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Welcome back - it's nice to have you here!

Before we dive in, where did your energy land this week on a scale from 1 to 10?

→ Hit reply if you want to take a second and share it. That simple awareness matters.

🎯 THE MOMENT

A few years ago, I noticed something strange about myself.

I was exhausted.

Not physically.

Mentally.

The kind of tired that sleep doesn’t fix.

The kind of tired that follows you through the day even when things are technically going well.

At first, I blamed the usual suspects.

Too much work.

Too many projects.

Too many responsibilities.

But the more attention I paid, the more I realized something else was happening.

I wasn’t carrying too much work.

I was carrying too many unresolved decisions.

Some were big.

Some were small.

Should I start?

Should I wait?

Should I launch this?

Should I kill that?

Should I invest here?

Should I walk away?

Should I say yes?

Should I say no?

Individually, none of them felt overwhelming.

Collectively, they were consuming enormous amounts of energy.

Like browser tabs left open for months.

Each one quietly pulling resources.

Each one demanding attention.

Each one sitting in the background waiting for resolution.

The strange part?

Nothing was actually happening.

I wasn’t making decisions.

I was carrying them.

And carrying them turned out to be far more exhausting than making them.

⚡ QUICK SPIN

Most people think decisions consume energy.

Many unresolved decisions consume far more.

Because the brain doesn’t stop working on an open loop simply because you’ve postponed it.

It keeps checking.

​
Keeps evaluating.

Keeps revisiting.

Keeps consuming resources.

The decision you haven’t made is still occupying space.

🛠️ MY TURN

One of the biggest surprises of entrepreneurship has been learning that growth doesn’t create more work.

Growth creates more decisions.

​
Every new opportunity creates choices.

Every new relationship creates choices.

Every new challenge creates choices.

At first, I thought the goal was making better decisions.

Now I’m convinced an equally important skill is making decisions sooner.

Not recklessly.

Not impulsively.

But intentionally.

Because every unresolved decision creates cognitive drag.

I’ve noticed this in myself repeatedly.

A decision sits unresolved for weeks.

Maybe months.

I keep telling myself I’m still evaluating.

Still gathering information.

Still considering options.

​
Meanwhile, something interesting happens.

My energy starts leaking.

My focus becomes fragmented.

My attention gets divided.

​
Not because the decision is difficult.

Because it’s unfinished.

That’s when I realized something.

​
The issue wasn’t complexity.

The issue was debt.

Decision debt.

📚 THE BACKUP

This is often referred to as the Zeigarnik Effect.

The brain tends to remember unfinished tasks more than completed ones.

Open loops create tension.

Completed loops create relief.

That’s why an unfinished decision can consume disproportionate mental energy.
Your brain keeps trying to solve it.

​
Again.

And again.

And again.

Even when you’re focused on something else.

The decision isn’t sitting quietly in the corner.

It’s running in the background.

And background processes still consume resources.

🛠️ THE SYSTEM

Whenever I notice my energy dropping unexpectedly, I ask myself a simple question:

Not making.

Carrying.

​
Then I make a list.

​
Every unresolved choice.

Every lingering question.

Every postponed commitment.

Every open loop.

Then I ask:

​
Do I need to decide?

Delegate?

Delay intentionally?

Or delete?

​
Most people are carrying far more decisions than they realize.

And many of them no longer deserve space in their minds.

Awareness creates options.

Options create movement.

Movement creates energy.

💡 THE SHIFT

For years, I believed energy came from motivation.

Now I think much of it comes from resolution.

Not because every decision is easy.

Because unfinished things are heavy.

Every unresolved decision requires maintenance.

Every open loop requires attention.

Every postponed choice occupies bandwidth.

The leaders who appear calm under pressure aren’t necessarily carrying less.

They’re carrying less unfinished.

That’s a very different thing.

🤗 YOUR TURN

Take out a piece of paper.

Write down every decision you’ve been carrying.

Big.

Small.

Personal.

Professional.

Everything.

Then look at the list and ask:

“Which one has been taking up the most space in my head?”

Start there.

Not because it’s the biggest.

Because it’s probably the most expensive.

Remember:

The decision doesn’t need to be perfect.

It needs to stop collecting interest.

👊 LET'S TALK

One of the most common things I help leaders uncover isn’t a lack of capability.

It’s hidden cognitive load.

The unfinished decisions.

The unresolved conversations.

The open loops quietly consuming attention.

Most people don’t realize how much energy becomes available once those things are brought into the light.

Because leadership isn’t just about what you’re building.

It’s also about what you’re carrying.

If you’d like a thinking partner to help identify where decision debt may be draining your energy, learn more at 👉 adamwbarney.com​

Cheers, Adam

P.S. Some of the most liberating moments in life aren’t when we find the perfect answer. They’re when we finally stop carrying the question.

P.S.S. 🎙️ One thing I’ve noticed about high-performing leaders is that they don’t necessarily make perfect decisions. They make decisions. This week’s conversation with Sam Nebel, co-founder of Goodwipes, explores the leadership systems, culture, and mindset that helped build a wildly successful brand while keeping something many organizations lose along the way: fun. A great reminder that momentum often comes from action, not endless analysis. 👉 Have Fun. Get Sh*t Done. The Leadership System Behind Goodwipes | Ep. 66 w/ Sam Nebel

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