Worth Following – Podcast by Adrian Stanek
Honest conversations on leadership, building teams, shipping real products, and creating a mission worth following. blog.adrianstanek.dev
Name It Before It Owns You | S2E02
You Are Not Your Thoughts – I really mean that.
When I say you are not your thoughts, nor your emotions, people directly respond with something like, “If you think like that, you don’t act responsibly.”
I think that it’s actually the opposite:
You need to differentiate between your self (conscious) and Subconsciousness. If you don’t, you will simply accept emotions and projections like it’s your intention, and that should not be the case. This is not how we take control over our own mind.
So, we aren’t our tho...
Volunatry Discomfort – Prepare yourself for the day | S2E03
Voluntary Discomfort Is a Daily Decision
Yep, most people wait for life to challenge them – Externally driven, like a deadline, the boss, the spouse etc.
Stoicism suggests the opposite: challenge yourself first.
Voluntary discomfort isn’t about suffering for its own sake. It’s about deliberately choosing a small discomfort every day so your mind learns to respond based on your choices, not your emotions.
For me, that often means running mountain trails with a weighted backpack. For someone else, it might be taking the difficult conversation, skipping a comfort, or doing t...
The Waste of Being Right
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit blog.adrianstanek.dev
Being right is useful when correctness changes the outcome. It matters when we are designing a system, diagnosing a failure, calculating a risk, or making a decision with real consequences. Yet many of the situations in which we fight hardest to be right are not really about truth. They are about identity.
A discussion begins with a disagreement, but somewhere along the way the subject changes. We are no longer examining an idea. We are defending our competence, status...
When Focus Becomes the Problem | S2E01
Intentional focus takes discipline, but focus isn't the default state. The real practice is being intentional across every mode: work, recreation, and deep rest. Most developers and founders grind through mental exhaustion without treating rest as a skill. That gap between knowing you need rest and actually taking it is where burnout takes root.Avoid the procrastination trap. Avoid the burnout cycle. When work, play, and rest become distinct intentional states, not a single blur — you stop mistaking exhaustion for progress.00:00 Defocus Director's Cut YouTube00:28 Part 1: Defocus04:52 End-of-Day Defocus07:26 The Practise---Stoic leadership for developers & founders. No hype.→ How to stay...
Why Do I Keep Quitting?
Is your journey worth starting? Well, that would be a question in the rubbish category.
Your journey is always worth starting; your journey literally represents your life. In that sense, we have already started it.
The point is, more, that if we actually walk this journey with intention, and not driven by externals we have no control over.
We don’t really quit our lives if we talk about quitting as an issue. We talk about failing to pursue our own intention, and by that, we don’t really create any potential reality, nor...
Know Yourself, or You Become the Problem
There is a simple loop that teaches you who you are: commit to something, practice it, reflect on the result, accept what happened, and adapt for the next day. It sounds almost too simple, but that is usually where the useful things hide. You do not understand yourself by thinking about yourself in theory. You understand yourself by watching what happens when you act.
A commitment reveals intention. Practice reveals character. Reflection reveals truth.
And here we can learn to become honest with ourselves. Even today, I realize how easily I get tricked by my...
Clarity Is a Practice, Not a Feeling
There are mornings when you wake up, and your mind is already full before the day has even started. Messages, expectations, open loops, unfinished ideas, half-made decisions, things you should do, things you want to do, things you are afraid you are avoiding. And somewhere inside all of that noise, you ask yourself:
“What am I actually supposed to do today?”
That is the moment where people often say they need clarity. But I think clarity is often misunderstood. Clarity is not a permanent mental state. It is not the absence of uncertainty. It is not...
Maybe Your Potential Did Not Disappear
Show Notes: Maybe Your Potential Did Not Disappear
Many of us already know enough to take the next step, but still wait for more clarity, confidence, proof, or better timing.
This reflection is about potential, resistance, and the quiet ways we hide behind preparation.
Sometimes strategy is useful.
Sometimes it is fear wearing better clothes.
Core question:
What is still in my control today, and where am I already capable but still acting like I need permission?
Also includes a short note on the Mirror-Book...
