Eric Haupt

Happy Sunday Friends!

As always, here’s a story, two ideas from me, and three of my favorite things.

This month, I have been building. A lot.

On one front, it’s high-speed maneuvering. I’ve been building by, with, and through models, tuning and training. Paul and I have been migrating platforms from simple hosts into sprawling ecosystems, building relationships, and architecting the digital marrow of our own company, Obsidian Rowe.

On another front (the military one) the building is different. It’s slower, heavier, and intentionally permanent. It is the work of establishing sustainable, repeatable systems: property management, development sprint cycles, technology transfer plans, and strategic partnerships.

To some, these might look like two different worlds. One is about agility and the pivot; the other is about bedrock and the system. But they are driven by the same internal compass.

My finger remains firmly pointed at our North Star. The direction hasn’t changed, but the path to get there is rarely a straight line. Like a navigator tacking against a headwind, the journey requires constant maneuvering.

Marcus Aurelius reminds us: “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”

Whether migrating a server or building a property management system, the “impediment” is simply the raw material for the next step. If a host limits our growth, the migration is the way. If a lack of process stalls a mission, the sprint cycle is the way. Builders don’t wait for the path to clear; we use the obstacles to pave the road.

1. Building for Sustainability vs. Building for Speed

The Point: True Strategic Sovereignty requires both an engine that can turn and a foundation that won’t move.
The Why: Speed is useless if you outrun your supply lines. I maneuver for advantage to achieve marked gains, then build for legacy to ensure that systems and plans survive long after I’ve moved on.
The How: Identify which parts of your life require Agile Maneuvering (the pivot) and which require Foundational Systems (the bedrock). Don’t try to build a foundation with a startup mindset, and don’t try to maneuver with a bureaucracy.
Real Example: Establishing a development sprint cycle in a military org isn’t just about “coding fast.” It’s about building a repeatable system that ensures the mission continues regardless of who is in the seat.

2. The Tech-Transfer Mindset: Building Bridges

The Point: Building a “thing” is only half the battle; building the “transfer” is where the value scales.
The Why: Whether it’s a partnership or tech-transfer, building the bridge between an idea and its application is the ultimate act of a creator. It moves the vision from your head into a functional reality that others can walk across.
The How: When building, ask: “How does this hand off?” If the system depends entirely on your presence, you haven’t built a system, you’ve built a job.
Real Example: Creating a technology transfer plan ensures that innovation doesn’t die in a lab; it moves into the hands of the operators who need it most.

3 Favorite Things

Philosophy: The Discourses of Epictetus | He taught that while we don’t choose our “station” (the shipwreck or the command), we choose how we apply our reason to the materials at hand. Use your reason to turn your current station into an asset.
System: The Sprint Cycle | Whether in software or property management, the “Sprint” is the builder’s best friend. It turns a daunting, monolithic goal into a series of achievable maneuvers.
Concept: “The Bedrock Test” | Look at a system you built. If you walked away today, would it still be running in six months? If the answer is no, refine with a sprint.

One Question Are you currently building a “job” that requires your constant presence, or are you building a “system” that advances the mission toward the North Star with or without you?

Until Sunday, my friends.

Think Dangerously.
–e

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