For too long, the American health system has been reactive, confusing, and transactional. It waits until you’re sick, shuffles you through rushed visits, and treats health as a cost center. Clay is building something different: a trusted, proactive model of care that puts your energy and vitality at the center. It’s about democratizing concierge-level medical care and making cutting-edge longevity and optimization accessible to everyone, not just the few who can afford it.

I want people to feel great in their lives. More mornings with real energy. More years with strong hearts, clear minds, and the freedom to do what you love. That requires a system designed not around insurers and administrators, but around you - the human being at the center. A system built on real relationships with doctors who know you, thoughtful diagnostics, and ongoing guidance across sleep, movement, nutrition, recovery, and stress.

Here’s where the current system fails and how Clay fixes it:

• Access when it matters most. Today, getting care means waiting weeks, sitting for hours in waiting rooms, or bouncing between urgent care and insurance approvals. Clay restores immediacy and trust: you can text your doctor 24/7, with a clinical team standing by to help. In most cases, you’ll get what you need without ever stepping foot in a clinic.

• Proactive health, not reactive sick care. If you’re “healthy,” the system largely ignores you until something breaks. Clay moves medicine upstream with diagnostics, clear baselines, and personalized plans so you can recapture energy, age stronger, and stay ahead of risks.

• Clarity in a world of noise. Health enthusiasts are drowning in information - supplements, hormones, hacks, protocols - with no way to know what’s right for them. Clay cuts through the noise with evidence-based, personalized guidance from doctors who know your health story. No fads, no guesswork.

Clay is more than a healthcare company. It’s a culture. At my best, my work has been about building communities that make people feel alive and connected. Clay sits at that same intersection of care + community - a medical brand with a lifestyle heartbeat. We’ll share stories that inspire action, celebrate progress, and make health feel human, motivating, and communal.

The Clay Health Experience

This is the level of care every American deserves - one where patients come first, providers can thrive, and payers finally benefit from a system built on prevention instead of reaction.

And for those thinking about this from a broader lens: healthcare, like any marketplace, must evolve or collapse under its own inefficiency. Clay represents the next evolutionary step: a model where patients receive the care they deserve, providers practice the way they always imagined, and payers win through prevention and performance.

This is me stepping back into the arena with a mission I’m proud to stand behind.

I’m continually inspired by the team behind Clay — a group of deeply thoughtful, mission-driven people working tirelessly to make this vision real. It’s an honor to stand alongside them and do my part to help scale what they’ve started.

We’re now enrolling members nationwide through our digital platform and welcoming guests to our experience centers in Las Vegas, Chicago, and Tampa (with more on the way). Memberships to Clay’s comprehensive health and longevity concierge service start at just $100 a month, giving people across the country access to world-class care, proactive guidance, and ongoing support.

If you’re ready to take control of your health and longevity, curious about joining Clay as a clinician, or an employer committed to building a healthier, happier team, I’d love for you to be part of what we’re building. You can reach out to me directly, or simply visit clayhealthandcare.com to begin your optimization journey.

Together, we can evolve healthcare into what it should have been all along.

EXPLORE CLAY HEALTH & CARE

My friend Tony Hsieh recommended it to me. At the time, he was deep in the work of building the Downtown Project, and we were walking parallel paths - two people obsessed with creativity, purpose, and the question of how to build something that truly makes people feel more alive.

That book became a kind of blueprint for me. Not a business manual, but a lens for seeing the invisible systems that make or break everything we try to build: companies, cities, relationships, and movements.

It gave language to something I’d always felt intuitively: the foundation of any great movement or audacious goal is belonging.

The Two Meanings of Belonging

Block writes that belonging has two meanings.

The first is to be part of something - to be known, accepted, and seen. To belong is to be at home. The opposite is isolation, the feeling of being an outsider even when surrounded by people.

The second meaning is ownership. Something belongs to me.

In the context of community, that means I hold a piece of responsibility for what we create together. It’s not someone else’s job; it’s mine.

The challenge and the opportunity is to transform our culture of isolation and self-interest into connectedness and care for the whole.

