“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” “Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement”
James Clear
Dimple – Sickflip, Mismatched
The one mistake we often make is to sleepwalk in the name of living. Mostly unnoticed, unaware.
Sleepwalk could be many things: Passively scrolling, scouring, vulturing on social media. Movies. Soaps. Youtube videos. Porns. Impulsive shopping. Wishful thinking. Bitching. Sleeping (or to be precise — pretending to sleep in the name of taking rest). We might as well give it a puff if we smoke. We might as well go partying, drinking if we’re outgoing.
Let’s be honest — we’ve all been there.
We’ve all wasted, we’ve all wearied ourselves a little more, a little less, a little too much exploiting, overspending, undervaluing the only non-renewable currency — Time!
Well, now we know, let’s change that :-
Let’s try to be as much unpredictable.
More demanding of time.
Challenge(s) hungry.
Pain thirsty.
Always grinding but enjoying the restfulness too.
Disciplined. However, at times throw ourselves into healthy recklessness that is good for our mind and spirit
Deliberately awaresome of our choices.
Purposeful.
Responsible.
Lastly, as in the words of James Clear, “The best way to break a bad habit is to make it impossible to do. And the best way to create a good habit is to automate it so you never have to think about it again.”
Let’s try to automate our life bit by bit, step-by-step.
You cannot do kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.
RALPH WALDO EMERSON
Emmit Fenn – We Could Have It All
Today’s post is specially dedicated to my grandmother (Emé)
Emé use to say, “Be nice, son! It gives you a lot many things for action that simple because the alternative is unbearably painful. You sometimes even would wish of dying!”
The day of that conversation as she was nurturing me as she was crying the same time is still as fresh in my mind today. It shall only die with me.
On the same note, a couple in their early 100’s who’ve been married for 82 years confronted; the pedestal of their larger-than-life-marriage has been fundamentally attributed to being nicer and respectful to each other.
Human by birth has been a social creature.
Today, I would disagree when someone says, “Oh! I can live on my own. Alone. I’ll be fine.” Well, there were times when I use to utter the same words. However, later only I’d know that it’s merely the ego speaking; It’s at core a low resolution, loosely constructed mindset — proxy-fueling our journey to fulfilling life’s finish line .
Fact is, human need human. Although, not too many!
Which is why, specially for a couple to remain a couple — be nice!
For a son to be a son — be nice.
For a friend to be a friend — be nice.
For a sister to be a sister or brother to be a brother — be nice.
For a human to be a human indeed. Be nice.
For I can’t stress this enough, being nice is so damn much under-valued and easily thrown out of one’s daily life experience.
It is remarkable how much long-term advantage people like us have gotten by trying to be consistently not stupid, instead of trying to be very intelligent.
Charlie Munger
Saar – Osho Jain
Did this come with the age?
Because, I really don’t know why I’ve been caring so much about financial literacy these couple of months or roughly a year.
I really don’t know why I think that having wealth of real-information about money, investments, savings, strategies, or generally speaking being the best with numbers — is a fc*ki*g super power!
And, I’ll be honest, I suck at managing my finances.
I am horribly, horribly poor at managing my money although I had always been careful about it. But then, caring about the money and managing it are two separate things; while caring for the most part is firmly tied to the emotional response, whereas managing is a different ball game of mind cum intellect for sure.
Which is perhaps why I’m trying to be less of a sucky on this one noble domain.
Trust me, even my youtube search-tree recommendations have be populated with mostly five things these days. One Messi or things that has to do with him. Two finance videos. Three chess. Four Jordan Peterson. And, five Joe Rogan.
I wonder where have my programming video recommendations disappeared.
Furthermore, as I was growing up, I read somewhere that said something along the line that It takes a great deal of skill and wisdom to save and to spend money. Well, without-a-doubt, I do both but at the end of the day I always struggle in having enough information about my own self-made silos where I put my money in — be it groceries, HSA, recreation, shopping, et cetera.
Definitely, my banking app does tell me where I’ve been spending bunch but I’ve been realizing that to be the best at the game of money — forethoughts and access to the right information (resourcefulness per se) is imperative!
Which … I clearly lack.
I am committed to Learning. Unlearning, and Re-learning Finance.
I’m potato. A good one. Maybe not. Maybe yes. Possibly both. ~ author
Je te laisserai des mots – Patrick Watson
Few House keeping.
It’s been a week of having unburdened myself from the clutches and craziness of social media apparatus by the name of ‘instagram’ — this lucious bad boy, girl, or whatever.
And, what has come out of this auspicious, long-calling change of habit?
First and foremost, constant temptation to download that glittery, candy-alike instagram.
Secondly, which was obvious to me — i.e.,Munching of Twitter sky-rocketed. I believe maybe it’s a spill-over phenomena. Well, for sure, I need to build a floodgate around my pacifying smartphone-use and instead try to squeeze more juice out of the free hours I’m getting.
I have been watching more chess-videos. For some reason that I can’t explain but myan, I’m hooked on this beautiful game for no obvious reason.
I’m back in the form — devouring as much organic information as I possibly can; as I’ve started to listen to more podcasts all the way to the end. One podcast in particular I enjoyed the most this week was The Joe Rogan Experience #1921 – Peter Zeihan.
I and solution both contradicted Covid. It’s still a mystery who’s the carrier but does it matter? No. What matters? Solution these days is laughing her ass out on my jokes. Precious, priceless times aé!
