Movement Without Mayhem
The Fire Horse is here.
Today marks the start of the Year of the Fire Horse.
Fire Horse years carry momentum. They reward motion, courage, clarity. But fire is not known to be a subtle energy. It illuminates what’s strong as well as it inflames what’s already strained.
In that sense, this year feels well matched to the moment.
Many of us are living with a steady hum of political unrest, institutional mistrust, cultural polarization, and low-grade nervous system fatigue. It’s been a lot of a lot.
A Fire Horse year might be exactly what we need right now. Not because it’ll be easy, but because it’ll be directive.
At its best, Horse energy is decisive, independent, and strong without being showy. It runs with stamina, not spectacle. It knows where it’s going.
At its worst, it can become reckless. Reactive. Overextended.
So the question this year isn’t whether we act. It’s how.
Movement is required. Certainty is not.
This is not a year for theatrics or thrashing. It’s a year for disciplined motion. For clean boundaries. For heart-centered action. For choosing what actually matters and committing to it fully.
If the Year of the Snake was about shedding, then the Horse is about forward progress with emotional grounding. Honest intent. Not to burn brighter for the sake of it, but to build what can last.
Here are a few Fire Horse principles I’ll be bringing into 2026:
Stay focused.
Horses wear blinders for a reason. Not to narrow their world, but to keep their energy directed. Reduce noise. Protect attention. Focus on what truly moves the needle.Stay sturdy.
Strength without recovery collapses. Horses run far because they recover well. The same is true for leaders, founders, parents, creators. In other words, for all of us.Stay true.
Horse energy values independence. It resists being ridden without consent. This is a year for clean yeses and clean nos. Clarity over appeasement.Stay nimble.
A horse can pivot quickly when needed. What is rigid eventually cracks. Precision and adaptability are not opposites. They are partners.
These are not abstract ideals. They are practical strategies for living and leading in volatile times.
And volatility, whether we like it or not, is part of the terrain we’re all riding through these days. As we embark on this new year, I want to share some ways we work together and support your growth.
How Can I Help?
Last year I had the pleasure to share my talks and workshops across corporate teams, hospitals, universities, NGOs, conferences, and communities.
What I continue to see is this:
In complex times, our ability to relate well is not just a collective good, it’s a competitive advantage. Organizations that navigate tension and disagreement with emotional intelligence outperform those that default to defensiveness.
If you’re planning a conference, offsite, leadership intensive, or internal training, here are three programs I’m focused on this year:
Emotionally Intelligent Leadership
Based on the work of Applied Empathy, this program treats empathy not as a feeling, but as a capability. We work on understanding people more fully, staying connected under pressure, and building trust without losing ourselves.
Conflict & Conversation: How to Disagree Without Being Disagreeable
In polarized environments, perspective-taking becomes essential. This program teaches how to get to understanding without needing agreement, how to address the elephant in the room, and how to stay in dialogue when it would be easier to shut down or escalate.
A Systems Thinking Approach to Purpose
Informed by my forthcoming book Constellation Thinking (now available for pre-order!), this work reframes purpose as a dynamic system rather than a single North Star. Together, we explore how individuals and organizations can align pursuits in ways that evolve over time without losing coherence.
Real growth happens when we do this work together, deliberately, honestly, and with shared accountability.
If someone comes to mind who could benefit from this work, whether a team navigating complexity, a company at an inflection point, or a leader in transition, I’d welcome an introduction.
Let’s bring this work to your team or programming.
Prioritizing Purpose: Cohort 4 Is Open
Our third cohort just concluded last week, and I continue to be humbled by the depth of commitment participants bring to this process.
This six-session virtual cohort is designed for people who can feel their next chapter is emerging but want structure, accountability, and language to navigate it.
This is not theory. It is practical, rigorous, and demanding in the best way.
A few words from recent participants:
“This program gave me a true understanding of what makes a meaningful life and the tools to make it happen.” — MF
“Prioritizing Purpose offered the structural support I needed to make a very difficult and profound professional transition… Michael is an essential guide in these turbulent waters.” — JM
“I’ll be forever grateful for this program, the container, and the connections it provided to figure out how to live a much more purposeful and fulfilling life.” — KS
If you’re at a crossroads, or can sense the next evolution calling, I invite you to apply.
Applications accepted until March 15th.
Esalen Summer Solstice
Natural Healing: A Spiritual Journey of Return
I’m proud of the work Margaret and I have been able to share at the Esalen Institute, and we’d love for you to join us on the Summer Solstice. It’s a breathtakingly beautiful part of the world and one of the most powerful environments I know for honest transformation.
Advisory Partnerships
Each year I share in a few advisory partnerships with leaders and organizations navigating meaningful change.
Sometimes that looks like individual executive partnership during transition. Other times it’s working closely with a leadership team to solve a complex strategic or cultural challenge.
My philosophy is simple: I aim for the fastest path to my own obsolescence.
That means we work directly and honestly to identify the underlying mechanisms driving the issue, then implement the shifts required to change it.
I’m entering this year with expanded capacity and a clear focus on the work I most believe in. If your organization could use a steady thinking partner, I’m open to a conversation.
A Few Things Worth Reading
Constellation Thinking is now available for pre-sale.
This new book shares a systems thinking approach to building a life of purpose without a proverbial “North Star”. In this multi-hyphenate, side hustle, spread too thin world we all live, having one thing that gives life meaning is a tall order. This approach changes that.
In addition to this writing, last year I published my first New York Times Op-Ed on the weaponization of understanding, a topic that continues to resonate deeply in this moment. I also write regularly on Substack and LinkedIn about empathy, systems, culture, and purpose.
If the work speaks to you, I’d be grateful if you followed along and shared it with others who might benefit.
Supporting Indigenous Leaders Supports All of Us
Finally, I’d like to call your attention to the important work Tribal Link Foundation continues to do to support Indigenous leaders and their communities around the globe. As Board President, I’m dedicated to ensuring this organization continues to expand and influence the vital link between Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders.
Whether supporting leaders working at the front lines of our current immigration crisis or sharing the powerful lessons of these Indigenous communities with the broader world, Tribal Link is a critical contributor to a better, more Indigenously-informed world.
If you’d like to support us with your time or financial contributions, we’d love to hear from you.
Until Soon…
The Fire Horse is not subtle. It asks for decisiveness.
Discipline. Independence. Clean motion. Steady Hearts.
It also asks for restraint. Not every spark deserves fuel.
In times like these, it’s tempting to match intensity with intensity. But strength this year will belong to those who move with focus rather than frenzy.
Don’t become the thing you’re resisting.
Don’t feed what is already burning itself out.
Choose what you build.
The road ahead is long. Stamina matters.
If you or someone you know could benefit from this work, or if your team is navigating a difficult season and wants stronger tools, I’m here to be of service.
The Fire Horse is here. Let’s ride.
MV
Oh this is gooooooood MV