#2: Motivation isn't real 🦾

Happy Friday! 🎉 I hope you've had a great week. Mine flew by fast and I only managed to journal twice. I elevated journaling to my daily tasks this year, next to working out, reading, and other personal pursuits. Journaling helps me process my thoughts and feelings about things. Journaling also helps me figure out what to write in these weekly missives 😉. Try it and let me know how it goes for you. 

Let's get into it 🚀

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💡 1 thing I've learned this week

Motivation isn't real 🛑

You said you'd go to the gym today, but you woke up and just don't feel like it. 

You have to write a report or proposal for work, but you've put it off every day until the night before the report is due. 

The common thread here might be a lack of motivation and you might be right. But motivation is fleeting. One of my favorite content creators, Ali Abdaal, says Motivation doesn't lead to Action. Action leads to Motivation. Getting started is the fastest and best way to get motivated. 

For example: Since my return to the gym a few months ago, I try to go at least 5 days a week. However, I'm only motivated to be in the gym on 1 or 2 of those days max. The rest of the days are brutal. However, to overcome my laziness, I just get moving. Around an hour leading up to the workout time, I wear my workout clothes. I grab my gloves, my keys, and my Airpods and head out of the house. I let my body take the lead and my mind catches up shortly after. By the time I'm in the parking lot outside the gym, the motivation has kicked in. Action leads to motivation. 

Procrastinating starting that report or proposal? Start by making an outline of the document. Write the easy parts first. Once you start, you're more likely to get into a flow state. Action leads to motivation. 

🙏🏾 1 thing I'm grateful for

Fuel prices are tanking ⛽️

After peaking at over UGX 7000 (~$2) per litre over the last couple of years, fuel prices are beginning to look less like a faulty calculator and I'm pumped (see what I did there?). Kudos to whatever forces make this possible. I can't for the life of me understand the geopolitical economics behind fluctuating fuel prices. 

🚀 Pro-tip

A shortcut for a day 😉 📆

This one's a quick one in Excel or Google Sheets: using the shortcut Ctrl + ; (on a PC) or ⌘ + ; (on a Mac) will pull up today's date instantly. That way you don't have to manually type it. 

Now, what will you do with all that time you've just saved?

🔥 What's hot 

My YouTube video this week 📽️

In case you missed it, this list on the blog was a great way to start the year 📄

💎 Gems from the internet

1. Been hearing a lot about AI and Chat GPT recently 🤖? This article and this video (this one, too 🫣) can bring you up to speed. AI is here and it's only going to get more powerful. Best to figure out how it's going to bulldoze your industry and—on a brighter, less dystopian note—make your work easier

2. Are you a history buff? This website is the coolest thing I saw this week

3. You can never have enough background music for work; here's another if your internet service provider (I'm frowning at you - ZUKU fibre) allows

4. Starting a business 💰? This 52-page free feature-packed guide might be just what you need. (Just enter your name and email address and you'll get it)

5. On a lighter note, can you draw a perfect circle ⭕️? My top score was 93.3%. Can you do better?

6. The perfect length of a nap 😴? Send this to HR when found hunched over your desk

Have a great weekend,

— Shem

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🤝🏾 Let's connect 

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