About
About Mike
Hi, I'm Mike. I spend my days on systems that move things — locomotives, electric vehicles, and now the software that dispatches trains.
Technology is reshaping everything from how we move around cities to how we think about work itself. The systems I build are a part of that reshaping, and I have a front-row seat to what's coming. So I write about it.
I think systematically about life, not just engineering. Success is built across health, skills, relationships, and finances — in that order. That shapes everything here.
01 · Framework
My Approach
Whether I'm evaluating a system architecture or deciding if a new AI tool is worth the hype, I run the same framework — and it works like a planetary gear set. Habits is the sun gear, the input that drives everything. The four pillars are the planets. And net worth, in the fullest sense, is the ring they all turn together. Select a gear to explore each pillar.
SUN · HABITS | PLANETS · PILLARS I–IV | RING · NET WORTH
Pillar I · Health
Health
“The best wealth is good health.”
This pillar sits first on purpose. Everything else — the career, the writing, the discipline to invest — gets easier when mind, body, and spirit are handled. For me that means four things: real food, consistent training, actual sleep, and being honest about which stress in my life is load-bearing and which is just noise.
Compounding linkHealthy habits create the energy every other pillar spends — they even have a financial edge (an HSA you can treat like an IRA).
It keeps me grounded whether I'm architecting a locomotive control system or deciding what to write next. The best decisions consider the full system, not just the code.
02 · Connect
Let's Connect
If you're thinking about these questions too—as an engineer, a founder, or someone navigating a career change—I'd love to hear your perspective.