"Success Is Overrated, and So Is Your Calendar." Joseph Kopser
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In a world that glorifies hustle, perfection, and perfectly lit morning routines, Joseph Kopser offers a radical idea:
Maybe we’ve got it all backwards.
Modern life is an endless scroll—of curated wins, filtered faces, and productivity hacks disguised as self-care. The message is loud and clear: if you're not maximizing every second of your day, you're falling behind. It sounds ambitious, but it’s quietly corrosive.
“It’s unhealthy to believe you need to be perfectly scheduled and productive every second of the day.”
Joseph doesn’t whisper this truth—he states it plainly. And in doing so, he gives us permission to stop sprinting toward a finish line that doesn’t exist.
The irony of today’s hyper-connected age is that while we’ve never had more tools to “optimize” our time, we’ve also never felt more behind.
We compare our messy drafts to everyone else’s final cuts, convinced we’re missing some secret. But here’s the thing: no one has it together—not really.
The images we consume online are polished, pre-approved, and deeply incomplete. They rarely show the missteps, breakdowns, or stillness. And yet we judge our entire lives against them.
This pursuit of constant output doesn’t just steal our peace—it robs us of the present. Moments with loved ones. The luxury of boredom. The value of silence.
To reclaim balance, Joseph argues, we need to schedule rest with the same seriousness as meetings.
That’s not laziness—it’s strategy. He reframes downtime not as a luxury, but as a requirement for clarity, health, and, ironically, better long-term performance.
That balance includes how we interact with technology. We’ve built lives around tools that were meant to serve us, but often end up running us. Notifications become the heartbeat of our day. And while digital life promises connection, it often delivers the opposite: a constant state of comparison and quiet loneliness.
“You’ve got to be ready for when tech fails—and know when to walk away from it on purpose.”
It’s a practical point, but also a philosophical one. We need to design our dependency, not be ruled by it. That might mean keeping analog tools around—but more importantly, it means knowing how to be human without Wi-Fi.
When we let go of the myth of perfect time management, something unexpected happens: we finally see what actually matters.
“As you get older, you learn that you make time for what’s most important to you.”
That’s not just about priorities—it’s about honesty. Most of us know what’s important. We just haven’t had the stillness—or the courage—to face it.
Self-awareness and self-compassion aren’t just buzzwords. They’re the exit ramps from burnout. And in a hyper-optimized world, maybe the most rebellious thing we can do is to be okay with not doing it all.
Joseph also reminds us of something deeply human: community matters more than any app ever will.
“Those with more friends by their own definition live longer, full stop.”
In a culture that rewards independence, this is a much-needed reset. Connection isn’t optional—it’s essential. It’s health. It’s resilience. It’s meaning.
Community reflects who we are. It helps us survive the hard stuff and makes the good stuff matter more. That kind of richness doesn’t come from likes or shares. It comes from showing up.
So maybe balance isn’t about achieving perfect harmony. Maybe it’s about letting go—of unrealistic expectations, of algorithmic approval, of the lie that rest is weakness.
Joseph Kopser invites us to redefine success on our own terms. A version rooted in presence, not perfection. In connection, not competition.
In a world obsessed with doing more, perhaps the boldest move is to do less—and mean it.
🎧 Listen to Building Teams and Tackling Challenges with Joseph Kopser onUncharted: Your Sidekick for Life – Episode 10, Season 1.
Joseph Kopser is a U.S. Army combat veteran, tech entrepreneur, and civic leader with over 20 years of leadership across sectors. After a distinguished military career, he co-founded Ridescout, a transportation tech startup acquired by Daimler. He later served as President of moovel, helping shape urban mobility strategy.
Joseph has worked extensively at the intersection of innovation, policy, and public service. He ran for U.S. Congress in 2018, driven by a passion for bipartisan problem-solving and civic engagement. Today, he’s the CEO of Grayline, advising leaders on navigating disruption through technology and policy.
He holds a degree from West Point and a Master’s in Public Leadership from the LBJ School at UT Austin.
Natalie Peyton: Peyton studied theatre and film in Australia, New York and LA and performed stand-up on the “three coasts.” She honed her podcast executive skills over the last 4 years developing and producing dozens of podcasts and even hosts a children’s mindfulness bedtime program
Leon Vanstone: Leon brings his curiosity and sharp interviewing skills to the table, facilitating insightful discussions with our mentors, extracting valuable lessons and insights to empower listeners on their own path to growth and achievement.
Dan Dillard: Dan, with his thoughtful approach and engaging style, delves into the minds of our mentors on the podcast, crafting compelling interviews that uncover the wisdom and experiences driving their success and impact.
This blog was written by Anais Schmidt, one of the hosts of the Uncharted Podcast. Anais is also an aspiring musician. When not in her studio, she tours Europe with Monte Mai.
If you would like to join the conversation email us at anais@foundingup.com
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