Monday Is Coming – Why Tech Professionals Dread Mondays
Journaling for Self-Reflection: Separate Reality From Your Subconscious Stories
The script argues that journaling is the best tool for self-reflection, manifesting, and understanding thoughts and emotions. It explains how journaling helps identify the “lower self” as not the controlling self and emphasizes that you can take action once you see things clearly. The episode recommends using paper or a smartphone to create a two-column table: one column for the week’s realities and actual challenges, and a second column for the stories and projections likely coming from the subconscious. It concludes that you must first gather data and an...
Stop Letting Deadlines Hijack Your Nervous System
Stoicism, Discipline, and Burnout: A Tough Week Reflection
The speaker reflects on a stressful, poorly planned week with shifting appointments and sudden obligations, using a practical, personal approach to stoicism to stay calm and functional. They explain the stoic idea of separating what you can control, influence, and cannot control, and argue that real challenge should hurt because discomfort is what drives change.
Their goal is to do everything possible to sway outcomes on commitments, so they can live without regret, even if results or timing don’t work out. As a...
Dilemmas Are a Leadership Smell
The Power of Decision Making: A Stoic ApproachIn this insightful episode, we explore the art of decision-making and reflect on how to learn and grow from our choices. By examining the consequences of our actions, embracing our emotions, and adapting our strategies, we can develop better decision-making patterns over time. This approach helps us distinguish between significant and trivial decisions while emphasizing the importance of early feedback and personal control. Tune in to understand how a stoic perspective can enhance your decision-making process and lead to more informed and quicker decisions in the future.
00:00 Introduction: The Power...
AI & Coaching, Why technology will change how we learn, and how we grow
AI as the New Coach: Integrating Technology Into MentorshipIn this spontaneous stream, the speaker dives deep into the evolving role of AI in the coaching and mentorship industry. As we enter a new year, they reflect on how AI has progressed from a hyped technology to an integral part of daily life. They highlight the unique challenges and opportunities AI brings to software development and coaching. Key discussion points include the importance of discipline, the role of AI as a reflecting partner for daily self-improvement, and the critical need for guardrails in AI coaching. They emphasize that while AI...
Focus + Feedback Loops
Hello, fellow.
Two things are extremely important if you wanna become a good professional, in any field. (That includes yours as well, so read on! 😀)
1 – The first thing is focus.
2 – The second thing is the ability to stay in a feedback loop. And this comes to my mind every time when I’m on an archery field, or in this case, a 3D Parcours.
You heard of those if you are on social media, but do you actually “focus” on focusing on a daily basis? Are you running a constant feedback loop for your...
Do you have Clarity in your Life?
We often discuss the importance of clarity — clarity in communication, clarity in vision, and clarity in life. However, when you examine it closely, clarity is one of the most misunderstood things we pursue.
Because it’s easy to say, “I want to have clarity.” It’s much harder, actually, to keep it.
You might have moments where everything feels aligned, where you know exactly what to do next, and then, just a few days later, the fog returns.
Let’s talk about that kind of clarity: the clarity of direction in life.
And to make i...
Discipline Is Not Optional – It’s the Foundation of Real Leadership
Most leaders obsess over tools, tactics, frameworks, KPIs, everything except the one thing that actually determines whether their team wins or loses: themselves.
This episode goes straight into the uncomfortable truth: if you don’t lead yourself with discipline, integrity, and clarity, you have absolutely no business leading others. That’s not motivational fluff, that’s reality. And it’s the message Dr. Alexander Madaus has spent decades fighting for.
Who Is Dr. Alexander Madaus?
Dr. Alexander Madaus isn’t your typical leadership trainer. He’s a former German military team leader, an entrepreneur...
Self-Control is Leadership
Mastering Self-Control: The Key to Effective Leadership
In this episode, explore the importance of self-control for effective leadership. Learn how managing emotions like sadness, anger, and grief can help you serve others better and maintain your credibility as a leader. Understand why self-discipline and reflecting on your emotions are crucial for handling daily challenges. Discover the four pillars of leadership—credibility, being a role model, having a vision and mission, and challenging oneself and others. By cultivating the right mindset, you can become a strong, emotionally stable leader. Tune in for practical tips and insights into mastering se...
