Why I Wish I Was a Little More NYC (But Not for the Reasons You Think)

I wish I were a little more New York… Not because I want to yell at people on the sidewalk or develop a sudden craving for bagels — but because I often wonder if being more direct would save me from the quiet chaos that creeps in when things don’t go as planned.

I’m not ranting. I’m just reflecting on a pattern I’ve noticed in myself. I think it started when I was the kid working for my dad, shouldering more responsibility than most adults. Back then, I learned to fix things fast. Now I try to build teams, empower people, and delegate as much as I can — mostly because I want to spend my time doing things I actually want to do.

Because that’s the whole point.

I don’t want to micromanage. I don’t even want to manage. I’m trying to not manage. I’m trying to live authentically, build cool stuff, and avoid the soul-sucking tasks that make me want to jump out the window. So when I put someone in place to handle the things I don’t want to do — and those things don’t get done — I get frustrated. Not because I’m mad at them. I’m mad at the situation. And maybe a little mad at myself for thinking I could avoid it.

Cue the stomping. The muttering. The “I’ll just fix it” moment.

I don’t hold grudges. I don’t blow up. I just quietly step in, solve the problem, and then spend the next hour wondering why I had to. It’s a pattern. One that’s cost me time, energy, and occasionally, a little too much money — because sometimes, overspending feels easier than confronting.

I’m not a tyrant. I’m an optimist. Words pacify me. Good vibes lull me into thinking things are moving forward. And then reality taps me on the shoulder and says, “Hey buddy, remember that thing you were avoiding?”

So yeah, maybe being “a little more NYC” would help. Not to be rude. Just to be clear. To say, “Here’s what I need,” without feeling like I’m ruining the vibe. To set expectations without guilt. To stop avoiding the discomfort of directness — and start embracing the clarity it brings.

Because the truth is, I’m not trying to be someone else. I’m just trying to stop being the guy who fixes everything and then feels bad about it. I want to build things, empower people, and spend my time doing what lights me up — not what drags me down.

And maybe, just maybe, the next time I feel that familiar frustration bubbling up, I’ll channel a little NYC energy. Not the yelling-on-the-subway kind. The clear, confident, unapologetic kind.

The kind that says: “This matters. Let’s get it right.”

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