Fancy buildings may house the most toxic cultures.

Lavish lifestyles may mask the most insecure people.

Prestigious brands may conceal the most unpleasant work.

Do not concern yourself with optics; pursue great—great cultures, great people, great work.

Community, fulfillment, and mission are infinitely more rare and valuable than acclaim or wealth. Waking up each morning with a feeling that the day will be used, not wasted, seized, not soured, is a precious thing. Hold tight to it if you have it, seek it if you don’t, and spread the word to all the glassy-eyed, hoodwinked souls wandering blindfolded in the busy bramble thicket of our modern lives.