Somewhere along the way, we lost the ability to dream
Somewhere along the way, something changed. We stopped dreaming the way we once did. When we were children, the world felt open and full of possibilities. We could see our potential so clearly. Becoming a firefighter, a doctor, or an astronaut felt within reach. Not because those paths were easy, but because they felt possible. We believed in our future selves without hesitation. Failure didn’t scare us. When we fell off the bike, we got back up. We were frustrated, yes, but we tried again. We didn’t question whether we were worthy of learning how to ride. We s...
How to manage discipline as a Leader
Do you waste energy on things you cannot control?
Politics, opinions, outcomes, luck,What if’s; I cannot’s; Maybe next month’s ...?
These are either projections of someone else or your inner Ego speaking to you.
Winners focus on two things only:
Actions.Reactions.
That’s your circle of control.Everything else is noise; distraction.
It’s your enemy.Take action. React with intent.
Repeat daily.
Discipline is just consistency inside your circle of control.
Watch this video to learn about a st...
Leadership: How to find your real purpose?
There’s a point in life where things click. You stop chasing titles or trying to prove something, and you know what you’re meant to do.
That’s your PURPOSE.
The journey takes time.It’s built on small steps, discipline, and showing up even when it’s hard.Your inner voice says stop.People around you doubt.
But you show up. ALWAYS.
I started when I was eight, and I never stopped pursuing it.
The path wasn’t clear.Stormy seas, heavy weather.I am alone. I doubted myse...
What Videos & Streaming did to my tech business
The Power of Authentic Video Content for Remote Coaching Success
In this episode, we explore the importance of utilizing video content to build authenticity and credibility as a remote coach. We discuss how being genuine yet professional in videos helps engage and retain clients, even if vanity metrics like likes and comments don't reflect it. Highlighting personal experiences, the script emphasizes that people remember the emotional connection from videos and that this medium is crucial for creating trust and long-lasting impressions on platforms like LinkedIn. Practical tips include the use of proper equipment for video quality and...
The Real Senior Skill Is Communication.
Leadership doesn’t start when you get promoted.
It starts the moment you take responsibility for yourself.
Self-leadership means learning to communicate clearly, manage your emotions, and move things forward even without authority.
If you can’t lead yourself, you won’t be able to lead others.Communication is not a soft skill.
It’s how credibility, trust, and progress are built.It’s how you foster a culture on purpose.
Learn it early, when the stakes are small, so you’re ready when the real challenges come.
PRA...
Why I Journal as a Tech Entrepreneur
The Power of Journaling: Enhance Focus and Clarity
In this episode, we delve into the impact of daily journaling on fostering habits, enhancing focus, and providing clarity. The speaker shares personal experiences, emphasizing the importance of writing down thoughts and tasks to manifest them into actionable plans. Learn how a simple morning routine involving a pen and paper can help manage daily chaos, prioritize important tasks, and aid self-reflection. Discover practical tips for incorporating journaling into your life for improved discipline and leadership.
00:00 Introduction to Journaling
00:02 The Benefits of...
Control the controllables. Drop the rest.
Harnessing Stoicism for Personal and Professional Growth
In this episode, explore the fundamentals of stoicism and its practical application in personal and professional life. Learn how focusing on what you can control, while letting go of what you can't, fosters inner balance and discipline. Understand the importance of acting on immediate tasks, avoiding distractions like politics or a toxic work environment, and maintaining discipline over motivation. Discover the 'three circles' method to reduce procrastination and enhance productivity, and see how this practice is effectively integrated into daily routines for better focus and effectiveness.
00:00 Introduction to...
Sustain as a Tech Founder
The last six months have been some of the hardest I’ve gone through in years.
Days that start at 7 am and stretch until midnight. Weekends are disappearing into work. The constant tension of trying to keep businesses alive and moving forward while still being present for my family and two kids.
I’m not new to this; I’ve been building and running businesses for 16 years, but every time I go through an intense launch phase, it reminds me how much it costs. Bootstrapping means we don’t have a boss, but it also means th...
Stop Using AI in Secret — Make It a Team Strategy
Many developers are already using AI. But here’s the thing: most of them do it in secret. They test it in side projects, use it quietly to get through tickets, and then draw conclusions—without ever bringing it into the open with their team.
