82 · Frogs for Breakfast

I bought this small planner, and I think I can use it to record only the things that matter most for the day — the ones that must inevitably be done before I go to bed. The S-tier frogs. Technically I can goof around, expand and explore after they're done, but the frogs are the utmost priority. So: what matters most today?

If you think of yourself as the engine, then maximising efficiency in almost every endeavour optimises productivity for the main work. Engineer your habits, spirit, mindset and physique so that every vector points in the direction you're aiming.

Time and energy allocation is your biggest asset. Sit down, look at the daily aims, and set the plan of attack.

To be honest, the best time to call is now. Be forward in that sense. Get things done right here, right now. Live on the thin slice of the now.

What is the Markov Vow for right now? Finish this past paper. Go. The complementary set of this one goal is all mere distraction. What does carrying the cross look like right now? The 2019 paper. Go. And when you deviate and ruminate in fantasies again — snap back. What is the work that must be done right now, here?

Morning routine for the war phase: the day doesn't start until the frogs are named. Before bed, get a schedule of what must be executed and when. Go full into getting those done, and stick to it as if your life depends on it — because it does. You will fail some days. Converge anyway.

Bro, don't let today's work expand into tomorrow. That fucks everything up. Do today's work today. First things first and today's things today. This is also why administrative and bureaucratic work should be crammed into a couple of days — all classes on Thursdays and Fridays, then Saturday and Sunday as pure work days. Engineer a system so automated that the needed dosage of willpower is minimal and just showing up produces maximum output. You already burned the boats — you're paying for everything yourself. Go full ham on that.

One thing that shows up in every high day: get physical early. Something about a run, a workout, a bike ride creates positive momentum for everything after it. A basketball session, a HIIT kickboxing session. Thirty minutes of lifting, an hour of basketball, 7.5 hours of sleep, a four-hour deep work session, a two-hour second session — the rest is up to God. The phase where I was most productive and had the best mental health had the best physical activity mixed in.

Set a timer. Find the frog. Eat it before it eats you. Then the next one. That's the entire philosophy of a day.