My Dead Simple Things Helping Me to Step Into Zone of 1% Genius
Steal them all
My birthday is in the next three days.
Time goes by fast, believe it or not.
For years, it felt I am loosing my value as I age.
In the last five years, I have created a yearly ritual of setting three goals for the next year and doing a retrospective.
Before I started this, it always seemed to me that I wasted an entire year that I would never get back.
Here in 2023, it may feel like that for some of you.
But it’s never too late or too soon to start something.
Instead of procrastinating, let’s take action and get started.
Here are a few ideas that I love and that have always helped me get back on track.
Hope it helps you too. Happy reading :)
Re-reading favorite books:
When you read a book, you pick up things that resonate with your life at that point in time.
But when you re-read, you discover entirely different insights.
In fact, there are books that have shifted my perspective entirely after re-reading them a few times.
The same happens when re-watching my favorite movies. Some of my favorite books to re-read are:
- “The Fountainhead” by Ayn Rand
- “Kafka on the Shore” by Haruki Murakami
- “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill
- “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey
Instead of constantly searching for new books, why not pick something you have already read and immerse yourself in it as if you are reading it for the first time?
Read what is old to you, so it becomes new again.
Manage personal finances like a pro:
In my 20s, I was carefree about money and how much I spent.
Traveling lavishly, going out, treating my friends, buying dresses, or getting the latest gadgets were not a big deal.
I thought I could always earn more with my skills and talent.
Saving money was not my primary goal.
After all, I believed I had my whole life ahead of me to save and invest.
But in my 30s, my idea about money completely shifted.
I learned that saving and investing is an art, not just earning money.
Anyone can earn good money today, but very few manage personal finances like a pro.
It doesn’t mean you need to live frugally or constantly think about every dollar you spend.
I know people who won’t buy a $6 latte and will not order a $20 pizza to save up. Money problems are common, but the answer isn’t just reducing expenses or becoming overly frugal.
I love the way Ramit Sethi explained it in his book: “Spend extravagantly on the things you love and cut costs mercilessly on the things you don’t.”
I use the Mint app to manage my money.
Never stop learning:
If you look at the last 100 years, human life has completely changed.
There have been so many extraordinary changes in our daily lives.
With technological advancements in every aspect, many of our jobs are becoming redundant, and the skills that were in demand five years ago are no longer needed.
The answer to overcome money challenges is to make more money.
It’s common sense, it’s logical.
One way to do that is by creating multiple streams of income.
Some of my favorite new skills that I am tapping into are:
- Generative AI
- Writing craft
- Handling negotiations and tough conversations
- Entrepreneurship
Choose whatever interests you and invest in self-education to upgrade your skills and make big bucks.
Your emotional and mental health are important:
When most of us think about health, it’s usually about physical health. It could be because appearance matters.
When you look at someone, you first notice how physically attractive they are.
However, while I am emphasizing physical health, emotional well-being and mental health are equally important.
It’s about how you manage your emotions, anger, and how peaceful you feel inside your head.
I am an overthinker and tend to overanalyze things, which leaves me exhausted, tired, and anxious.
Sometimes, your mind can be your biggest enemy.
Take deep breaths, meditate, go for long walks, or seek therapy to understand how to react to certain things.
Feed your body good nutrition:
My soul food is pepperoni pizza and French fries, and I totally indulge in them.
I can eat a full medium-sized pizza and a big bag of fries in one sitting.
I also used to have a habit of drinking Coke and Pepsi.
I would consume 1L of Coke every day, and that cycle continued for many years.
Indulging in such habits for years would probably send me to an early grave.
After reading books on health, I learned that to improve your health, you don’t need to follow trendy fad diet plans.
Some of my friends are into keto, intermittent fasting, liquid diets for weight loss, no cheat days, etc.
Although they may give you quick results in terms of weight loss, in the long run, they may not be healthy.
It’s all about creating sustainable eating habits that allow you to have a balanced diet without compromising on your favorite treats.
I follow the 80/20 rule: eating healthy food 80% of the time and treating myself to creamy donuts, tiramisu cakes, or a big frappuccino cup from Starbucks 20% of the time.
The solution is to find balance and make slow changes to make them permanent.
Start a side hustle:
Not because you have to.
In the last few months, a few people reached out to me to start their writing journey online.
They asked me how long it would take for them to earn money, and the funny thing is, none of them have any writing experience.
Starting a side hustle isn’t about being cool or doing it because everyone around you is dabbling in it.
If you ask me why I write, it’s because I love it.
I genuinely fell in love with my writing routine and sharing my stories with people.
The point is that a side hustle can become a side business, a main business, or even a new career.
I am writing part-time to build a little online footprint after hours while working in FinTech.
Two years later, it has changed every aspect of my life, including my lifestyle.
Slowly, then all at once, that’s what success from a side hustle feels like if you stick with it for 1000 days.
Don’t overthink it.
Build your side hustle to grow professionally and personally.
The money will come sooner or later.
Chase the flow state:
I learned this concept from Cal Newport’s book, “Deep Work.”
In today’s hyper-stimulated world, focus and attention span are decreasing.
Flow is your new world’s superpower.
How much time you can focus on solving complex problems is the key to unlocking your creativity and achieving the highest form of productivity.
The first step is to define your version of busy.
Don’t let random things keep you busy.
It’s difficult at first when there’s so much happening around the world.
It might feel like tedious work.
I get it.
Control the things you can and leave the rest.
My major sources of distraction are my phone, emails, chat messages, and endless Zoom meetings.
What you can do is limit distractions.
- Put your phone where you can’t find it,
- Pick one important thing to work on,
- Drink coffee/tea beforehand,
- Tune in to your favriote soundtracks,
- And start with a tiny task that is no brainer for you.
This will help you with the flow state.
I listen to the same song on a loop when writing an article like this one or doing work that requires my brain to work and produce something.
Once you’re in the flow, stay in the flow for as long as possible.
Don’t break the feeling.
Use the flow to catch up.
Flow can make everything extraordinary.
Chase flow, success will eventually knock on your door.
Have something to share? Reply in the comments below.
Be Bold
Be Courageous
Be Your Best
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