That’s a mistake.
When I’ve been disciplined in my own work, I noticed something: I was faster, could work longer, and felt less drained, because I stayed focused on high-level thinking instead of every small detail. That’s precisely the kind of shift AI can support.
But here’s...
Why AI Doesn't Build Viable Businesses
Why Building an App Isn't Enough: Solving Real Problems for Business Success
In this episode, we tackle the common misconception that an app alone can create a successful business. We discuss the importance of identifying true pain points and solving real problems as the foundation of any sustainable business. Using examples like Canva and lessons from the SaaS market, this video emphasizes that domain knowledge, not just tools, is critical for success. We also explain how AI can accelerate the process but cannot replace the need for a solid business idea and expertise. Finally, we address the...
They Don’t Follow You. They Follow the Mission.
Overcoming Resistance: Motivating Your Dev Team for Change In today’s episode, we tackle the challenge of motivating a development team to embrace change. You'll hear about common resistance scenarios, the psychological forces at play, and practical strategies to highlight the value of change.
Learn how to foster a culture of trust and motivation, making your team more adaptable over time.
00:00 Introduction: The Challenge of Motivating Developers
00:42 Facing Resistance: Common Developer Reactions
02:25 Understanding the Forces of Resistance and Assistance
03:17 The Importance of Value and Trust in Leadership
04:30 Bu...
Why Discipline is Your First Leadership Tool
The Role of Habits in Leadership Development
In this episode, we delve into the importance of developing habits for personal and leadership growth. The discussion outlines four pillars essential to becoming a credible and effective leader: credibility, role modeling, vision-sharing, and the ability to challenge others. By consistently practicing these habits, individuals can cultivate virtues that enhance their leadership skills. The episode emphasizes the necessity of maintaining discipline and a mindset conducive to habitual development to achieve credibility, become a role model, and effectively lead others.
00:00 Introduction to Habits
00:02 The Importance of Habits<...
The Dos and Don’ts of Growing Junior Developers
How to Keep Junior Developers Motivated and Loyal
In this video, a vocational trainer with extensive experience shares insights on how to keep junior developers motivated and loyal to your company. The discussion covers the importance of clear career plans, realistic expectations, and long-term learning for junior developers. The narrator also warns against frequent job-hopping and emphasizes the value of stability and domain expertise for career growth. By nurturing junior developers and providing a clear path to grow, companies can ensure a committed and skilled workforce.
00:00 Introduction: Keeping Juniors Motivated
00:36 Understanding the Junior...
When Is the Right Time to Step Into Leadership?
When is the Right Time to Become a Leader? Insights for Software Engineers
In this video, we explore the right moment to step into a leadership role, particularly in software engineering. We discuss the importance of building personal credibility, being a role model, and motivating others before taking on responsibility. The speaker advises against prematurely assuming leadership roles without sufficient experience, emphasizing the need for step-by-step growth and the guidance of a mentor or coach. Key points include mastering your craft, the risks of early leadership burnout, and the delicate balance of technical and human skills necessary...
Keep Building Your Saas – AI Won't Kill It
In this episode, we unpack the recent hype suggesting that AI agents will replace SaaS products. Adrian shares why that narrative is misleading—and why SaaS is still thriving.
You’ll hear
Why AI agents still depend on SaaS infrastructure
The real needs of everyday users and businesses
How psychological and economic factors continue to drive SaaS adoption
Why convenience still beats complexity
If you’re building software people rely on, this one’s for you.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discu...
The Day I Stopped Obeying the Methodology Gurus
Navigating Software Development Methodologies: Tailoring Systems to Fit Your Needs
In this video, we delve into the interplay between social media advice and practical application in software development. Highlighting popular platforms like LinkedIn, X, and Reddit, we discuss the importance of understanding the foundational purposes behind various methodologies instead of following them blindly. We emphasize the value of adapting systems to fit individual and business needs, particularly for startups, and stress the importance of iterative development and feedback. Key topics include TDD, continuous delivery, and SaaS product development, urging developers to focus on long-term consistency and learning...
From Developer to Entrepreneur — Looks easy. It’s not.
