#20 the start-up phase. Chronicles of a Founder Dad.
Upgrading the Perfect Day
Back in 2021, I got crystal clear on what my perfect day looked like.
I visualised it every morning. Not in a vague, dreamy way, but down to the tiniest detail. I walked through it in my mind as if I were already there. Where I lived. How I showed up. The way I did yoga with the kids before breakfast breakfast and the jokes we told at drop-off. The scooter ride to work. The buzz of the café. The people. The energy. The calm.
I lived near the beach and could see the water from the shower. I started each day with the kids, work was fun, relationships on fire, and a rhythm to life that felt effortless. I was consistent - every single day I ran the tape. I committed. I invested in that vision like it was already mine.
And here's the cool thing: Four years on, I kinda built it.
That life became real. Almost eerie in how close it matched the vision.
But on reflection… I also limited it. Without realising it, I had capped my own imagination.
The place we lived was near the beach, but not on the beach.
My work was fulfilling, but not world-changing.
And the family life I imagined? It was based on a version of normal that doesn’t exist for us.
We have a daughter with profound needs, and that shapes every single day. We don’t get to live on autopilot. And so much of what I visualised back then(the freedom, the flow, the control) just doesn’t match the complex beauty (and chaos) of what life actually is now.
So this week, we’re upgrading the picture.
We’re removing the ceiling.
We’re stepping into the next version of the perfect day.
Now, I'm not waking up with a glimpse of the ocean, we’re living on the beach.
I’m not just scootering to a co-work spot, I’m rolling into indi HQ: a building that’s alive. A gym for our community of therapists and kids. A content studio. A creative playground. A lighthouse for the families who feel lost in the dark.
I’m not just a “good, present dad”, I’m the best bloody parent-carer I can be.
We’re the ray of hope for others who land in this life with no training, no warning, and no village.
And the work? It’s not just fun. It’s impacting millions.
That’s the new bar. That’s the energy 🔥 ✨ 🩵
This weekend’s task:
Keep refining the vision.
Feel every second of it.
Probably rope ChatGPT into making a storyboard out of it.
And then every morning, visualise it with discipline.
If you’ve never done this before, give it a whirl. And if you do, here are my top 2 tips:
1. You have to fully commit.
This is not journaling fluff.
You have to invest time every day, like you do with meetings or emails.
You won’t get a dopamine hit like you do from scrolling, but it will change your life.
Discipline over distraction.
2. You have to take massive f*cking action.
As Tony Robbins says:
‘Affirmation without discipline is the beginning of delusion,
but affirmation with discipline creates miracles: You must
have both affirmation and discipline to produce results.’
This isn't about wishing. It's about locking eyes with the future and building it into existence.
It’s wild how often we limit ourselves without even realising it.
And when you’re in the thick of it (especially parenting, or building) you rarely feel the progress because you keep raising the bar.
So if you’re overdue for a reset, consider this your nudge:
Revisit your perfect day.
Upgrade it.
Make it as bold and brilliant as you’ve become.
And if you want help pulling yours out of your head and into a vision, I’m not a master, but I’m all in. One coffee or glass of wine is the price of admission.
This weeks Roundup:
Antler x Notion event in Melbourne →
Awesome. I’ve been using Notion for a month and dare I say it, it might now be more important than spreadsheets in how I run indi 😳Our first merch is here!
We’ve got stickers. Want one for your laptop?
Love us, slap it on, and tag us on LinkedIn — we’ll send one your way.The “Mums Chat” hit a new gear 💬❤️
Two new legends joined this week. That lived-in, parent-to-parent support?
It's magic. AI can’t touch it. Our mission: build a product that amplifies that human connection, not replaces it.Two secret design projects underway 👀
Honestly? They might be my favourite things we've dreamed up yet.
I think Jeff thought I was high when I pitched one yesterday. (I wasn’t. Just pumped.)Charity things 💪
Mental Health Push-Up Challenge: 799 done, about 2,500 to go.
Also: getting dunked at Auskick tonight for The Big Freeze, raising awareness and money for MND. It’s 4 degrees outside without freezing water.
This may be a terrible idea.
My Ask:
It’s been a while since I made one of these…
My ask this week is super simple: Don’t be a stranger.
I see the stats. I know people are reading, watching, following along. I feel the love.
If something here lands with you, drop me a message.
Tell me what you’re building, feeling, learning.
I’m always keen to hear the stories behind the people.
Until next time
All the love - Orrin
Love it. Reminds me of the 'Think and Grow Rich' philosophy of tricking your mind into believing something is real, until it is manifested. I'll take a sticker next time we're in the office! And sorry we barely got to speak at the Notion event - as a Notion rookie, I'm keen to see how you are using it and what all the fuss is about!