I ran across and older email today with something my buddy Dan Garner said and it has been rattling around my skull like a loose kettlebell in the trunk, and once that happens I either write… or annoy my wife explaining physiology metaphors over dinner.

So here we go.

You ever notice how the more experienced you get, the harder decisions actually become?

Not easier.

Harder.

Early on, everything feels simple:
“Train harder.”
“Eat cleaner.”
“Sleep more.”
“Just be consistent, bro.”

Then you learn more.

You read the studies.
You track HRV.
You start caring about VO₂max, protein distribution, recovery debt, autonomic balance, all that delicious nerd candy.

And suddenly every decision feels like standing at a four-way stop with no signs.

Is it cardio… or sleep?
More protein… or fewer sessions?
Push intensity… or back off and absorb?

You’re confused because you see too much.

That’s where Dan’s comment landed.

He wasn’t saying “learn more.”
He wasn’t saying “optimize harder bro.”

He was pointing at something simpler — and way more dangerous once you see it.

At a certain point, the game stops being about collecting information.

It becomes about recognizing leverage.

That moment when the noise falls away and you can tell:
“This is the thing that matters right now.”

That’s when you stop guessing.

You start seeing the matrix.

And once that switch flips, it’s hard to unsee.

Here is the gold nugget Dan said

“If you can tell what matters right now, everything else gets easier. Execute on that and then move to the next thing.”

Awesome!

Here’s the part that keeps sticking with me:

If a short lecture helps you get even 1% clearer today — not smarter, clearer — that clarity compounds across every single client you ever coach.

Not next month.
Not after a certification.
Today.

That’s the real flex nobody brags about.

So I built something around that idea.

Not a course.
Not a 47-module intellectual endurance event.

Just a micro-lecture library.

Short.
Focused.
Ten-ish minutes at a time. Some longer, some shorter.

One idea.
One lever.
One “ohhhh… that’s the thing” moment.

VO₂max.
Protein.
Sleep.
Fasting.
HRV.
Recovery.
Tabata.

The stuff you already half know — but haven’t had cleanly organized in your head yet.

No fluff.
No academic throat-clearing.
No “let me define metabolism for the 9,000th time.”

Here’s the weird part.

I didn’t want price to be the reason someone hesitated.

So I made it pay what you want.

Literally.

I’ve had people pay nothing.
I’ve had people throw in a penny.
I’ve had others drop $100… $200… $350.

Same access.
Same content.
One-time purchase.
No subscriptions.
No surprise charges.
I’m not hiding in your credit card statement like a raccoon waiting in a trash can to pounce on you when you open the lid.

Once you’re in, everything unlocks.

You can check it out here:
​https://miketnelson.com/microlectures/​

No pressure.
No launch theatrics.
No countdown timers screaming at you.

Just something useful, sitting there, when you need it.

If you want a simple way to use it, do this:

Pick one topic that’s been quietly bugging you lately.​
Not ten.
One.

Learn it in ten minutes.
Apply it today.
Move on with your life.

That’s how progress actually happens — not in giant heroic leaps, but in small moments of clarity stacked over time.

Much love, metabolic mischief, and serious gratitude to Dan for the nudge,

Dr. Mike

PS — Once you pay what you want, it unlocks the entire micro-lecture library for one price. No tiers, no upsells, no nonsense.

Note -from now until midnight CST tomorrow Thursday Jan 22, every cent that I make off the micro-lectures will be directly donated to local groups here in MN to provide food, water, and supplies to those affected.

Hop in at
​https://miketnelson.com/microlectures/​

Thank you

​

_____________________

Mike T Nelson CISSN, CSCS, MSME, PhD
Associate Professor, Carrick Institute
Owner, Extreme Human Performance, LLC
Editorial Board Member, STRONG Fitness Mag
​​Mike T Nelson is a Ph.D. and not a physician or registered dietitian. The contents of this email should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem - nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician. Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health.

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