PM Talks S2E7: Sustainability

Jul 9, 2025

Join Patrick Rhone, a thoughtful author and friend of Mike Vardy, as he dives deep into the often-overlooked world of sustainability. He shares insights on the crucial distinction between consistency and true sustainability, cautioning against confusing temporary momentum with lasting impact. Through stories of gardening and parenting, Patrick illustrates patience and attention in long-term endeavors. Discover why systems that seem effective today may not last tomorrow, and learn how simple analog tools can sometimes triumph over their digital peers.

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ANECDOTE

Youthful Summers Feel Endless

Patrick Rhone and Mike Vardy reminisce about the endless feeling of summer during youth and how time seems compressed with age.
They reflect on how those long youthful summers seem like they happened just yesterday despite decades passing.

INSIGHT

Momentum vs Sustainability Balance

Momentum can exceed what we can sustainably maintain, leading to burnout or breakdown.
True sustainability sits in the balance of effort where you can maintain activity indefinitely without strain.

ANECDOTE

Gardening Tests Patience

Patrick's wife loves gardening but lacks patience, leading plants to die before they flourish.
Patience in gardening mirrors the need to wait through seasons for growth to truly sustain a garden.

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This episode is the latest in our monthly series, PM Talks, where I’m joined by my friend and fellow thinker, Patrick Rhone. This time around, we dig into something that often gets overshadowed by its louder cousin: sustainability. From routines and rhythms to systems and seasons, we talk about what it really means to sustain—across time, attention, and action.

Patrick and I explore the real difference between consistency and sustainability, and how too many people mistake momentum for something lasting. We share stories about summer, parenting, gardening, and even the war against weeds—all as metaphors for figuring out what’s actually worth sustaining.

Six Discussion Points

Why consistency often gets more attention than sustainability—and why that might be a generational bias
The subtle but critical difference between momentum and long-term viability
How unsustainable systems mask themselves through short-term results
The role of short-term maintenance in supporting long-term sustainability
Gardening as a metaphor for attention, patience, and the reality of diminishing returns
Why paper systems and analog tools often outlast their digital counterparts

Three Connection Points

This episode reminded me—again—that sustainability is about more than staying the course. It’s about choosing what’s worth continuing. Whether you’re managing time, energy, or a tomato plant, the wisdom is in knowing your limits and working with them, not against them. I hope this episode helps you rethink not just what you're doing, but whether you can—and should—keep doing it.

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