That transformation doesn’t happen through mandates or systems. It happens through choice and perspective. It begins when people show up not because they have to, but because they want to.

The Context That Restores Community

There’s a passage in the book that I come back to often:

“The context that restores community is one of possibility, generosity, and gifts, rather than one of problem solving, fear, and retribution. A new context acknowledges that we have all the capacity, expertise, and resources that an alternative future requires… The small group is the unit of transformation and the container for the experience of belonging.”

I’ve always believed that is the superpower of true community.

It’s a shift in perspective—from scarcity to abundance, from what’s missing to what’s possible. It’s the difference between a group that’s fighting for survival and a group that’s building the future together.

Communities are human systems given form by conversation.

When those conversations are honest, forward-looking, and rooted in generosity, they create a kind of collective resilience that’s almost unbreakable.

Where Belonging Begins

I’ve seen this truth over and over again.

Whether it’s launching a festival, starting a company, or healing division, belonging is the engine. It’s what makes the hard work feel meaningful. It’s what turns individuals into teammates, collaborators, and friends.

The small group really is the unit of transformation.

Within those circles of trust, creativity, and shared purpose, possibility starts to replace fear. Ownership replaces apathy. Generosity replaces competition.

And when that shift happens, the impact is exponential.

Why It Matters Now

In a time when so many communities feel fractured - politically, culturally, even within families - it’s easy to forget that the solution isn’t found in winning arguments, but in rebuilding connection.

The way forward is, paradoxically, the thing we’ve drifted from: community itself. Restoring our context—one of possibility, generosity, and gifts—is how we begin to heal what feels divided.

(Inspired by Peter Block’s Community: The Structure of Belonging)*

That same mindset carried into my entrepreneurial journey, where the principles of integrity, purpose, and relentless self-improvement became the bedrock of my success. Recently, I’ve rekindled these lessons through golf, an individual sport that brilliantly embodies the purest essence of competition. Every round demands self-reflection, honesty, and a focus on improvement over comparison.

But as I reflect on the world around me, I’ve noticed a troubling shift. Our society seems to be moving away from a culture of healthy competition and toward one dominated by endless and insurmountable comparison. This shift, I believe, is eroding our sense of self-worth, fostering division, and distracting us from what truly matters.

I wrote this to explore that contrast—between competition as a force for growth and comparison as a source of insecurity. My hope is that these ideas resonate with others and inspire a reexamination of how we approach success, relationships, and our shared cultural values.

Competition has the power to drive us to achieve, but when it devolves into toxic comparison or a win-at-all-costs mentality, it becomes destructive. True competition inspires personal growth and collective success. Toxic comparison fosters insecurity and division. This essay explores the transformative potential of competition, the dangers of unchecked comparison, and how we can foster a culture that uplifts individuals and communities while maintaining integrity.

The Power of Competition: How It Drives Growth

When approached with the right mindset, competition can be transformative. It teaches resilience, teamwork, and the pursuit of excellence. On the field, in the classroom, and in the workplace, competition pushes individuals to stretch beyond their limits. It encourages them to work harder, embrace challenges, and celebrate progress.

At its best, competition isn’t about defeating others; it’s about becoming a better version of ourselves. It provides a framework for growth, where effort matters as much as—or more than—the outcome. Importantly, healthy competition remains grounded in integrity. Success is measured not just by what we achieve, but by how we achieve it.

Competition vs. Comparison: A Defining Contrast

While competition drives growth, comparison destroys it. The two are often confused, but they couldn’t be more different in their impact:

• Competition challenges you to improve; comparison convinces you to prove.

• Competition builds character; comparison breeds insecurity.

• Competition focuses on effort; comparison fixates on results.

In competition, others serve as benchmarks for inspiration. In comparison, others become mirrors reflecting our perceived inadequacies. This shift undermines confidence and replaces collaboration with rivalry. Competition strengthens; comparison divides.

Comparison becomes especially toxic when it shifts the focus from what we are achieving to how we measure up against others. It feeds a cycle of self-doubt and resentment, which poisons relationships and corrodes our sense of self-worth.

