The Cringe Month
Just do it...Do it anyways
Two things are guilty of keeping me from writing to you and taking up space in my head:
Comfort
Attention to detail
Happy new month
Comfort
I’ve “managed” to make progress since I re-started my year in June.
But it wasn’t without a fight.
I struggled with my routine and procrastinated so hard before getting things done.
I tried self-talk, self-prep, waking up early, inspirational quotes… but
It was just a struggle to do the things I ought to.
And it was because I was comfortable.
After mourning the Uni version of me, who was efficient as a blade, I decided to move on.
I realised I was giving the situation too much power by believing it can’t change (and only “complaining” about the issue)
If I were once an efficient and disciplined girl who now finds it hard to get things done, I can change again.
We can always reinvent ourselves
I was scrolling through Instagram one Saturday afternoon, and that’s where I got the idea to gamify the process:
Let’s Play ⚔️🥷🏽🪭
I did a personal audit, digging into the issue
Revisited my strengths (using Ikigai)
Wrote down everything I want to be and do
This became my alter ego/avatar - “Muteki”
And the challenge was to live like this alter ego for 90 days
I set her tasks, routines, habits, and systems
Created a new calendar with these new tasks and routines in it
And finally, a scoring system for performance, like every game has.
It was fun. In just the first week, I made so much progress
The first week was great; there were some lost points, but I went again.
The second week was great, but I didn’t yet have the perfect scoreboard to track my points from completing my task, so I decided to restart it.
The third week was new, I restarted the game, living as my avatar
This is the fourth week, and I’m contemplating restarting this game… again. Why? Because I still don’t have the perfect scoreboard.
This is the part where I talk about my second biggest ops - attention to detail, the LinkedIn title for perfectionism (just kidding…)
Attention to detail - perfectionism
You see, the scoreboard was the gold.
I was Avatar, and it was Appa.
Every task or routine I complete adds points to my character/avatar
So the scoreboard had to be so good. So I thought…
I wanted it to be so awesome that I haven’t made it yet as I speak, and it’s already been a month.
I even thought about learning to vibe code just to create this scoreboard myself.
Talk about self-sabotage
It’s not just the scoreboard that has suffered.
My 90-day challenge and character “Muteki” has suffered.
My content has also suffered.
I was supposed to start a series, but I wanted to get the video sequence and storyline right as it is in my head.
So I kept on pushing and making invisible plans, so much so that I posted just 5 times in August.
I thought August was the end
But hey, it’s been 12 days in September, and the only reason I made my 2nd post in 12 days is because the sign is now glaring and I have to redeem myself.
Redemption 🥋
Maybe that will be the new name of my challenge
The redemption plan here is to create the most basic scoreboard, even if I have to use Excel.
And just post everything in my draft FIRST, regardless of the storyline or post sequence.
Friend, watch out.
I hear these two (comfort and perfectionism) are big enemies of the great lock-in.
Stay safe.
Just like that, I’ve written my newsletter: by not overthinking starting.
Perhaps, this is the best way to get things that are mighty in your head done.
“Nike it” - Just do it.
Talk soon.
DF