Do you know what you want?

And does it matter?

Can you still get places if you don’t know exactly what you want?

Sure. Plenty.

But how?

Consistency. Consistently shipping. Doing defined things, even if not perfectly. Over and over again.

Is it the best way to do things? Some argue that maybe it is. Like the dude who wrote Range. But other people say specialists are more critical.

And with AI, isn’t everyone a generalist now? Everyone could be if they wanted to be. Theoretically. But execution. That’s where the rubber meets the road. The people who can execute and get results (even if those results are as simple as…I am delivering you 3 posts) are the ones who stand out.

“A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.”

George S. Patton

Jack of all trades, master of none? Well, what if AI is the master of all and you just need to be the jack who gets it to do what you need it to do.

Or what if you’re good at wrangling super smart humans to do epic stuff?

That’s valuable.

Be exceptional. Or just be relentless. Or be both. Just don’t be boring.

What is it about watching sports, man? There’s just something about them that’s so dramatic and captivating. The raw emotion. The skill of the players. The elements of surprise. The talent level of professional athletes.

Sports are a true spectacle. The crowds. The energy. The story. The Davids vs. Goliaths. The stories of each individual player and how they come together as a collective whole to triumph.

That’s really what we all love as human beings. Winning. Surviving. Triumph. Conquering. It drives us. Maybe it’s an evolutionary urge that, when played out on a screen in a stadium, scratches that itch. We don’t have to go out and conquer wild beasts to survive anymore. Now it’s more about just rising above the noise all around us to find true focus and do work that makes a real difference in the world.

But yeah, I often ask myself what it is that draws me so much into sports. I think it’s the adrenaline rush. The vicarious feeling of triumph. It’s an addictive feeling. It’s like the more attention I invest, the higher the emotional payoff. After all, being a true fan is a full-time gig. True fans don’t take days off. They don’t just stop cheering for their team when they suck. They suffer. They struggle. They experience every emotion right there with the team. Because it’s a choice they’ve made. A choice to show support in exchange for jubilation with every win, dramatically triumphant moment, and just maybe, one day, a championship.

Ever sit back and contemplate how we live on this big rock in the middle of the solar system where we have to earn money so we can pay it, just so we can live on this big rock in the middle of a large solar system?

Haha, I know it sounds all existential and angsty, but I just sometimes wonder if in the rat race we lose sight of what really matters. I believe we’re here on Earth to not just exist and find pleasure and then die, but to have true joy. To explore. To fall. And to get back up again. To struggle. To triumph.

But sometimes we just kinda exist. We stare at screens. We consume. We don’t really create anything of real value. We don’t contribute. And that’s when we become depressed. When we allow ourselves to be acted upon instead of acting.

True joy is found in relationships. Growing together. Sharing ourselves with others and the world. Stories. Emotions. Real, raw, good stuff.

So, what’s the point? Loving. Sharing. Creating. Growing. Enjoying. And growing into the fullest measure of our creation.

Rest on your laurels
At least for a day
You may be surprised
When your doubts flee away

For when you look back
On how far you have come
You may realize
All the battles you’ve won

And seeing your triumph
And grit and zeal
You just might believe
What’s inside you is real

-Jake Hansen, May 2025

Many talk about how tumultuous and divided our world and nation are. I can see this, but I can also see beauty everywhere. Inspiring musical artists, beautifully creative video games (Hogwarts Legacy, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and EA’s NCAA Football 25), and wonderful innovative technologies opening access to progress, growth, and education for people everywhere. It’s why I love what I do at WGU. I get to really pave pathways to opportunity for all through higher education. And more than that, I get to share the excitement and beauty of that with the world.

I also believe in the power of music. I love sharing it with the world. Here’s my YouTube channel, Piano Hymns by Jake Hansen.

Artists creating beautiful music:

• Billie Eilish
  • Birds of a Feather, Yesterday
• Hozier
  • To Someone from a Warm Climate
• Coldplay
  • Atlas, Coloratura
• Jacob Collier
  • Piano ballads

Over the last little while, I’ve been reflecting on the importance of connecting as human beings—as brothers and sisters sharing a mortal experience.

