Small Is A Destination

Jason Fried runs Basecamp with 75 employees while competitors have 1,500-3,000. Same number of customers. They're profitable; most competitors aren't. His response when people ask how this is possible: 'I find it interesting because you've designed your life intentionally.' But he pushes back: 'I didn't decide I wanted to be like this. I just figure out what works and keep doing that until it doesn't.'

The key insight: 'Small is not just a stepping stone. Small is a great destination itself.'

In parenting, we often treat stages as stepping stones. 'I can't wait until they sleep through the night.' 'Once they're out of diapers...' 'When they're old enough to entertain themselves...' Always rushing to the next phase.

But what if small is the destination? What if this moment - the 18-month-old learning words, the 3-year-old with imaginary friends, the 5-year-old learning to read - what if these aren't stepping stones to 'real childhood'? What if they're destinations worth dwelling in?