🚀 From Developer to Entrepreneur: My 15-Year Journey. In this episode, I share my personal journey from being a software developer to becoming an entrepreneur responsible for multiple software products over the past 15 years. I'll discuss the challenges and realizations that come with this transformation, the critical need for business skills beyond development, and the importance of planning and experience to avoid burnout. You'll also hear my reflections on the pitfalls of early entrepreneurship, the process of building sustainable products, and the balance between technology and business strategy. Ultimately, this episode aims to offer valuable insights and cautionary advice for any...
What I Have Learned After $300 With Agentic Coding
🎁 BONUS: 14 Tips to Save Money with Claude Code! After spending over $300 working with Claude Code in production, I’ve learned what really works — and what’s just expensive noise. In this video, I share my personal lessons, what I wish I had known before, and how you can save time, tokens, and sanity.
👇 Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:37 What We Want, Why, and How 01:56 Clean Codebase = Better AI 02:51 How Good Is Claude Code Really? 05:14 Claude & The Senior Developer 06:17 Flow vs Vibe Coding 07:06 The Economic Shift 09:14 Why Vibe Coding Suits Juniors 10:13 Why AI Isn’t Everywhere (Yet) 10:48 The Future of Coding 11:59 Vibe Coding Is...
Quality ≠ Perfection
In this episode, we explore why quality is not the same as perfection—and why striving for the latter too early can derail your product, your team, and your goals.
Adrian shares insights from over two decades in software development, highlighting the common trap of aiming for an undefined version of “perfect” rather than defining and hitting achievable quality goals. Through personal anecdotes and thought-provoking observations, he explains how teams fall into overengineering or underengineering when quality isn’t clearly defined from the start.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this wit...
Vibe & Flow Coding Will Change A Lot
I see Flow Coding as the reasonable middle ground which will become mature in no-time.
We hear about Vibe Coding everywhere. This is so different from what we have done for decades now. So, it might take too much attention right now, and things like Flow Coding aren’t in focus. I see Flow Coding as the reasonable middle ground, that will mature quickly.
Staying in the flow of coding is great in many ways, but not being in the flow of coding would be rather nasty.
We are not alone anymore
Int...
AI Took Over My Next.js Migration – Am I Still Needed?
"So there is a machine, right now, substituting me after 32 years of coding. It’s just doing what I’ve done—so much faster. Can I go home now?" — from my video.
The Moment I Realized AI is Coming for My Job
I’ve been coding for over thirty years, writing, refactoring, and maintaining more code than I can count. Started with BASIC on C64 and transitioned into the web world. Yet here I was, sitting in front of my computer, watching Claude Code migrate my 90,000-line Next.js 14 codebase to Next.js 15 while I just pressed E...
Why We Don't Build Native Apps.
Why I Chose PWAs Years Ago—And Why You Should Consider Them Too
"I have chosen Progressive Web Apps a while ago, several years ago actually, and I’m extremely happy to have chosen this. And I want to explain to you why."
The Problem: Small Teams, Big Challenges
A few years ago, I faced a tough decision—how to build the best possible user experience for my product while keeping development efficient. Like most small companies, we had limited resources; budget, time, and engineering capacity were constraints we couldn’t ignore...
AI Generates Garbage Code, Yet It’s Improving My Skills
How AI Can Make You a Better Developer | The Future of Coding & Engineering
In this episode, we dive into the controversial topic of AI-generated code and its impact on developers. Rather than replacing good developers, AI can be a valuable tool that enhances development skills by assisting with tedious coding tasks and enabling better reflection and improvement. We explore the differences between merely being a coder and becoming a true software engineer, emphasizing the importance of learning, iteration, and the human touch in software development. Key timestamps include discussions on the current state of the developer market...
Why Developers Fail Without Feedback
In this video, we delve into the necessity of continuous communication in both personal and professional relationships. Highlighting examples such as manager-employee dynamics, the video discusses the benefits of requesting and providing feedback to nurture healthy connections. By continuously communicating, one can avoid unexpected negative feedback, build strong relationships, and stay proactive rather than reactive. This can lead to a more controlled and less stressful environment, thereby reducing risks of burnout. The discussion also emphasizes the modern need to rethink traditional company practices to foster open communication and continuous improvement.
00:00 Devs should do Continuous Communication
00:27...
