Mike Rybachuk on Self-Honesty, Resilience, and Spreading Joy

Feb 17, 2026

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Brad Frost welcomes Mike Rybachuk, founder of Ukraine-based design education platform The Projector Institute, to discuss living a positive, fulfilling life while Russia’s war impacts Mike’s family, friends, colleagues, and business in Ukraine.

From Prague, Mike shares practical, low-cost ways to improve daily life and spread positivity—working outdoors with a hammock and foldable chair, waving to strangers, and intentionally combining work, nature, and social time. They talk about making work fun without diminishing seriousness, prioritizing joy, and avoiding cultures of constant complaining. Mike emphasizes self-honesty, introspection, and personal responsibility, including his five-year commitment to becoming honest with himself, reframing emotions like fear as signals for action, and using simple techniques like counting to three before reacting. He stresses helping others from where you are with what you have, collaborating rather than starting alone, and choosing responsible work that improves the world.

Topics discussed:

(00:00) - Introduction
(01:34) - Support the Podcast: Brad’s Courses + Discount Code
(02:20) - Kicking Off in Prague: Why Mike’s Waking Up Excited
(03:04) - Starting Skateboarding at 40
(05:20) - Cheap Ways to Upgrade Your Day
(08:25) - Why Can’t Work Be Fun?
(11:30) - Not Waiting for Retirement to Live
(16:11) - Priorities, Joy, and Escaping the “Complaining Communities” Trap
(19:56) - Micro-Positivity in Real Life
(30:11) - The 5-Year Project: Practicing Self-Honesty (and What It Changes)
(37:19) - Subjective vs Objective Thoughts: Letting Go of Stress Triggers
(47:51) - Stop Mind-Reading: Ask, Validate, and Communicate Clearly
(52:00) - Emotions Aren’t Weakness
(58:25) - Stoicism & Philosophy as Tools
(01:08:48) - Ukraine’s Resilience on the Ground: Living Life Under Bombs
(01:19:45) - Education as Resistance
(01:28:00) - Choosing Work That Makes the World Better
(01:33:33) - Collaboration Creates Magic
(01:38:55) - Where to Find Projector Institute