Values

What I believe in. What guides my decisions. These are the principles I try to live by in my work, my writing, and my community building.

"This is the beginning of a new day. I have been given this day to use as I will. I can waste it... or use it for good, but what I do today is important, because I am exchanging a day of my life for it!" —Ric Kausrud, 1997

Core Values

Values

He who creates the most meaningfulness, wins.
He who dies having achieved the most he wanted to in life, wins.
He who has the highest quality of life while spending/purchasing the least, wins.

Existence

You are alive, but only for a little while.
You are a tiny speck in an infinite universe.
You have a plethora of options in front of you today.

My belief: I don't believe in original sin or karma. We have the unique ability to be in charge of our lives. We're fortunate to exist at all, and to exist at the same time as each other. Life is a gift, not a test. Being alive together is sacred.

Success

Start living. Beginning this very moment.
You already have everything you need.
Be content with losing everything except your principles.
Motivation only operates properly internally.
The world doesn't care if you're tired.
Hit where you aim, don't miss the mark.
Cultivate a burning ambition for success.
Sacrifice what it takes to achieve results.
Apply overwhelming force.

My interpretation: Success is showing up every single day and doing something productive and meaningful with time and energy. This isn't something you get after years of hard work. It's what you cultivate daily.

Improvement

Constantly pursue knowledge.
Recalibrate and practice where necessary.
Apply your understanding.

How I practice this: One percent better every day. Small amounts to reduce entropy and chaos. It only takes a slight effort to make something slightly better than it was. I don't believe in hustle culture, rather, I believe in systems that make the work sustainable. Beeminder commits. Daily journaling. Incremental improvements that compound.

Honour

Be honest with yourself, and then with others.
Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.
Be as thoughtful of your inclinations as possible.
Always respect, but do not hold expectations.
You will eventually abandon your body, but preserve your honor.

What this means: Integrity, authenticity, truthfulness. Mean what you say, say what you mean. Have the courage to live within truth and virtue. This applies to code (semantic HTML, accessible sites), writing (honest essays, no clickbait), and business (pay people fairly, deliver what you promised).

Wisdom

Nothing is 'risk-free'.
Be detached from desire your whole long life.
Discard all unnecessary possessions.
You are not obligated to do a single thing.
It is only a mistake the first time.

In action: Learn from my mistakes and share what I learn with others. Allow others to make mistakes without judgement. Have patience and teach. Be a student and always be learning. Write in public. Document the process. Help others avoid my mistakes. Stay curious. Admit when I'm wrong.

Gratitude

Nothing should be taken for granted.
Leave circumstances better than how you found them.
Spread goodness unto everyone.
Always be thankful; Communicate it.
Always be complimentary; Communicate it.

What I'm grateful for:

The IndieWeb community that taught me to build better
Write Club members who taught me to lead (100+ members now)
750words for giving me a place to think (500,000+ words since 2011)
Public transit for giving me time to read and observe Calgary
Free and open-source software (built my entire practice on it)
Libraries (one of the last truly free resources)
The Mountain Goats for teaching me volume > perfection
Joan Didion for teaching me precision in essays

Asceticism

Ego will often create irrelevant fear.
Pleasure for its own sake is wasteful.
A partial feeling can never be depended upon.
Regret only stunts growth.
Jealousy only hinders the self.
Separation cannot always be reconciled.
Lust or love are never good guides.
The unknown should not be feared.
Death should not be feared.
Avoid taking action for the sake of following customary beliefs.
You cannot assume your actions may not have beneficial outcomes.
Life is either less work in the present, or more work in the future.
Never allow yourself to become comfortable.

How I practice this: I'm trying to do more with less by refusing to own more than what I can carry.

The Way

Measure the consequences.
Never stray away from The Way.

"Your future is created by what you do today, not tomorrow." —Robert Kiyosaki

Not what you plan to do. Not what you wish you'd done. What you actually do today.

Applied Values

In Development

Own your content — Build for portability, not platform lock-in
Accessibility first — Everyone deserves access
Privacy by default — No tracking, no surveillance, no data extraction
Performance matters — Respect people's time and bandwidth
Open source when possible — Share knowledge, improve together

In Writing

Write in public — Document the process, not just results
Honest over clever — Clear communication beats wordplay
Research and cite — Give credit, show your work
Elevate the ordinary — The mundane deserves literary treatment
Truth over brand — Be a person, not a persona

In Community

Center marginalized voices — Practice meaningful, intentional listening and deliberate amplification
Pro bono work matters — Corporate clients fund community service (Berry House's dual mission)
Safer spaces are built — They require work, consistency, boundaries
Mentorship without gatekeeping — Lift others up and break down barriers to entry for everyone
Fundraise for what matters — Support causes that align with my values and make a real impact
Practice the radical work of staying — Community requires showing up, even when you're annoyed and tired