Pivots, plans and code | Gong back into Lockdown | 4-week report

22 May 2021 . category: report . Comments
#radicali #startup #singapore #fitness

Welcome to #233, it’s been a while! We’re coming on the other side of May, and this year is running out even faster than the last one. Time goes fast when you want it to go slow, and then time goes slow when you want it to go fast.

At work, we’ve been working on different strategies to improve distribution - and that poses a challenge for me to manage our development cycles. We’re beginning to see positive signals in our most recent pivot but we need to be mom-testing all our hypotheses. We are also seeing good feedback on our spinoff product, and that might work things out in the long-term. i have to manage the focus and prioritization of our developers time correctly, so that we never go out of sync of our north star. i realized that we were straying off our development structure to optimize for speed, but recently i’ve brought back our focus on designs and tech scoping before starting coding sprints.

i have been working on security certification for our product, and have been learning a bit about different infosec concepts recently. We are also going through a VAPT exercise as part of this process. There’s been some tough days with uncontrollables(around perception of the product, people issues, funds), but i’ve become quite immune to these kind of tests to my mind.

In the last blog - i was talking about India’s mismanagement of covid and how/where i’d like to live out my settled life. For some reason, my mind wandered deeper in such thoughts and i’ve been thinking about exploring different villages in the Himalayas for 1-2 years before deciding on which place would be ideal for building a technology-driven business and living a high-quality peaceful life. Once there is enough financial cover in my life, i would like to explore this - and work towards a business that serves real people with real problems using technology, at the same time giving myself enough time to wander, think and travel. One drawback here is access to high-quality people and places - although the internet brings people together, it’s always good to be in close proximity to resourceful people. We’ll see!

When i was in school & college, i longed to have a life where my calendar was packed back to back with meetings and that seemed like an ideal life - but now that i live that schedule, i feel like happiness is not in being busy but being peaceful. By Maslow’s hierarchy, we cant get to peace without money, and making money fast requires me to go through the grind right now. These are currently pipe dreams, but in the next 5 years or so, i hope to make this a reality. i also realize that as i get older, i need to stay close to home for other people, my parents and to-be-kids: i don’t want to stay in a place that has a soft upbringing for kids, and the more i see, the more i can see the urban world getting softer.

A week ago, i finished reading Win Bigly by Scott Adams, and that has put a new filter on my eyes - how to put forth your arguments, and how to convince/negotiate on contentious issues. i visisted the library and got a bucket full of books for seeing through the recently announced lockdown in Singapore. Reading the story of Genghis Khan and his spirituality, along with one called 33 Meditations on Death. Also got myself a couple biographies of John McEnroe & Bjorn Borg - i’m somehow addicted to sporting stories!

I failed miserably on the NoFap mission a few weeks ago, as i gave in to the temptation of porn after about 9 months of abstinence. i immediately realized the energy difference in the body the next morning. i also realized how easily my dopamine receptors were triggered and it is individualiezd proof of the desensitization of my brain. i am back on the log now, going strong on Day 7 now - aiming to get to 15 days at the least this time round. i think i need to have a certain reward mechanism to keep the streak ongoing, and without a defined finish line/reward, there is not enough incentive to suffer. As Casey says, Without a goal, you can not score.

On the fitness front, i’ve had to adapt the routine with new covid regulations - gyms have shut down, and our jiujitsu classes have reduced intensity. i had recently committed to two workouts a day, but it has been difficult to sustain with my current work requirements, i’ll be deciding whether to continue on the mission in the coming days. i’m trying to make the most of the current lockdown though - focusing on yoga(via Headspace) and mobility(at BJJ), doing some exercises from @kneesovertoesguy to improve flexibility as well.

Inspired by accounts from Lex Fridman, Tim Ferriss & Peter Attia - i’m thinking of carrying out a one-day fast sometime next week. Need to do a little more research here before committing to it - actions over intentions, so i’ll post more about this after finishing the fast. i’m also starting a home-ordered weekly meal plan this week with Nutrition Kitchen to take out the hassle of cooking from my mind.

i watched Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone over two weekends with my girlfriend, it’s a good way to spend time with her and also it’s her favorite movie series, so why not! Things are moving along well, we completed 8 months recently :)

i am living my weekdays strictly by the calendar, while i try to keep the weekends a little more chilled. This helps me manage any open threads in my head and keeps anxiety about unfinished tasks under check. A few weekends ago, i visited the National Design centre with a friend - a place i’d been wanting to go for a while now. The next place on my list now is the Lee Kong Chian reference library, you need to get a reservation to even get inside!

Content Consumption: i am now consuming a lot of UFC/BJJ videos, and no longer dumb shit. However, Instagram usage is still out of control, as i averaged 66 minutes per day over the last week. 66 minutes for 7 days can actually aggregate to a hardcover book end-to-end, i’m so not proud of this and need to keep consumption habits in control.

i’m thinking of buying a plant for my work desk, they say it’s good for your mental peace. Should i?!

Anyway, don’t forget to keep hammerin’

---