ON ACCESS, CLARITY, AND NOISE

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the word access.

Access is not just affordability, resources, or opportunity.

Access is also about being able to reach your best self.

Many people struggle to access clarity because noise gets in the way:

• Stress

• Trauma

• Meaningless tasks

• Being busy for the sake of being busy

What’s stood out to me recently is the scientific backing behind things I’ve believed and practiced for years.

I just finished Life Explained: Chasing 10hz by Dr. Izzy Justice. My wife works closely with him through Neuro580 Gives, a nonprofit focused on helping kids overcome obstacles so they can be at their best when it matters most.

What resonated wasn’t a new “hack,” but the explanation of why certain simple practices work. Many of them are ways to help the brain regulate, clear noise, and operate in a state of readiness often referred to as 10hz.

That immediately connected to how I’ve always thought about soccer, learning, and decision-making.

For years, I’ve taught scanning in soccer as “taking pictures.” Yes, it helps players gather more information. But what I hadn’t fully appreciated until now is that scanning also engages the senses in a way that calms the brain, clears noise, and supports faster, better decisions. It’s a form of regulation, not just awareness.

The same thing showed up in another place I didn’t expect: walking.

My family has always joked that I was one of the fastest runners growing up and one of the slowest walkers. I’ve always walked slowly, scanning rooms, noticing details, listening more than talking. I’ve written before about how powerful walking is for thinking. It turns out that slow, intentional movement is also a natural way to help the brain settle and access its most creative, focused state.

None of this is complicated. That’s the point.

We live in a world with unlimited information and unprecedented noise.

Ideas are everywhere.

Gurus are everywhere.

Most are followed by a “buy my course” link.

Ideas without clarity are just noise.

Information without action is just distraction.

In 2026, I’m intentionally creating space to access clarity when it matters most:

• At home with my kids

• When making high-leverage decisions

• When helping others think clearly

I’m optimizing for leverage, not busyness.

Thx for taking the time to read this.

C