#8 - The Space Between Tension and Insight

Update

I’m writing this in the middle of a 32-hour water fast—9 hours in, as I’m typing this. Honestly, it’s a great way to reset the brain and gut. Feels like a refresh button for the system.

It’s been 7 days since the last newsletter, and 7 days of sticking to a solid routine. I’m really feeling it. Being in a routine makes everything feel more in control, and it’s been easier to manage my workload without feeling overwhelmed.

Here’s how my week went:

I’ve been waking up around sunrise on most days, and I’ve really tried to stick to a rhythm in the first couple of hours after getting up:

• Make my bed (small win right there).

• Meditate for a bit—just to get my head in the right space.

• Hydrate right after, and then shower.

• Dress up, head out, and leave the house within two hours of waking.

Working from outside the house has been a game-changer. Just being dressed and having a change of scenery keeps my focus sharp. I’ve found it helps a lot more than working from home.

Focus has been key this week.

• Binaural beats to get into the zone.

• Timed sessions—60 to 90 minutes of focus, with my phone on DND.

• Two solid work blocks before lunch, two after lunch. The first task in the morning is always the most important one.

• I’ve also been squeezing in a workout after 5pm, when I can. It’s been a struggle to stay consistent, but I managed 5 workouts this week—mix of weights, mobility, and running. Nothing crazy, just enough to feel good.

I switched up my workout routine too. Now it’s all about weighted calisthenics with a focus on getting stronger, bit by bit.

And at the end of the day, I’ve been reading a bit—right now, The Startup Code by Mukesh Bansal. Sometimes I catch up on articles or newsletters I’ve saved, too.

Let Your Work Breathe

I’ve been thinking a lot about how I approach work lately. Deadlines are great for smaller tasks, but when it comes to deeper work, the kind that requires real problem-solving or thinking outside the box, I’ve realized that a rushed timeline doesn’t help.

I first came across the idea of tension and insight in Robert Greene’s Mastery, and it really clicked with me. Here’s how I’m thinking about it now:

• Tension is that feeling when things aren’t falling into place. It’s frustrating when you’re trying to make sense of something but nothing seems to work.

• The insight comes when you step away and let go of the pressure. You might take a walk, or just sit and let your mind wander—that’s when the answers tend to come.

If I had given myself a strict deadline, I probably would’ve missed that moment of clarity. So, I’ve been trying to give myself more time to really think through things.

Now, if I need to work on something new, I block out an entire morning. I break that time into 60-minute focus sessions, with a 30-minute break in between where I just let my mind breathe. It’s made a huge difference in the quality of my work and in reducing mistakes.

Something else that’s been helping is mapping things out before diving in—whether it’s on paper, a whiteboard, or even in Figma. Just laying out the steps helps me stay on track and not get lost in the details.

🏎️

So here’s to another week of progress. I hope you’ve been making headway with whatever you’re working on.

On a side note, I might be heading to the Melbourne GP next month to watch Lewis Hamilton race for Ferrari. I’m pretty excited about it. In Formula 1, the lighter the car, the faster it goes. Every gram matters. It’s got me thinking about all the weight we carry—whether it’s bad habits, limiting beliefs, or anything that slows us down. I’m trying to get rid of all of that so I can go faster.

Eliminate > Add

Let’s keep moving forward.

Until next time,

Moksh