It's live: The Journey to Phronesis preorders are open
Preorder details, how you can help support the project, and what's next
It’s here. Today’s the day.
After months of hard work, I’m happy to announce that preorders for The Journey to Phronesis are officially open.
You can preorder the book right now here!
I’m excited. I’m relieved. And, if I’m honest, I’m a bit anxious about everything left to do before it’s finally published in the spring. But this is a big milestone, and I’d like to take a moment to celebrate it with you.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve written about the problem I attempt to tackle in the book — our “thinking crisis” — and a path forward to acquiring more practical wisdom: using systems thinking and Stoicism to navigate complexity with more clarity and purpose.
In the weeks ahead, I’ll share more from inside the book. But for today, let’s look into the preorder campaign.
Why Preorders Matter
Writing a book isn’t a solo effort. Behind the scenes, I have a team of people helping me turn this idea into a finished product and something worth your time to read. Preorders matter because:
They fund the team now: the editors, artists, publishing professionals, copywriters, and marketers helping to make this project a reality.
They signal demand to the publisher, so we print the right number of copies.
If you know you will buy the book, preordering during this window helps support my work the most.
What’s in the Preorder Campaign
If you preorder, you get more than just the book. To provide various levels of support, I’ve put together several packages for those who preorder.
For Individuals
The Reader ($49): A signed paperback, an invite to the virtual book launch event, and an e-book.
The Practitioner ($69): Everything in the Reader package, plus your name in the acknowledgements of the book and access to the book development club, where you’ll get to see early drafts and vote on things like the cover and chapter headings.
The Systems Builder ($199): Everything in the Practitioner package, plus a Notion-based template I’m calling the “Phronesis Second Brain.” More to come on this package in the coming weeks, but this will be the exact Notion system I use to manage my life, both professionally and personally. It contains the note-taking, prioritization, task management, and personal knowledge management systems I use — something I write about extensively in Part 3 of the book. The template will also include video modules to help you set it up for your own life.
The Systems Builder Plus ($249): Everything in the Systems Builder package, plus a 90-minute small group Q&A session about using the Second Brain system and implementing the ideas from the book in your life, and a signed page of the final pre-print manuscript.
The Coaching Intensive ($499): Everything in the Systems Builder package, plus an additional 60-minute one-on-one coaching session with me.
For Teams & Organizations
The Team Workshop ($499): Five (5) signed paperbacks and e-books, a 60-minute virtual workshop on “Systems Thinking 101 for Managers” for up to 12 people, and team exercise materials.
The Department Briefing ($1,499): Ten (10) signed paperbacks and e-books, a 90-minute virtual talk and Q&A session about systems thinking, and a team problem-framing exercise.
The Keynote Pack ($4,999): Fifty (50) signed paperbacks and e-books, an on-site keynote presentation about systems thinking, and a 60-minute working session.
What’s Next
The preorder window runs from October 6 to November 9, 2025. I’ll share chapter excerpts, diagrams, videos, and behind-the-scenes notes on the process throughout the month. If you’re curious about the book’s structure and influences, this post is a great starting point.
I’m excited about the direction the project is going. I think I have a solid working manuscript, and I have pages of notes and new research to incorporate during my winter rewrite. If you’ve enjoyed any of my writing, I’d love your support. The best ways to do so are:
Preorder a copy (or a bundle) — this makes the biggest impact.
If you’re not sure yet, that’s ok. You can like and share this post below so it reaches more people.
Finally, if you see my posts on LinkedIn, X, or Bluesky, a quick comment, share, or like helps more than you might think.
Thank you for all the love. I’m grateful for this community, and I can’t wait to finally share this book with you.
All the best,
Mike