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Patrick Rife

Embarking on a journey to reclaim control, and build businesses that reflect who I am, and where I'm headed.

Why the Noise in Your Head Will Change the World
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New BroadcastWhy the Noise in Your Head Will Change the World

In the heaviest moments of entrepreneurship, we can find ourselves wishing for silence. For the thoughts to stop. For the worries to pause. For the endless mental chatter to just give us one moment of peace. Being in the thick of it can be one of the most smothering, suffocating, and nerve-shredding experiences you will ever have. The weight of it all. The endless decisions. The constant second-guessing. The parade of what-ifs that march through your mind at 3am. And anyone who has truly been...

So for anyone who has been riding alongside this journey for any amount of time at all, you know that I've spent a lot of time wayfinding what Ground Control would actually become. You know that it started with this newsletter. Writing my heart out. Grappling with things I don't understand in an effort to better understand: me what the fuck I'm doing why I matter how I'm actually helpful And it's been simultaneously glorious, horrible, harrowing, inspiring, life-affirming, guilt-ridden and...

The Office of Accountability and Planning Here we are at the office of accountability and planning. I've been making this joke about myself for months now. Why? Well, because for so long I've really neglected what that means for me. It always felt so far out of how I organized myself. And ironically, it's something that I've become quite good at doing for others. It's funny how things that exist squarely within our own zone of genius are sometimes not applicable to our own challenges. Why is...

The Currency of Resilience - Ground Control

It's been rattling around in my head for weeks. The currency of resilience. Demanding attention. Asking to be understood. Maybe it caught me because it's one of those phrases. The kind that feels both obvious and rare ground. Like finding something you didn't know you were looking for. But anyway, back to resilience. Success and failure. The line between them is never clear. If we're being honest? We've almost always got one foot on each side. Shifting weight. Trying to find balance. Tugging...

This week I'm thinking about clarity. Not as a destination we reach, But as moments that find us. Like sunlight through trees while driving. Brief. Beautiful. Moving.

You know what's funny about clarity? Everyone talks about finding it Like it's some fixed point on a map. Some final destination. As if one day you'll wake up and say "Ah, there it is. Now I get it all." I used to chase that kind of clarity. That permanent knowing. That unshakeable certainty. Funny how life teaches you things. Because here's what I've learned: Clarity isn't a place you arrive at. It's a series of moments. Flashes of light. Glimpses of possibility. Like catching sunlight...

Someone with the Maturity to Guide Us

Someone with the maturity to guide us. At the end of the day, isn't that what we're all looking for? I was thinking a bit the other day about where we place our trust. And how important it is to do so at all. I think there are two kinds of people in this world. Those who place all of their trust in themselves. And those who look for external signals to guide the way. Of course it isn't black and white. And honestly, I don't really believe the former truly go it alone. I think they're...

The returns on filling someone else's cup are fucking astronomical. But they don't show up on your quarterly reports. They show up years later.

I was thinking about ROI the other day. You know, Return on Investment. That thing we're all supposed to be chasing. But here's the thing about returns - we're usually looking in all the wrong places. We're so focused on immediate gains, quick wins, and measurable outcomes that we miss the bigger play. I've spent a lot of time in rooms where ROI is the only language spoken. Spreadsheets and projections. Numbers and charts. Don't get me wrong - that stuff matters. But there's this other kind...

On Labels and Light - Ground Control

Labels can limit us, but the real magic happens in those tiny shifts of perspective that illuminate everything. A reflection on moving past titles to focus on transformation. Read on my website Read time: 3 minutesI’ve been wrestling with words lately. Specifically “coach” and “consultant.” You know those words that just give you the ick? Yeah, those. For months now, I’ve been dancing around something. Something that lights me up like nothing else. It’s this thing that happens when I sit with...

The Emperor Has No Clothes (Engagement Either)

A deep dive into the hidden costs of growing an audience on social media, this piece uncovers the tricks, time, and trade-offs of playing the platform game. It’s a call to prioritize authenticity, purpose, and real connections over quick wins, reminding us that the journey matters more than the algorithm’s reward. Read on my website Read time: 3 minutes Fine people of the universe!I mentioned last week that I’d been spending a LOT of my time writing over on LinkedIn in an effort to grow my...

Ground Control - Many Happy Returns

Hi Everyone! For so many of you who are receiving your first edition of Ground Control let me just say: WELCOME! And thank you for coming along on this journey. For those of you who have been subscribers for a while, it’s good to be back :-) Many of you know I launched this project at the beginning of 2024 with the goal of publishing every week. And that I held firm through June and once in late July. Life has gotten in the way and I was a little disappointed. In the long run? I’m really not...