The Lazy Genius Podcast
Episode 432: 10 Things I’ve Learned in 10 Years of the Lazy Genius
Host: Kendra Adachi
Date: August 25, 2025
Episode Overview
In this milestone episode, Kendra Adachi, aka The Lazy Genius, celebrates a decade of “being a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don’t.” Kendra shares the ten most resonant lessons she’s absorbed through building and sustaining The Lazy Genius Collective over the past ten years. The episode also features a bonus: Kendra’s top 10 favorite book characters from the last decade, the Lazy Genius of the Week, and a heartfelt pep talk for anyone feeling pulled in too many directions.
10 Things Kendra Has Learned in 10 Years
1. Steady is Better Than Viral
(05:50)
- Early on, Kendra felt pressure, especially in the world of content creation, to chase virality—hoping for big moments to propel her career.
- Realized that viral moments, while fun (“I posted this reel ... it got 3 million views ... but did it do anything for me? Not really.”), don’t sustain a meaningful business.
- Emphasizes the importance of consistent, dependable work that serves her existing audience.
- “Instead, I prioritize doing steady, dependable, excellent work for the people who are already here and listening. And that's you.”
- Credits “grassroots growth”—people sharing episodes with friends and family—as the kind of growth that truly matters.
2. I Have to Write Out Ideas to Find Them
(09:00)
- Kendra can’t create by typing; brainstorming must start with paper and pen.
- Reminisces about trying to work on a laptop and hitting a mental wall until she started physically writing things down.
- “It's kind of like trying to wear a jacket that just doesn't fit.”
- This approach applies to nearly all her planning and creativity—work, meals, weekly routines.
- “Isn’t it so great to just know how your brain works and then you just always do it that way?”
3. My Problem-Solving Instincts Are Good
(13:30)
- Initially doubtful about solo hosting, Kendra now trusts her innate problem-solving skills.
- Finds joy in helping others with “compassionate systems and ways of viewing everyday challenges.”
- Her instincts shape not just her business but also her everyday life.
- “I just trust that the thing that comes to mind is the thing to try.”
4. I Get a Lot of Joy from Casting Books
(16:32)
- Known for her love of reading, Kendra often imagines “casting” celebrities as book characters in her head.
- “It's so much fun. So, years ago I went on my friend Anne Bogle's podcast ... and she helped me name how cinematic my reading is.”
- Announced a split in her newsletter: book reviews and castings will move to a new “Book List” newsletter, leaving more space for both book lovers and non-book lovers.
5. I Can Trust the Process
(19:36)
- Admits she’s a “results person” who used to resist the messy, uncertain process of creating.
- Writing her first book was especially challenging, but over time, learning to “trust the mess” made everything more manageable.
- Now sees the value in taking small steps and embracing life’s uncertainty.
- “This job has taught me to trust the process, and I’m so glad.”
Ad Break
(20:25 - 21:26) (Skipped per instructions)
6. I Can Share My Life Without It Being My Life
(22:48)
- Talks openly about the pressures of being a personality-based business on Instagram.
- Learned to set boundaries: she shares thoughtfully, not compulsively, and avoids feeling obligated to document every aspect of her life.
- “I don't feel obligated to document everything … because I know that there will always be something to share.”
7. A Separate Office Is a Game Changer
(25:11)
- Having a dedicated workspace (her converted garage) transformed her work/home life.
- “I could go down the driveway to my office and be separate from my kids, while still being just a walk back down the driveway if they need me.”
- Emphasizes the importance of claiming space for yourself, especially when working from home.
8. I’m Grateful For the People Who Know and Love Me Best—And Are Unimpressed By Me
(27:23)
- Her kids and husband don’t get starstruck by her work, and some friends haven’t read her books or listened to the podcast at all.
- Appreciates being “just Kendra” to her inner circle—a grounding force.
- “It’s the metaphorical version of like taking your bra off at the end of the day.”
9. Value Is Not the Same as Fame
(29:06)
- Rejects the notion that visibility or outside measures of success reflect her value or the value of her work.