The Toxicity of Comparison: What Happens When We Lose Focus

Today’s world amplifies the dangers of comparison, particularly through social media. Platforms that should connect us instead curate illusions of perfection, where every milestone, achievement, or vacation becomes a yardstick for judgment.

This constant comparison doesn’t just harm individuals—it fosters a broader culture of entitlement. When people compare themselves to others, often based on incomplete or curated representations of others’ lives, they may begin to feel they are owed the same success, lifestyle, or opportunities. This entitlement undermines the principles of effort, integrity, and growth that should define competition. Instead of striving for personal achievement, individuals become fixated on what they believe they deserve, creating resentment and entitlement when reality does not meet their expectations.

This entitlement is particularly damaging in the political and social landscape, where it fuels division and blame. Rather than celebrating individual paths or collective progress, entitlement drives narratives of grievance and disconnection, weakening the very communities we need to thrive.

Winning at What Cost? A Hollow Victory

The darker side of both competition and comparison is the temptation to win at any cost. In the pursuit of victory or validation, some sacrifice their values, morals, or even common decency. Cheating, bullying, and manipulation become justifiable tools for success.

But a win achieved without integrity is no true victory. In the quiet of one’s innermost thoughts, such a win offers no pride, no fulfillment. It’s an empty shell that erodes self-respect and damages trust. Whether on a sports field, in politics, or on social media, the cost of such behavior far outweighs the benefits.

Worse, this mindset poisons entire cultures. Teams, organizations, and communities that embrace a win-at-all-costs mentality create environments where ends justify means. Over time, trust erodes, collaboration falters, and the very values that make success meaningful are lost.

Impact on Human Development

In structured environments like classrooms and sports, competition can provide valuable lessons. Children learn to strive for excellence, set goals, and use their peers as benchmarks for growth. These experiences prepare them for success in adulthood.

However, the constant pressure to compare—to their classmates, to social media influencers, to society’s impossible standards—undermines these benefits. Instead of fostering growth, this culture of comparison breeds insecurity, anxiety, and diminished self-worth. It shifts the focus from What can I achieve? to Am I enough?

For teenagers and young adults, these pressures are particularly damaging. They stifle creativity, curiosity, and individuality—traits essential for long-term success. The comparison mindset convinces them they are competing in a zero-sum game where another’s success diminishes their own worth.

Redefining Success: A Path Toward Growth and Fulfillment

The antidote lies in reframing both competition and comparison. True competition isn’t about defeating others—it’s about challenging oneself to grow while staying rooted in values. Success should be measured not by how we compare to others, but by how closely our achievements align with our principles and goals.

For parents, educators, and mentors, the challenge is to guide young people toward this mindset. Structured competition must be balanced with lessons in collaboration, empathy, and self-reflection. Equally important is teaching children and teens to recognize the dangers of comparison and to focus on their unique paths.

We must redefine success—not as outshining others, but as growing into our best selves. In this framework, victories are not hollow; they are meaningful, fulfilling, and lasting.

Shaping Cultures That Uplift

Winning at all costs and toxic comparison are not just personal issues; they are cultural ones. Families, schools, and workplaces must intentionally create environments that encourage healthy competition while discouraging destructive comparison. This means celebrating effort and progress, rewarding integrity over outcomes, and valuing collaboration over rivalry.

Each of us has a role to play in shaping these cultures. By asking ourselves, Am I competing to grow, or comparing to prove?, we take the first step toward building a world where competition uplifts rather than divides.

Conclusion: The Choice Is Ours

Competition is a gift when used wisely—a tool for growth, connection, and shared success. But when it devolves into toxic comparison or a win-at-all-costs mentality, it becomes destructive. For children, teenagers, and adults alike, the challenge is to compete with integrity and seek growth over validation.

The choice is ours: to grow or to prove. Which path will we take?

Supplement - For former athletes

Navigating Life Beyond the Arena

For elite competitors, the challenges of comparison are magnified when their ability to compete diminishes. Retirement, injury, or the natural progression of time often leaves athletes grappling with a loss of identity. For those whose self-worth is tied to their performance, the end of competition can feel like the end of purpose.

