#9 - I gave up alcohol

Momentum & Removing Distractions

We’re already two months into the year, and I can feel it—momentum. It’s real, and it’s compounding. Everything I put time into over the last few months—learning, thinking, doing—is starting to take shape.

One thing I haven’t mentioned: I decided to go completely sober this year. No alcohol, no partying.

Not because I have anything against it. The last few years, especially university and traveling, were full of nights I’ll never forget (and some I barely remember). That Goa trip before New Year’s? A total bender.

But something shifted. I realised there are moments in life when the iron is hot—when the energy, curiosity, and opportunities align in a way that doesn’t happen often. And if you strike while it’s hot, you can mould your reality.

Removing things that dull your edge—whether it’s alcohol, distractions, or mindless obligations—can take you to another level. So here we are. The game has begun.

Today’s edition is packed. Stick through till the end—you’ll thank yourself later.

Epiphany #1: Busyness Is Not Productivity

There’s a strange comfort in being busy. You’re constantly moving, constantly occupied. But if you feel like your efforts are scattered—like you’re working hard but not making real progress—you might be mistaking motion for momentum.

I’ve been there. Running around, filling my schedule, but not moving the needle. The key shift? Understanding that productivity isn’t about how much you do—it’s about what you do and how you do it.

Here’s the foundation:

1. Draw buckets around your life

   • Imagine your life as a set of buckets. Work. Health. Relationships. Learning. The things that actually matter.

   • Now, look at where you’re pouring your time, energy, and focus. Are these buckets aligned with your real goals? Or are they leaking into things that don’t serve you?

2. Eliminate before you execute

   • The real superpower isn’t just doing more—it’s doing less, but better.

   • Most people add. The best subtract. What can you remove that isn’t serving you? Where are you saying yes when you should be saying no?

3. Plan like an architect, execute like a soldier

   • Use a simple tool stack: Notion + a calendar + iPhone widgets.

   • Block out your commitments in your calendar (work, school, non-negotiables).

   • Then, block out the basics: sleep, workouts, meals (yes, even lunch and dinner—structure prevents chaos).

   • Now, in the remaining time, create focus blocks for deep work—these should align with your goals and buckets.

   • The key: Pre-decide what will happen in these blocks. Write it down simply—no fluff. Just a clear task with a clear outcome.

Life won’t always be structured. There will be chaos—family events, exams, deadlines. In those times, grit will get you through. But when you do have control, use it.

And practice saying no. Opportunity cost is real. Most things aren’t worth the trade-off.

Epiphany #2: Neuroplasticity & Treating oneself like a Cognitive Athlete

Neuroplasticity. A fancy word for a simple idea: Your brain gets stronger the more you challenge it.

You’ve felt it before—that sensation of struggling with a new concept, but then suddenly clicking. That’s neuroplasticity in action.

Your mind is like a muscle. It needs resistance to grow. Just like in the gym, you need to push the edge of what’s comfortable, recover, then push again.

Here’s how I think about it:

1. Learning is mental hypertrophy

   • The process of learning feels like stretching—it’s uncomfortable at first, but over time, your mind adapts.

   • That’s why I’m obsessed with expanding what I know—because every time I do, my way of thinking shifts.

2. Curiosity has two modes: Random vs. Structured

   • Random curiosity: Wandering. Letting your mind explore things without a goal. This is where the weird connections happen—the kind that spark creativity and unexpected insights.

     • Ever read a completely unrelated book and later realized it helped solve a problem? That’s the power of random input.

   • Structured curiosity: Learning with intent. Picking up a skill or diving deep into a subject you need now.

     • Reading specific books in a deliberate order. Breaking down skills into first principles.

Both are necessary. One feeds serendipity. The other feeds mastery.

Find time for both.

Curation: Resources to Go Deeper

A few things I’ve come across recently that fit today’s theme:

1. Matt Gray - Simplify Your Life

   • systems for founders & creators.

   • Watch here

2. Dr. Rhonda Patrick - Health & Performance

   • Deep dive into micronutrients, longevity, and cognitive performance.

   • Watch here

3. Iman Gadzhi - 2020 Goal Setting Video

   • Old videos from Iman used to be Value Packed.

   • Watch here

4. ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce): The $80bn Opportunity in India

   • How digital commerce in India is evolving. Long read, but insightful.

   • Read here

Closing Thoughts

That’s it from me this week

Until next time,

Moksh