- Quotes George Eliot’s Middlemarch:
“The growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts ... things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life and rest in unvisited tombs.” (30:35) - “Value is faithfully living a hidden life if that's what you've been given.”
10. I Am Very Content With My Life
(31:32)
- Feels deep contentment and serenity—no longer chasing material achievements or validation.
- “I am so content with my life ... I can be content with today, with what I have to offer or not to offer today, with how organized or chaotic things might be today.”
- Credits her work and philosophy with reinforcing smallness, kindness, and contentment.
Bonus Top 10: Kendra’s Favorite Book Characters
(32:55)
Kendra shares her ten most beloved fictional characters from books she’s read in the last decade, emphasizing that favorite characters don’t always come from her favorite books.
Her Top 10 (Countdown):
- Sevro (Red Rising by Pierce Brown) – “Sevro wins all things … he is peak favorite for me forever and always.” (36:14)
- Hannah Coulter (Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry) – Important for Kendra’s relationship with femininity.
- Piranesi (Piranesi by Susanna Clarke) – “Full of wonder. That book would not work if the reader didn’t care about Piranesi.”
- Manon (Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas) – “Easily my favorite character from that series.”
- Irene (Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas) – “I cast Zendaya as Irene, and it was the correct choice.”
- Eleanor Oliphant (Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman) – “Her directness and idiosyncrasies … she was just so tender and dear and strong.”
- Dorothea (Middlemarch by George Eliot) – Praises Dorothea’s growth and self-actualization.
- Stu Redman (The Stand by Stephen King) – “I love a quiet guy just trying to do his best for everybody.”
- Nina Riva (Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid) – Loves Nina’s big-sister energy.
- Rhys (A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas) – “He is the heart and soul of the whole series to me.”
The Lazy Genius of the Week
(39:57)
- Elizabeth Lewis solved her family’s entryway traffic jam by simply removing the closet door.
“It was so simple once I made the problem smaller ... I started small and tried to narrow down the worst sticking point.” - Kendra applauds Elizabeth for “solving small problems,” exemplifying the Lazy Genius philosophy.
Pep Talk: When You’re Pulled in Too Many Directions
(41:50)
- Kendra describes an overwhelming day as a mother, business owner, and friend—juggling too many roles and feeling like she was failing at all of them.
- Reminds listeners:
“We usually cannot change what is happening to us, not in huge ways that feel like they would matter. We’re kind of stuck with small changes for now, and ultimately we’re left with ourselves, our reaction to our circumstances. It has more of an impact than the circumstances do.” - Encourages acceptance, small kindnesses, and letting “today be today.”
- “Tomorrow’s worries can wait. And that's a little pep talk for when you're pulled in too many directions.”
Memorable Quotes
- “Steady is better than viral.” (05:50)
- “Isn’t it so great to just know how your brain works and then you just always do it that way?” (10:40)
- “Value is not the same as fame. Value is not greatness. Value is not visibility.” (29:30)
- “It’s the metaphorical version of like taking your bra off at the end of the day.” (28:10)
- “Sevro wins all things ... peak favorite for me forever and always.” (36:14)
- “Tomorrow’s worries can wait. Be grateful for pillows.” (44:44)
Key Timestamps
- Main theme & list intro: 02:00
- #1 Steady vs. viral: 05:50
- #2 Writing with paper: 09:00
- #3 Problem-solving instincts: 13:30
- #4 Casting books: 16:32
- #5 Trusting the process: 19:36
- #6 Sharing life without being consumed: 22:48
- #7 Separate office: 25:11
- #8 Inner circle keeps her grounded: 27:23
- #9 Value ≠ fame: 29:06
- #10 Contentment: 31:32
- Book characters countdown: 32:55
- Lazy Genius of the Week: 39:57
- Pep talk: 41:50
Tone & Summary
Kendra’s trademark warmth, self-deprecating humor, and gentle wisdom permeate the episode. Listeners come away feeling seen, encouraged, and equipped with a mindset to approach work, home, and self with a little more grace and a little less hustle. The episode is a celebration not of growth in numbers, but of depth, process, and daily, hidden acts of genius—reminding us that value, contentment, and meaning are to be found in the “small things that add up.”