Inspired by @craigpetterson, here’s my Awesome August wrap-up: 

Planned out specifics of what I needed to do for my million dollar project

• Pondered the moral implications and ethical effects of my $1mil goal, and decided that it’s safe to go ahead.
• Principles for a calm not crazy working style and pace. This is what I say no to doing in the new season of work.
• Tiny epiphany by reframing my $1mil goal from an earning objective to a learning goal. Already it’s making me feel more excited!
• But also realising that I shouldn’t over-plan and forget to surrender to the beauty of serendipity, and start to be more antifragile. The Antifragile book is still a work-in-progress, and there’s still so much hidden implications to reflect on.
• Decided on what products to make and started on Ruby on Rails course. Starting on a new language is scary af, but in trying to learn how to learn, I broke it down into the tiny incremental steps that I need to progress through, and that made it less scary. 

Started on keystone habit systems

• Putting Atomic Habits into practice by scheduling a series of keystone habits like fitness, sleep, reviews, deep work, so that this provides the foundation from which my entrepreneurial activities can thrive. So far:
• Fitness goals on point - working out every day, alternating running and 7-minute workouts, rest days on Sundays. Also making it a point to make the workouts more immediately rewarding afterwards by taking a few breaths to enjoy the quiet nature, instead of feeling like it’s a chore.
• Sleep goals are fluctuating - discovered the decisive habit-forming moment (i.e. going to shower at 10.30pm kickstarts the sleep ritual), which helped me sleep earlier and on time. But didn’t sleep enough for a week while on work trip, and some days had early family appointments that made it hard to sleep enough. Will do better!
• Meditation goals - awesome. Added a new creative visualisation technique for creating a perfect day, as part of my 6 phase meditation. 
• Deloading, reviews and reflection - ongoing. No problem doing this as a habit, including this monthly review post. In fact, I might even enjoy it a bit too much! Cannot just think and plan, must do more, and act on random opportunities to have more upside on antifragility. But one thing I don’t compromise on - deloading and downtime. 
• Deep work - average, can be better. I can get deep in work, but if sleep is compromised, that’s affected. Otherwise, working on the right priorities of the day continues to be a fluid challenge. Will continue to observe and see how I can make priorities clearer.
• Not mentioned in the original post was some diet changes which I’m experimenting with, to lean down and get fitter. I tried keto (high fat+protein, zero carbs diet) but it was a steep learning curve in a carb-loving, high-friction environment. Plus the work trip and the medical scare set the diet aspirations back by 2 weeks. I think like what James Clear said in his post about intermittent fasting, diets sounds easier than it is in practice, while intermittent fasting sounds harder than it is in practice (that means, it’s easier than keto?!). So I’m pivoting my diet plans somewhat - will pivot to 16-8 intermittent fasting for September, and slowly build up the knowledge and experience of managing a keto diet.  

Went overseas to Bhutan for work

• Phuntsholing was the wild west trading outpost of the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon. And it was a wild ride working and living there for a week. Opened my eyes to a different side of Bhutan. Managed to spend half a day in the capital, Thimphu, which allowed me to walk down memory lane a bit, and finish unfinished business.

Mild scare of recurrence of my chronic medical condition

• I got reminded this month that the body is my harshest teacher, and that the lessons I learned through the hard way last year regarding my health should not be forgotten. Went back to my specialist doctor to get it checked. Turned out - false alarm. It wasn’t as seriously as I thought it was. *phew…
• My mantra now? “I surrender to the wisdom that is my body. I surrender. I surrender. I surrender.”

Books read & reading

Read -

• The Artist’s Way Every Day: A Year of Creative Living, by Julia Cameron
• The Million-Dollar, One-Person Business: Make Great Money. Work The Way You Like. Have The Life You Want, by Elaine Pofeldt

Reading -

• Antifragile: Things That Gain From Disorder, by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
• The Anti-fragility Edge: Antifragility In Practice, by Sinan Si Alhir
• Rails Crash Course: A No-Nonsense Guide to Rails Development, by Anthony Lewis
• The Magicians of the Gods: The Forgotten Wisdom Of Earth’s Lost Civilisation, by Graham Hancock

(Plans for Super September coming up tomorrow……)