would. Lungs on fire, legs complaining, genuinely rewarding. I think it's the fastest mile I've ever run. It took me right back to miler club in elementary school: doing laps around the field, getting beaten by every other kid, and (confession) lying about my lap count to earn the coveted Noontime Milers Sweatshirt. Running has never been a natural talent. But that's exactly why this one felt so good. Small steps like this are how I reclaim that part of my story, one honest lap at a time.
Lowlights of August:
- Surgery, surgery, surgery. My partner got surgery. Then I got surgery. Mine was very minor, but even minor repairs are loud reminders: the days I get to move my body, chase adventures, and do all the things I'm capable of are not guaranteed. They're gifts. I'm trying to hold that gratitude past the recovery window.
How did I do on my goals last month?
August Goals
Not great. I also don’t like this format. These things get buried here and I forget about them until I see it next month. It needs to get rolled into a more visible place.
Stop | Start | Continue |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Working out 🟡 |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Investing in community ✅ |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Taking advantage of living in NYC (more shows + events) 🟡 |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Rituals with friends 🟡 |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Saturday work sessions 🟡 |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Building + shipping ✅ |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Cooking 🟡 |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Stretching pre-workout 🟡 |
What am I prioritizing for this month?
September Goals
I need to pare it down. It’s too complex and I forget what’s important with a list of like 100 things.
Stop | Start | Continue |
Solo desserts | Reading more | Building + Shipping |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Working Out |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Rituals with friends |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Being a good partner |
That's August. Ten shots on net, fog on the bay, one fast (for me) mile, and a lot of gratitude for a working body.
See you on the 1st.
With love,
Brett Bejcek
On the first of every month I do a little self-audit and put it out into the world. Why? Accountability, reflection, and because life’s more fun when you share the messy middle.