Insomnia Coffee. https://insomniacoffee.co/
Caramel latte.
Cinnamon roll.

And yes… I know what you’re thinking.

“Carl has finally lost it.”

Because let’s be clear, insomnia is not a laughing matter. Millions of people struggle with it. My good friend Monica deals with it regularly. Not fun.

But for me?

I’m out in about 3 minutes flat.

I know this because of my Oura Ring, a Christmas gift from my son. My father-in-law calls it my “modern mood ring.” And honestly… he’s not wrong. https://ouraring.com/?srsltid=AfmBOop2jXgQCCebgThFyY0H2kwuA8F2wy2AFl8dz22LeHslbumi9_aG

Here’s What Surprised Me

I don’t check my sleep data every day. Maybe once a week.

But during one of the busiest stretches of tax season, 12+ hour days, back-to-back, nonstop, I decided to take a look.

And what I saw didn’t make sense.

According to the data…
I wasn’t stressed.

I was restored.

Even more interesting?

Some of my lowest stress levels, my most restorative moments, were happening at one place:

Insomnia Coffee

Wait… What?

Now let’s be honest.

• It’s not cheap

• It’s not helping the waistline

• And it’s definitely become a habit

I’ve even thought about cutting it out.

But during this season?

It’s been something different.

It’s been a reset button.

A place where I can:

• Knock out emails

• Jump on Zoom calls

• Think clearly

• Reflect

• Even write parts of Lost at CEO

Somehow… in the middle of chaos…

That place brings me peace.

The Real Insight: Flow

What I realized is this:

It’s not just the coffee.

It’s the state.

I’ve been spending a lot of time in what Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi called “flow”, that feeling where everything is clicking. You may have heard it called being “in the zone.” 

You’re locked in.
Time disappears.
Work feels… energizing.

As a Gallup Strengths Strengths Coach, we ask:

“Tell me about a time when everything was clicking on all cylinders.”

Because that’s where your strengths show up.

For me, it’s pretty clear:

• Responsibility

• Arranger

• Maximizer

When I’m operating in those?

I’m not drained.

I’m charged up.

Here’s the Twist

Most people think:

“When things slow down… I’ll feel better.”

But what if that’s backwards?

What if the goal isn’t less work…
but better alignment?

Because here’s what I’ve learned:

You don’t burn out from working hard.
You burn out from working out of alignment.

Your Turn

So let me ask you two questions:

1. Where is your “Insomnia Coffee”?
Where do you go, physically or mentally, where you feel restored even during chaos?

2. When do you experience flow?
What are you doing when time disappears and you’re fully locked in?

And here’s the real question…

Do you have the data to back it up?

A Quick March Madness Note…

We wrapped up the 34th Annual Cox Family Fun (4 Free) NCAA Tournament.

Congrats to Ben “8-ball” Heiney, $500 winner, who beat Linda Ramey for the big prize.

The final showdown came down to Michigan vs. UConn…and we were all in the same city, cash on the table, full drama.

Michigan got it done. And so did “8-ball.”

And yes… the money was sitting there in $100 bills for full effect.

As it should be.

Final Thought (With April 15 Around the Corner)

We’ve got five days left.

Saturday. Sunday. Monday. Tuesday. Wednesday.

If you’re not ready, get ready.
Or at least file that extension.

And one more reminder:

We’ve made about $10 total trying to “win” money during this stretch.

We were close to $1,000… twice.

Didn’t happen.

Which reinforces a simple truth:

It’s better to earn your money than try to win it.

And if all else fails…

That $10 might just cover one order at Insomnia Coffee.

My Happy Place.

PS: We appreciate our team for pushing through the busy season. We’re almost there! 

PSS: If you’re still reading, you’re one of our true followers. Take a look at our new website, and if you spot any issues, please reach out to Tonya so the team can address them. tonya.smith@40strategy.com