The key to navigating this transition lies in reframing competition. Rather than seeking external validation, competitors can channel their drive into new areas:

• Mentorship: Guiding others allows competitors to share their wisdom and find fulfillment in others’ successes.

• Personal Growth: Exploring new passions outside the arena fosters a more multifaceted identity.

• Service: Using their platform to contribute to communities ensures their impact extends beyond their performance.

By shifting focus from validation to contribution, competitors can find purpose and fulfillment beyond the arena.

Separating Competition from Relationships

In individual sports, like motocross, the winner-take-all mentality is ingrained. While invaluable in competition, this mindset can be destructive in personal relationships. Seeing others as rivals instead of partners erodes trust and fosters jealousy.

To build healthy relationships, competitors must:

• Recognize the difference between the arena and real life.

• Celebrate others’ successes as mutual wins, not personal losses.

• Focus on growth and gratitude, rather than validation through comparison.

This shift not only strengthens relationships but also redefines success as collective growth rather than individual domination.

Now, it’s up to us—the fans, the community, and the university’s leadership—to recognize this moment and build something that transcends the football field. What’s at stake isn’t just a football program, but a chance to solidify Las Vegas as a burgeoning hub of collegiate sports excellence.

Frozen Accident #1: The Departure of Matthew Sluka and the Rise of Hajj-Malik Williams

The first frozen accident for UNLV Football came in the form of an unexpected and shocking loss. Matthew Sluka, the team’s star quarterback, made a sudden and surprising exit just as the Rebels were off to a stellar 3-0 start. This wasn’t just local news—it became a national story. UNLV, with its playoff aspirations, was suddenly faced with what appeared to be a crushing blow. Losing a key player at such a pivotal moment cast doubt over the team’s ability to continue its rise.

The entire college football world turned its attention to UNLV to see how the Rebels would respond. The stakes were high—this wasn’t just about one player, but about how a rising program would handle adversity in real time, on a national stage.

Instead of crumbling under pressure, the Rebels rallied. Hajj-Malik Williams, stepping into the starting quarterback role, led the team to a stunning 59-14 victory over a formidable Fresno State—perhaps the most dominant win in the program’s history. What made this victory even more remarkable was the context in which it occurred. Across the country, fans and analysts alike were watching to see if UNLV could weather the storm. Would the team falter under the weight of such a loss, or rise to the occasion?

What they saw was nothing short of spectacular. UNLV didn’t just win—they dominated. The Rebels’ thrashing of Fresno State wasn’t merely a win on the scoreboard; it was a victory of heart, resilience, and unity. It was a team galvanized by adversity, playing with purpose and determination. This performance didn’t just put UNLV on the map—it officially thrust the program into the national spotlight.

With this one game, a new era of possibility began to take shape for UNLV Football. In that moment, the Rebels showed the nation that this was more than just a promising season—it was the beginning of something special.

Frozen Accident #2: Mountain West Exodus

The departure of Sluka wasn’t the only twist of fate to hit UNLV Football that week. In the midst of it all, news broke that four marquee programs—Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State, and Air Force—were leaving the Mountain West Conference to pursue opportunities in a restructured Pac-12. This development sent shockwaves through the UNLV community. Fans began to wonder: Where does this leave us? Would UNLV Football be left behind while others chased bigger dreams in the Power 5?

The fear was real. Conference realignment has, time and again, reshaped the fortunes of college football programs. Being left out can mean the difference between relevance and obscurity. For a program like UNLV, which was just beginning to find its footing, the idea of being excluded from a new, more competitive landscape felt like a significant setback.

But once again, what appeared to be a disaster quickly turned into an opportunity. Behind the scenes, the university’s administration worked swiftly and strategically. They negotiated a deal that not only ensured UNLV’s stability within the Mountain West but also provided a financial windfall that will support the football program for years to come.

