✨ Highlights of the Week
i lost my voice the very day i planned to record the voices beatbox wildcard. it was like universe was playing a cruel joke on me.
honestly, my routine wasn't 100% ready, but losing my voice made everything feel worse... 😔 i still don't know what caused it, but it was the first time in my life that i almost completely lost my voice.
so, instead of giving up, i threw together a freestyle beat in the office-a routine i literally came up with in like an hour... i recorded it, posted it, and hoped for the best.
unfortunately, my impromptu routine didn't pass the wildcard selection. and yeah, i was so mad at myself. 😤 firstly, i could've prepared and recorded earlier instead of leaving it until the last minute; secondly, i knew deep down that i didn't put in the effort i should've. i'm really disappointed in myself, but i also know this is a lesson to carry forward. 🥺😭
📝 Reading Insights
this week, i fully immersed myself in Atomic Habits by James Clear. as i delved into it, i realised just how much the ideas resonate with me. some of the principles, like focusing on small changes, are things i've unconsciously applied in my life. but this book made me aware of how i can refine and strengthen those actions to create a more effective "system" for myself. it's genuinely inspiring and i can already feel it reshaping my mindset.
here are some key highlights from Chapter 1 that struck a chord with me:
“improving by 1 percent isn't particularly notable—sometimes it isn't even noticeable—but it can be far more meaningful, especially in the long run. The difference a tiny improvement can make over time is astounding. Here's how the math works out: if you can get 1 percent better each day for one year, you'll end up thirty-seven times better by the time you're done. Conversely, if you get 1 percent worse each day for one year, you'll decline nearly down to zero. What starts as a small win or a minor setback accumulates into something much more.”
“Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.”
“a slight change in your daily habits can guide your life to a very different destination.”
“Tiny battles like these are the ones that will define your future self.”
“Breakthrough moments are often the result of many previous actions, which build up the potential required to unleash a major change.”
“habits often appear to make no difference until you cross a critical threshold and unlock a new level of performance. In the early and middle stages of any quest, there is often a Valley of Disappointment. You expect to make progress in a linear fashion and it's frustrating how ineffective changes can seem during the first days, weeks, and even months. It doesn't feel like you are going anywhere. It's a hallmark of any compounding process: the most powerful outcomes are delayed.”
“A handful of problems arise when you spend too much time thinking about your goals and not enough time designing your systems.”
“We think we need to change our results, but the results are not the problem. What we really need to change are the systems that cause those results.”
“A systems-first mentality provides the antidote. When you fall in love with the process rather than the product, you don't have to wait to give yourself permission to be happy. You can be satisfied anytime your system is running. And a system can be successful in many different forms, not just the one you first envision.”
“The purpose of building systems is to continue playing the game. True long-term thinking is goal-less thinking. It's not about any single accomplishment. It is about the cycle of endless refinement and continuous improvement. Ultimately, it is your commitment to the process that will determine your progress.”
Chapter Summary
- Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement. Getting 1 percent better every day counts for a lot in the long-run.
- Habits are a double-edged sword. They can work for you or against you, which is why understanding the details is essential.
- Small changes often appear to make no difference until you cross a critical threshold. The most powerful outcomes of any compounding process are delayed. You need to be patient.
- An atomic habit is a little habit that is part of a larger system. Just as atoms are the building blocks of molecules, atomic habits are the building blocks of remarkable results.
- If you want better results, then forget about setting goals. Focus on your system instead.
- You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.
Excerpt From Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results James Clear - This material may be protected by copyright.
it's really all about the systems—this line hit me the hardest: you do not rise to the level of your goals. you fall to the level of your systems. looking at my own life, i realise how much my systems need improvement, and i feel motivated to start making these 1% changes, even if they seem small right now.
🥰 Memories
