Classy Problems is a daily post of thinking in motion by Dan T. Rogers. Each post stands alone as a thought-provoking piece, yet together, they create a puzzle of ideas. They invite you to see things from a different angle, rethink what you thought you knew, and explore what’s beyond your current understanding.

Classy has a membership feature! We have a growing collection of Classy’s daily emails, discussion recordings, and a dictionary of concepts. Free for now. Maybe paid later. Always thoughtful. JOIN US to explore the collection for a deeper understanding of the ideas we use to navigate life and the truth as we perceive it to be.

Result vs. Feedback

A result is what happened.

Feedback is what informs us.

When we mistake the result as the end, we miss the invitation to adjust.

Feedback is information, data, reference, not judgment.

Result is the snapshot. Feedback is the conversation.

In a world of too much toomuchness, the difference determines whether we iterate or ruminate.

Where am I clinging to a result instead of listening to the feedback?

Locate Yourself

We think it’s useful to think of Classy Problems as a map. As reference to locate yourself inside our semiotic.

We don’t expect you to consume the whole thing in a single interaction. We are hoping you will find where you are and what’s next. Like in life and all forms of classy problems.

It’s about trusting your attention and following what’s indicated.

Have you visited Classy Problems?

What Not To Do

As life becomes more complex, it becomes increasingly more important for us to be more precise. More complexity, by definition, means an increase in options. It is easier to figure out what not to do than what to do. This reduces the number of options. In a word, it’s restraint.

When we use a principle as a filter, we create clarity.

Restraint is a self-imposed limitation that guides impulses, builds discipline, and holds back what doesn’t serve us. Not because we can’t, but because we choose not to.

Restraint draws a line. It’s the difference between acting on purpose and reacting on impulse.

They become choices rooted in clarity. They define what we are not willing to do in order to stay aligned with what we’re being called to do. It’s how we distinguish between action and reaction. Between being an intentional sidekick and a distracted superhero.

In a world of increasing complexity, of too much toomuchness, restraint is a filter through which we navigate the classy problem of infinite options. We practice nine:

 1. Don’t be dishonest - own the truth as I perceive it to be.
 2. Don't take credit for grace - work is the most honorable act in the universe.
 3. Don't be transactional - I can't calculate the infinite.
 4. Don't push - pull is the byproduct of a well-designed system.
 5. Don't be certain - having an opinion is an act of courage.
 6. Don't be arrogant - copy the most effective.
 7. Don't blame others - post-survival is 100% optional.
 8. Don't overproduce - be intentional.
 9. Don't wait on perfection - make mistakes at full speed.

Applied individually, they can provide clarity. Applied and taken sequentially, they can provide indicated action.

Where could you focus on what not to do to provide more clarity and indicated action?

Don’t Be Dishonest

Don’t be dishonest – own the truth as I perceive it to be.

Honesty is more than accuracy. It’s about alignment.

The truth I tell is always the truth I perceive. Not capital-T truth. Personal truth.

When I avoid it, bend it, or delay it, I’m deceiving myself about what is here.

The cost is both relational and directional. When we pretend we don’t see what we see or feel what we feel, we’re avoiding clarity.

We don’t have to be certain to be honest. We only have to have the courage to name what we see from where we stand.

In a world of too much toomuchness, restraint draws a line. Don’t be dishonest is the line between self-deception and courage.

What are you courageous enuf to name from where you stand?

Don’t Take Credit for Grace

Don’t take credit for grace – work is the most honorable act in the universe.

Grace is an unearned gift provided by theboss. Work is an earned effort provided by me.

Confusing the two, unearned gift and earned effort, turns gratitude into entitlement and robs us of the clarity required to do our part.

When I mistake provision for achievement, I diminish both lists. My footwork and what theboss has provided.

Grace reveals the opportunity. Effort is the answer to that invitation, the honorable act brought to the moment.

Receive what’s been given. Then get to work. Gratitude is a verb.

In a world of too much toomuchnesss, restraint draws a line. Don’t take credit for grace is the line between false humility and gratitude.

Where have you mistaken a gift for effort?

Don’t Be Transactional

Don’t be transactional – I can’t calculate the infinite.

Transactions reduce relationships to inputs and outputs. Do the thing, get the Scooby snack.

Cause and effect is a simplistic model at best and inaccurate at worst.

Calculating is above our pay grade. Infinite is incomprehensible. It is an unsolvable puzzle.

Owning that I can’t calculate the infinite does not mean there isn’t an incredible life to be had.

When I fit myself to the universe instead of calculating where it’s going to be, I create a life of meaning and purpose. Of contribution.

In a world of too much toomuchness, restraint draws a line. Don’t be transactional is the line between calculation and contribution.

Where in your life are you expecting a return instead of offering a contribution?

Don’t Push

Don’t push – pull is the byproduct of a well-designed system.

Do you like being pushed? I don’t. Pushing people, pushing ideas, pushing outcomes is imposing my will on another.

Pull, on the other hand, is attraction. It is a measure of interest. It shows up in the form of questions for individuals and demand in the marketplace.

Pull is the natural byproduct of clarity, intention, and a well-designed system.

Well-designed equals intentional. System, in this sense, equals my individual actions taken in the context of my life.

When we stop pushing, we have an opportunity to see where we can align with and to something bigger than ourselves. The byproduct will be pull.

In a world of infinite too much toomuchness, restraint draws a line. Don’t push is the line between demanding and demand.

What have you tried to push that would be pulled with better design?

Want more from us? JOIN our Classy Problems membership to explore our collection of ideas. Free for now. Maybe paid later. Always thoughtful. It’s where we abandon certainty in the pursuit of clarity, one interaction at a time.

Classy Problems is a daily post of thinking in motion by Dan T. Rogers. Each post stands alone as a thought-provoking piece, yet together, they create a puzzle of ideas. They invite you to see things from a different angle, rethink what you thought you knew, and explore what’s beyond your current understanding.

What is a classy problem? A classy problem is when we’ve been afforded the opportunity to figure out what to do. Time to figure it out. Time to practice. Time to discern. When faced with the time to figure out a classy problem, it is more effective to focus on what NOT to do than trying to figure out what to do. In a word: restraint. JOIN US in exploring the distinction between what to do and what not to do in the pursuit of clarity.

SPIRITUAL GANGSTER: at The Sober Curator is a haven for those embracing sobriety with a healthy dose of spiritual sass. This space invites you to dive into meditation, astrology, intentional living, philosophy, and personal reflection—all while keeping your feet (and your sobriety) firmly on the ground. Whether you’re exploring new spiritual practices or deepening an existing one, Spiritual Gangster offers inspiration, insight, and a community that blends mindful living with alcohol-free fun.

Spiritual Gangster Line-up:

Stoicism & Sobriety – Ancient Philosophy for Modern Recovery with Sober Curator Contributors Derek Castleman and Tony Harte

The Card Divo – Quick & Sober Tarot Readings with Sober Curator Contributor Senior Daniel G. Garza

Classy Problems – Clarity, Restraint & Mindful Decision-Making with Senior Sober Curator Contributor Dan T. Rogers

SoberCast with Six – Astrology & Tarot for the Sober Life with Senior Sober Curator Contributor Analisa Six

Sobriety in Flow – Yoga Beyond the Poses with Senior Travel Sober Curator Contributor Teresa Bergen

Thirsty for Wonder – Recovery Coaching & Spiritual Companionship with Sober Curator Contributor Anne Marie Cribben

Spiritual Substance – Mindfulness, Science & Soul with Senior Sober Curator Contributor Lane Kennedy

SOBERSCRIBE NOW!

Resources Are Available

If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.