One thing from the water
On Wednesday I had an 8×10 minute swim session.
Somewhere in the middle of it, something shifted. Not the whole session. Not every length. But for a lot of strokes — more than usual — my technique felt like it was actually working. Not forced. Not managed. Just right.
I’ve been chasing that feeling for months. The more strokes I can hold with the right technique, the more efficient I become in the water. Efficiency at 66km matters more than strength. So when it showed up on Wednesday — not for every length, but for more of them than before — I noticed. And I held onto it as long as I could.
One thing from the work
My son is two. We live in the countryside, and twice a week the baker delivers a bag of bread to the door.
This week we picked it up together. He insisted on carrying it himself up the stairs.
Halfway up, he stopped. Looked at me. Asked me to help carry it because it was too heavy.
No drama. No shame. Just: this is too heavy, I need you.
I’ve been thinking about that ever since. Why is it so easy for him — and so hard for us?
Most of the people I know who’ve been through a serious crisis are exactly the kind of people who don’t ask. High performers. Used to carrying things alone. They’ll adjust their grip, slow their pace, stop to breathe — anything but say: this is too heavy right now.
My son didn’t see asking as a failure. He saw it as the next logical step.
One thing for you
Both moments this week point to the same idea. In Japanese, they call it Kaizen — continuous small improvement. Not transformation. Not breakthroughs. Just the next small thing, done a little better than before.
Most people hear Kaizen and think: work harder, optimise everything. But in the water, and on those stairs, it looked different. It looked like noticing one stroke that felt right. It looked like knowing when the bag was too heavy and asking for a hand.
Kaizen isn’t only about doing more. It’s about doing the next right thing — including the ones that look like slowing down or asking for help.
This week’s tool — your Kaizen question
At the end of each day this week, ask yourself one question:
What was one stroke that felt right today?
It doesn’t have to be big. A conversation that landed. A decision made clearly. A moment where you didn’t push through alone.
Write it down. One line. That’s it.
You’re not tracking progress. You’re training yourself to notice it.
Back in the water tomorrow
Bernhard
Lago Maggiore is next. 66km. June 25th.
If someone in your world is rebuilding after a crisis, forward this to them. That’s how this letter grows. Thank you!
