Effective

Chapter 1The Simple Power of Being Effective

Being effective is powerful.

You probably know that in January 2025, fires ravaged the Los Angeles area, killing dozens of people and destroying more than 15,000 structures. Two of the fires—Palisades and Eaton—are in the top three most destructive fires the state has ever experienced.¹

But did you know that meteorologist Edgar McGregor predicted the fires—and in doing so, enabled scores of folks to get out alive?

As McGregor told People Magazine, in late December conditions in Los Angeles were eerily similar to those experienced in Lahaina, Maui, and Paradise, California, ahead of devastating fires in those communities. On daily hikes, he could see canyons full of brush ready to burn; the Santa Ana winds would arrive December 30.

He knew fires were coming, and on a local Facebook group, he gave people simple, lifesaving advice. One piece of guidance sticks with me: he told folks to park their cars in their driveways facing out, because the time it takes to back your car out could make the difference between life and death.²

His neighbors in Altadena, California, listened. As McGregor told NPR (National Public Radio), at least one family left town entirely in anticipation of the fires. Many others took his advice on preparation and were able to evacuate quickly when the time came.

This master meteorologist, by the way? He was all of 24 years old.

Gratitude flowed in for McGregor’s amazing work. His reaction?

“So people are sending ...