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A Personal Audit: Focus, Bandwidth, and Building With Intention

Success on the outside, burnout on the inside.

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Hey friends,

This month’s midweek check-in is a bit personal.

Not a breakdown of strategy or a playbook for growth. Just a reflection … let’s call it a gut check.

I’ve spent the last few months sprinting through life. On the outside, it looks like momentum. On the inside? It feels more like a loss of time, attention, and the parts of life I care about most.

I can barely remember my past wins from this year, and I’d have to check LinkedIn, Instagram, or my Notion dashboard for a quick refresher.

Turning 31 this month has made me pause.

Am I building a life I actually want to live, or just running faster because I can?

 My Friends at HubSpot said hi (sponsored)

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The Real Cost of “Success” 🙄 

Creator Economy NYC Panel

Earlier this year at Creator Economy NYC, someone asked a question that stuck with me: “You all are already successful, how do you keep going?"

It hit me because I don’t see myself that way. Not really.

Yes, I’ve had success. But I don’t feel like a successful entrepreneur. Maybe it’s the same reason champions stay hungry; they don’t see themselves as champions. They just keep showing up, like they haven’t arrived yet.

This has been one of the busiest years of my life, personally and professionally. I just turned 31, and on paper, things look great:

  • Business travel to Austin, Vegas, Mexico City, and Amsterdam.

  • I'm growing, reaching new heights, stacking wins.

  • My calendar is full. My inbox OD. My life feels... “productive”.

But if I'm honest? I'm missing big parts of it. Moments I used to enjoy. Space I used to protect. The clarity that used to guide me.

So I’m starting a new kind of journey. A more intentional one. And I’m inviting you to walk it with me.

Here are two simple shifts I’m making immediately:

Auditing my time like my bank account. 

If I don’t know where my hours are going, how can I invest them wisely?

  • I'm tracking where my time actually goes — like an expense report for my life.

  • I'm labeling tasks: Energizing, Neutral, or Draining. This helps me spot the patterns and cut the noise.

Here’s a video that’s helping me 👇️ 

Walking away before I say yes. 

My yes needs to be earned and not a reflex.

  • Fewer meetings. Fewer maybes. Fewer unfinished tasks.

  • More white space. More "no for now." More deliberate action.

Why? Because a personal brand is supposed to create freedom, not steal it.

And if I want to build something recession-proof — financially and emotionally — that starts with ruthless clarity and intentional choices.

Thanks for reading. If you're feeling a similar tug, reply and tell me how you're reclaiming your time

Maybe you're in a season like this, too, where your life looks full, but your soul feels cluttered.

If so, I see you. And I hope this gives you permission to slow down, zoom out, and reorient toward what truly matters.

Thanks for reading — I’m grateful you’re here.

Brandon Smithwrick

Thanks for reading!

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