How often do we forget to truly connect and to really BE with the people we are around? It’s so easy to get so distracted by trivial matters or to get sucked into social media notifications and the endless doom scroll. Why do we so often just open our phones and just submit ourselves to whatever the world wants to throw at us?

We can be intentional. We can be present. We can let go of the fear of missing out. We can have faith in a higher power. Faith in ourselves. Faith in the goodness of the universe. And faith in people. Let’s do it!

January is almost over. Here’s what I’m proud of lately:

• I’ve started exercising more consistently to the point where I’m sore. It feels good to know I’m working my muscles. I’m feeling stronger and more toned already.
• I have written in my journal every day this year. Just little bullet points on what I did each day that felt good.
• I’m settling in to my new place in South Salt Lake. It’s nice.
• I’m going into the office pretty consistently.
• I’m striving to make new friends and focus on others.
• I’m learning to truly feel my emotions. I’ve learned to cry. It feels nice.
• I’m preparing to sell some sports cards at a card show. I’ve always wanted to do this and I’ve finally taken the leap.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about life energy and clearing away energy blockages so that I can feel full and light. I want to feel full of light and warmth and I want to be able to channel positive energy to others. I want my relationships to feel fulfilling. I want to let my love and life force shine to others. I want people to feel enlightened, heard, and lifted up when they’re around me.

I’m intrigued by Tai Chi and chakras. I attended a morning Tai Chi class last week and I’m interested in going again soon.

I love drinking a lot of water. I feel it really helps flush out my system and keeps headaches at bay.

I’d like to learn how to sleep better. I’ve been trying magnesium glycinate, but I often find that I wake up very groggy and have a hard time shaking my sleepiness. I’m often feeling foggy for several hours.

Purpose. Meaning. Centeredness. Clarity. Calm. Faith. Trust. Peace. Warmth. Kindness. Excitement. Acceptance. Gratitude. Grace. Gentleness.

Those are words I’m thinking about.

It’s time for me to refocus, rediscipline myself and commit to some lifestyle changes that’ll get me back to feeling my best.

It’s why I started the 75 Hard program yesterday. You commit to doing the following for 75 days:

• Doing two 45-minute exercise sessions
• Drinking a gallon of water
• Taking a progress photo
• Committing to a diet
• Reading 10 pages of a non-fiction book

Simple things, but it’s the consistency that’s key. I printed out a little progress tracker and got to work.

I’m on my second day and I’m already feeling a lot better. Completing a workout in the morning has been huge. It helps me feel a lot clearer mentally throughout the day.

In addition to the goals above, I have desires to spend less time on social media and video games and more time building my side business and being an artist. I just finished listening to the book Linchpin by Seth Godin. He talked about the importance of sharing the gift of art with the world.

My art is my piano music, my rapping, and my writing. I want to consistently do those things. It would be cool to write on my blog daily, produce one song for my YouTube channel each day, and just have some fun doing some freestyling on Tik Tok.

Sometimes I listen to myself play the piano and just marvel at what God has poured out through me. I sit back and admire the love and feeling he’s flooded into and out of my soul and through my fingers. I’m blessed to share God’s love with others through music. That’s such a humbling blessing. I don’t seek my own glory, but rather feel humbled at what God has imbued me with.

I’m a deeply emotional person who often struggles to show how I truly feel. But sometimes my fingers touch the ivory and do the talking. I’m grateful when people appreciate the depth of feeling and the little pieces of my soul I pour into my music. I feel sad when they think I’m just another person who plays the piano. Another kid in Utah who took piano lessons. A dime a dozen. When they don’t connect with what I’m lovingly imparting to them. When they’re not into it like I am. I really do wanna feel loved, special, and unique. I love everyone even if they don’t always show me the deep attention I long for.

I feel so blessed and heard and understood when people say I have a gift and when they truly thank me for pouring out a bit of myself to them through the piano. I have put many many hours into honing my craft. I appreciate it when people see the fruits of these labors. Those 12 hours a week when I was 15 years old and countless hours before and after. The sacrifice. The missed time with friends.

My talent on the piano is all thanks to my God. He loves me. He loves you. Open your heart to him. Listen. Heal. Find what you love in this world and drink it in. Jesus lives. You are loved. Here’s a playlist that I hope touches your heart as much as it does mine. It’s my gift to you from God.