Modern Wisdom #1047 - Jonathan Swanson - The Obvious Strategy to Take Back Your Time
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Jan 17, 2026 
Jonathan Swanson, co-founder of Thumbtack and creator of Athena, dives into the art of buying time instead of things. He shares insights on effective delegation, emphasizing that using assistants—both human and AI—can supercharge productivity. Swanson discusses the pitfalls of delegation, offers practical first steps for hiring help, and illustrates how time sovereignty impacts health and ambition. He also outlines the process of building a supportive assistant relationship, ultimately advocating for a strategic life with less clutter and more focus.
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White House Training Ground
- Jonathan Swanson sat next to the president's executive assistants at the White House and learned extremely high standards for support.
- That experience inspired him to hire his first assistant and pursue building a presidential-caliber team for his life.
Time As The Ultimate Currency
- Time is the primary, non-renewable asset and the true currency of meaningful life choices.
- Controlling your time enables all higher-order goals like family, health, and entrepreneurship.
Start Small And Scale Delegation
- Start delegating at level zero by swapping tasks with friends or family to gain free leverage.
- Then use ChatGPT (~$20/month) and hire hourly help as you can, scaling up gradually.
