Reactivity to intention

As I take on more interesting challenges, I’ve noticed something about myself.

When structure breaks, I become reactive.

That happened yesterday. And that’s okay.

It’s actually good, it showed me where I drift when routine loosens and entertainment creeps in. I went a little right, a little left. Lost silence. Lost context. Lost intention.

No need to ruin the mood. This happens to everyone. We get caught in the daily grind and momentarily forget who we are. The important thing is this: we can always come back.

This time, the trigger was entertainment, specifically, the Kapil Sharma Show. It gave me free dopamine: stimulation without effort, comfort without depth. Slowly, it broke my rhythm. Even basic things like eating went off.

So instead of overthinking, I return to a principle I deeply believe in:

Don’t remove. Replace.

The Core Problem

Problem: Free dopamine
Effect: Loss of structure, reactivity, shallow days
Solution: Meaningful replacement

I want a deeper life. Depth leads to better work, calmer thinking, and real impact.

The Replacement System

1. Coding

When I feel lost, I build.
Internal projects. Real features. Deep focus.
Coding pulls me back into meaning and creation.

2. Stillness & Breathing

Do nothing. Just breathe.
4-7-8 breathing.
Stillness resets the mind better than any input.

3. Gym & Movement

Anger, stress, frustration—put it in the body.
Movement clears the mind.
The body leads, the mind follows.

4. Reading

Not always for knowledge.
Sometimes for calm.
Sometimes for structure.
Reading slows the mind and organizes thought.

5. Creating (Videos / Writing)

Creation beats consumption every time.
When I create, distractions disappear.
Best rule:

Create to learn.

6. Walking

Low effort, high clarity.
Nature restores perspective.
Ideas arrive when pressure leaves.

7. Learning (Finance & US Systems)

One topic at a time.
Depth over breadth.
Understanding systems creates confidence and leverage.

Structural Fixes (What Actually Helps)

One-Problem Days

Pick one problem for the day.
Everything else is secondary.

Minimum Viable Day

On off days:

  • One walk

  • One page written

  • One small step forward

Anything extra is a bonus.

Pause Before Reacting

Label the emotion.
Breathe.
Respond instead of react.

Constraints-Based Work

  • Limited time

  • No internet

  • One tool

Constraints bring depth.

Identity Check

Ask daily:

“Is this aligned with the person I respect?”

Not productivity.
Not output.
Identity.

Micro-Silence

Between tasks:
A few breaths.
A brief pause.
Reset.

The Guiding Principle

Depth over noise.
Creation over consumption.
Calm over reaction.

Final Note

Entertainment isn’t evil.
Structure isn’t rigid.
Drift isn’t failure.

The real skill is returning.

And yes,

I am the best.
Not because I never fall,
but because I always come back.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Man ka hua toh accha hai, aur agar man ka na ho toh aur bhi accha hai

Image
I was sitting in an airplane when an old lady next to me said,  "Man ka hua toh accha hai, aur agar man ka na ho toh aur bhi accha hai":  If things go as we desire, it's good; if they don’t, it’s even better. This philosophy by Harivansh Rai Bachchan carries profound wisdom. It teaches us that life is not just about getting what we want, but about trusting the journey, even when things don’t unfold as we expect. When Things Go Your Way: "Man ka hua toh accha" We often associate happiness with things aligning with our wishes, getting that dream job, being with the person we love, achieving a long-desired goal. And when these things happen, we feel joy, success, and a sense of control. But this is only half the truth. Life is not a straight path, and our desires are often shaped by our limited understanding of what’s truly good for us. What we wish for today may not serve us in the long run. Getting what we want is good, but it’s not the ultimate measure of happin...
Read more

Step into the unknown

Image
 Embrace the unknown. There are so many things in life that we fear. Imagine that you fear a particular project, imagine you risk losing something, imagine you risk the loss of a friend, imagine you risk losing love, all of these are risks. But the point is we want to embrace the unknown. What is to life, if we never explore the unknown, if we never know about someone. I feel like it's important to embrace the unknown. It's important to go through the darkest of times together and then come out stronger. It's important to be yourself.  The more you go with the flow of life and surrender the outcome to God, and the less you seek constant clarity, the more you will find that fabulous things start to show up in your life. I love this, so going with the flow of life, and surrendering yourself to the outcome. That is what makes life interesting. Imagine going on a solo trip, you don't really know whom you will meet or how you will stay but with the flow of life you eventuall...
Read more

There's light at the end of the tunnel

I have always loved the idea that every story, whether in books, movies, or real life, is a journey—one filled with moments of difficulty, sadness, hardships, and battles that must be fought. But what truly makes a story special is not just the struggles it portrays, but the way it turns them into something meaningful, something that inspires. Think about your favorite films—the ones that leave a lasting impact. No matter how dark the night, no matter how lost the hero feels, in the end, things fall into place. The obstacles that seemed insurmountable become lessons. The heartbreaks become stepping stones. The failures become the very reason for success. And when the movie ends on a hopeful note, the audience walks out of the theater with a renewed belief in life, in second chances, and in the idea that no matter how tough things get, there’s always hope. That’s exactly what I want to contribute through this blog. A sense of belief that life, like the best Hindi films, has its fair sha...
Read more