UNLV secured a multi-million-dollar lump sum payout, as well as increased annual revenues, that will allow the program to continue its growth trajectory. These resources will ensure that UNLV can attract elite talent, retain the kind of legacy-building coaches that turn programs into powerhouses, and build long-term success not just in football, but across all athletics.

Moreover, UNLV now has the freedom and flexibility to explore future admission into a Power 4 conference without restriction or penalty. This autonomy is crucial—it means the university can continue to evaluate its best path forward, without the pressure of an immediate decision. In short, UNLV has been given the resources and the runway to build a sustainable future in college football.

From Crisis to Opportunity

In just one week, these two frozen accidents—Sluka’s departure and the conference realignment—shifted the narrative for UNLV Football. What could have been a tale of missed opportunities became a rallying cry for the future.

Today, UNLV Football isn’t just surviving, it’s thriving. For the first time, we are ranked in both the AP and Coaches Top 25 polls. More importantly, the community is buzzing with a level of excitement not seen in years. What was once a program struggling for relevance is now the talk of the town—and even the nation. But we can’t stop here.

A Call to Action for Las Vegas

This is where the people of Las Vegas come in. The excitement surrounding this team isn’t just about football—it’s about the city. Las Vegas has already proven itself capable of transforming how the world sees sports. Take the Golden Knights as a prime example. As an expansion team, they didn’t just introduce us to hockey—they redefined what the in-game experience could be. The Golden Knights created an atmosphere that not only taught many of us how to be hockey fans but also provided a massive home-ice advantage for the team. In fact, their in-game experience became so renowned that it reshaped how the NHL approached fan engagement.

Las Vegas is widely known for having the best in-game experience in the NHL, and it’s no coincidence that this contributed to the Golden Knights winning a Stanley Cup Championship just six years after their inception. The experience led to wins, not the other way around. This is the kind of energy we can bring to UNLV Football.

The relocation of the Raiders to Las Vegas provided UNLV with access to a state-of-the-art, 65,000-seat indoor stadium—Allegiant Stadium—which recently hosted a Super Bowl. This world-class facility is the perfect stage for building a dynamic, exciting game-day experience that can rival the best programs in the country. Imagine a packed Allegiant Stadium where the energy is electric from start to finish, where pre-game traditions and in-game rituals bring the community together and create a true home-field advantage.

But this effort requires more than just attending games. We need to harness the full power of Las Vegas—the entertainment capital of the world. Entertainers, business leaders, corporations, and experience producers all have a role to play in shaping the UNLV Football experience. Imagine bringing the same creative genius and world-class talent that powers our iconic shows and events to Allegiant Stadium. This is an opportunity for Las Vegas to show what it does best: create unforgettable experiences.

By contributing your time, resources, and expertise, you can help craft an atmosphere that will set UNLV Football apart, making every game an event that fans—locals and visitors alike—won’t want to miss. It’s not just about supporting the team; it’s about showcasing the spirit of Las Vegas in a way that reflects our city’s unique brand of excellence.

The impact goes beyond the field. A thriving UNLV Football program will drive significant economic benefits for the city, from increased tourism to local business growth. It will also elevate UNLV, our premier higher education institution, expanding its influence and helping to foster a stronger, more connected community.

Let’s invest in the student experience, making it a central part of the program’s culture. Let’s welcome new fans, inviting the city’s business leaders, families, and football enthusiasts to take part in something that’s growing right in their backyard. And let’s continue building on this momentum, turning UNLV Football into a consistent Top 25 program—a source of pride for the university, the city, and a driving force in its economic growth.

The Time is Now

Las Vegas has always been a city of dreamers, of big thinkers who aren’t afraid to aim high. That’s in our DNA. So let’s dream big for UNLV Football. The frozen accidents that have reshaped this season won’t come around again. This is our moment—a defining one not just for the program, but for the entire city.

Will we let this chance slip through our fingers? Or will we turn UNLV Football into the powerhouse it’s destined to be? The answer lies with us. The team has shown its heart, the administration has secured the resources, and the national attention is here. All that’s left is for Las Vegas to do what it does best—turn opportunity into success.