Last year, I wrote a post called Effective Wisdom from the Andes to share the often-overlooked brilliance of Incan philosophy. It resonated deeply with many of you (and with me). But this year, the message feels different. Deeper. This July 28th marked my first Peruvian Independence Day after returning home from over a decade in the U.S. Living abroad. I often celebrated Peruvian culture from afar, but coming back, this time, felt more meaningful.

We’ve all heard wisdom from ancient Japan (ikigai), Italy (dolce far niente), and other cultures that offer beautiful lenses on how to live well. But this time, I want to turn inward (to my own roots) and share a few powerful lessons from Peruvian culture that even many Peruvians don’t often keep top of mind.

Tip of the Week: The Incas didn’t leave us a productivity system, but they left us something better: a worldview built on learning, reciprocity, and sustainable growth.

Today’s lessons deeply resonate with a recent conversation I had with Steve Huynh on the Think Like Amazon podcast. We talked about living with intention, making long-term decisions with clarity, and resisting the pull of autopilot. Steve shares powerful insights on designing your life instead of drifting through it - something that pairs perfectly with today’s concepts:

📺 Watch on YouTube | 🎧 Or listen anywhere

The Theory Behind

Minka: Progress happens when we build together. Minka is about communal labor for the benefit of all. The Incas built infrastructure and sustained entire communities through this ethic of shared contribution and purpose. You’ll find echoes of Minka around the world history, like in Ubuntu from Africa (“I am because we are”). When we contribute to something bigger than ourselves, we not only create collective progress, we strengthen our own sense of meaning.

Yachay: Grow wiser, not just smarter. Yachay means both knowledge and wisdom. For the Incas, learning wasn’t just academic, it was experiential. It meant adapting to altitude, solving real problems, and passing down practical wisdom. We often chase learning for credentials or status. Yachay asks us to "learn so we can live better," not just look better. Whether you’re reading, mentoring, or experimenting, treat learning as a way of refining who you are, not just what you know.

Wiñay: Invest in what will last. Wiñay translates to “eternal” or “ever-growing.” Think of the Incan terraces that still function today. These were designed not for quick wins, but for generations. Adopting a Wiñay mindset means asking: “What will still matter in 5 years?” Whether it's a skill, a relationship, or a project, building with endurance in mind leads to outcomes that outlive urgency. It’s not necessarily about slowing down, but more about being deliberately sustainable.

Sumak Kawsay: Live in harmony, not just balance. Often translated as “Good Living,” this principle goes deeper than the concept of work-life balance in the modern sense. Sumak Kawsay calls for alignment between self, community, and nature. In today’s world, this might look like setting boundaries, spending time offline, or aligning your work with your values. Instead of chasing “more,” it invites us to define “enough,” and to protect it.

Ayni: Reciprocity is sacred. Ayni is the unwritten rule that says: today for you, tomorrow for me, but in a way that isn't necessarily transactional. It's about building trust.  It reflects an Andean belief that giving and receiving are interconnected and essential for harmony. You don’t need to wait for someone to ask. Offer support, time, ideas. Whether it's coaching a colleague or being there for a friend, Ayni teaches us to give generously - not to earn something, but to belong.

What I’ve Learned

Some decisions make no sense in the short term, but they change your life long term. For years, I fantasized about coming back to Peru. I imagined what it would be like to walk the same streets (now with my kids), reconnect with family, and teach the lessons I’d learned abroad. But I loved my life in California. I had peace, routine, comfort. Eventually, I realized something: my current self might be enjoying this time, but my future self would regret it if I never came home. So I did. It wasn’t easy, but it was right.

So here’s a bonus thought, unrelated but relevant: What’s the thing you keep dreaming about but haven’t done yet? The move. The change. The trip. The sabbatical. Don’t just ask if it makes sense now, ask if you’ll wish you had done it five years from now. That’s usually where the real answer lives.

Make It Happen

1. Minka your calendar. Dedicate 10–20% of your time to something that benefits your team, community, or a shared goal - not just yourself.

2. Schedule Yachay time. Block 1–2 hours weekly for deep learning. Treat it as a meeting with your future self.

3. Apply the Wiñay lens. For any new goal or habit, ask: will this still matter a year from now? If yes - invest in it, even slowly.

4. Check in with your Sumak Kawsay. Once a month, pause and ask: Am I living in alignment with what really matters to me? Where is there harmony, and where am I stretched too thin? Use this moment to recalibrate before burnout does it for you.

5. Practice Ayni today. Help someone without being asked. Not for recognition, just because you can.

Bonus: What’s that thing you keep daydreaming about? For me, it was coming back home. I thought about it for years before I finally did it. What’s yours? Hit reply and let me know... I’d love to read it, and maybe even help you figure out what step you can take today.

Tupananchiskama*,

(*In Quechua, there's no direct word for goodbye; this means "until we meet again.")

Jorge Luis Pando

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