Furthermore, thanks to Aanchal (one of Solution’s best friends) who introduced me to the song I would want to die with, when I eventually die, of course. This song, the one that came with this post magically calms me down and lulls me to sleep. Beautiful stuff!
Are you honestly living the best version of the life you … possibly, possibly can? could’ve?
Does not necessarily have to be on the silk side of the happy case scenario! That means, if you’re suffering; if you’re going through the tough waves; if you’re going through the rough roller-costers of chaos; if you’re going through the grief and the pain of immeasurable magnitude; if you’re going through the alarming sense of emptiness, loneliness, meaninglessness. Then, suffer with Pride and Dignity! A capital ‘P’ and the capital ‘D’
However, only for the things that’s worth every dime of your energy or whatever you call it because i tell you it’s tempting to suffer for the foolish of reasons.
Hmmm… sure, I myself ask that question every-time I can, that If I’m honestly living the best version of the life i possibly.. ..possibly can. It sort of has become one of those compass I use to navigate through these unknown shit-tons of waters around my own lifeline. While most of the times the answer is ‘Oh! f*ck*ng Yes!’; many-of-times the answer has been ‘no’.
No lies.
And, it’s at this moment I know I need to slow down,
re-calibrate my position in the ground of my life’s roots (values per se),
I truly believe that everything that we do and everyone that we meet is put in our path for a purpose. There are no accidents; we’re all teachers – if we’re willing to pay attention to the lessons we learn, trust our positive instincts and not be afraid to take risks or wait for some miracle to come knocking at our door.
Growing up, I have seen firsthand how difficult relationship is; how waves hit your love-boat bad… really, awfully bad!
Growing up, I have seen firsthand things don’t remain hopeless, choking, and painful when it comes to self-conducting yourself as partners. Because, given — work has been put-forth from both-sides ‘love’ is the most blissful powerhouse. However still not immune to oncogenes in it’s lifeline. My friend, Love is fragile. It needs awareness. It needs your unadulterated attention and care.
Growing up, I have learned firsthand what’s the right and the wrong template of a sustainable relationship. It’s for sure never a forever uphill, and full-of-life, and the conflict-free heaven. In all sincerity, I’m still learning many facets of love as I embark on my life’s journey.
Growing up, I have heard from my grandmother, love non-negotiably needs love to suspire.
Love is interesting, tingling, exciting, marveling, and beautiful.
Love also brings you unfathomable pain, tears, grief and sadness!
“Happiness is simply the absence of desire… Happiness is not about the achievement of pleasure (which is joy or satisfaction), but about the lack of desire. It arrives when you have no urge to feel differently. Happiness is the state you enter when you no longer want to change your state.”
James Clear (author of Best Seller Atomic Habits)
Oregon – Paul Moody
It has been a year.
I had been happy.
It’s time I come out of this Pandora bubble.
Sure, it’s charming and comfortable.
Sure, it’s shallow and deceiving.
Like they say, there’s cost associated with everything,
This is the 4th year we are celebrating her birthday together. This time right from the heart of San Francisco, California.
Some housekeeping for the day: I handled the whole kitchen department as she presumably was enjoying the much needed downtime. Well, honestly I don’t mind when she rests! And, for the dinner we went to The Grove. I remember her saying, “I love the vibe here’.
Looking back the last one year has been blissful and utterly gratifying journey for both of us.
I remember she’d drink ‘Death Wish’ the world’s strongest coffee (they say) just to get through the days and nights of the exam week. Specially, during the two subjects wherein she had to grind her arse a whole freaking lot — Algorithm, and Modern Web Application by Prof. Paul Corazza and Prof. Najeeb Najeeb respectively.
I remember enjoying Grey’s anatomy together with her as we’d eat our lunch and/or dinner until i came to know that my favorite character eventually dies.
I remember her getting creative with countless ramen that were eaten back during the university days alongside F.R.I.E.N.D.S sitcom. She really really wanted me to enjoy the soap, and surprisingly enough, I have started being entertained.
I also remember the thrills of navigating through the preparatory phase of the real-deal interviews. The experience of giving them at par. The delight of landing offers alongside her and our long walks to the local Indian restaurant for a frequent treat to the tongue.
I don’t know about myself but I clearly remember we had just gotten back from our evening walk on the outskirts of Fairfield. And as we were opening her dorm door, the much-awaited call from Jennifer (the Head of Talent at Banyan Infrastructure) rang on her phone. Both our hearts sunk and thumped the same time at that moment. So, both of us quickly jumped on her bed that was by the door and listened Jennifer slowly, delightfully unpack the offer put-forth by her San Francisco based company. The best part of the whole conversation was that she got the offer for Senior Software Engineer position despite having applied for the mere opening role.
It feels heartwarming watching her friendship with Yohannes Kassa Yimam grow with months. Plus, we also made many amazing friends (I’m specially referring to the Nov 2021 MBA entrants at MIU).
I want to forever seal as much memories as I can tank up of our first initial days at San Francisco. As she acclimatizes with her work and the working environment. As she dissolves with the San Francisco way of living from buying groceries to paying rent to paying utilities to savings to adding essential stuffs on her small, beautiful apartment.
To the nutshell, I can’t say it enough :-
In the language of Sung, “You’re a lucky man to have someone like her.”
Solution is 27, today!
Happy Birthday love. As far as the choice of song is concerned, it’s her favorite song these days!
p.s. The other birthday posts I had written previously are:
