The Board Game That Changed My Life

Heyo! Barcelona Meetup is happening this Sunday, February 9th, 2:00 - 3:30 PM. We’ll meet in front of the Cascada Monumental in Parc de la Ciutadella. Don’t be late—we’re gonna move into the park shortly after. See you there :)))

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Thomas and I used to play the board game Risk.

It’s a map of the world where each player starts with a small army, trying to conquer the others to win.

We battled for years, and I never won. Not once.

I would sometimes think I had an upper hand on him, but he would always crush me.

After years of losing, I finally begged him over dinner one night: “Dude, what’s your freaking secret?"

He shook his head, “Not tellin’.”

I ordered a few drinks for him.

Finally, a little tipsy, he relented.

“Start with one continent,” he said. “You always spread yourself too thin. I focus on one place, build it up, and then expand.”

Thomas was creating a foundation before going outwards. Any time he rolled the dice and got new troops, he would just re-invest them into the same spot, until it became impregnable. And then he would march out with full force into the world.

That moment taught me more than just how to win at Risk. Because the reality was that I’d been spreading myself thin my whole life. And soon, I started to see that theme everywhere.

In nature: the tree trunk always comes before the branches.

In art: without establishing the structure of your drawing—top, bottom and center—you’ll get lost.

In business: It wasn’t until we removed other projects and focused solely on YouTube that Yes Theory—and later, our other businesses—took off.

It’s tempting to see the whole map, the infinite opportunity, and start scattering your soldiers—your energy—everywhere. It’s an enticing shortcut that inevitably leads to a dead end.

The reason I moved to Spain is to establish that physical foundation. To feel grounded in one place. To invest in it, plant roots. I’ve been flying all over the world the past decade without a sense of home and it’s drained me. Constant movement without stability is a recipe for burnout.

I’m now looking at my work life through this lens too. I have all these ideas, all these businesses I want to start, projects I want to take on. But what would happen if I only focused on this newsletter for now?

So, that’s what I’m doing: going all in on on writing and on this community.

I’m now a firm believer that the universe loves focus. Once you make a commitment to a place, to a project, to a people, it says: Finally, now I know where to support you.

And the beautiful part is that eventually you do get to spread out.

Once the trunk stands tall, once it can withstand the storm, the branches can form and that is what makes it a tree.

That is what makes a life.

Love,

Matt

Also…

I’ve been working on something I’m really excited about…

With my decision to commit to this platform, I’ve been thinking about how to bring this community closer together.

In two weeks, I’ll be launching a private space where we can connect like never before. Think: deeper conversations, real friendships, and a way for us to share this journey together beyond the inbox. Hope you’re ready :)