You Don’t Need More Time

I wish I had more time to do yoga, I wish I had more time to meditate, I wish I had more time to read, and honestly, I wish I had more time for all the little things that make me feel like I’m growing into a better version of myself.

That’s the kind of mental chatter that runs in the background for me most days.

There’s this constant feeling that life is moving fast, and the things that matter most keep getting pushed to “later.”

Of course, the obvious solution is discipline.

I tell myself I just need to be more ruthless with priorities, more structured with routines, and more intentional with my mornings.

And yes, I’m actually pretty good at that stuff.

But life doesn’t always cooperate with my beautifully designed routine.

The baby wakes up early, work gets chaotic, travel throws me off, something unexpected happens, and suddenly the habits that nourish me — the yoga, the meditation, the reading — are the first things to disappear.

That’s usually when the resentment creeps in.

That quiet inner complaint: “Why can’t I just have more time?”

A Small Idea That’s Been Helping Me

Recently, I’ve been leaning on a Japanese concept called Kaizen, which is basically the philosophy of making small improvements over time instead of waiting for some perfect, dramatic transformation.

It’s not about overhauling our entire life overnight.

It’s about tiny optimizations that compound.

Instead of asking, “How do I find 30 uninterrupted minutes to meditate every day?” I’ve started asking a much smaller and more realistic question:

What can I do right now, in this moment, even if it’s only for fifteen seconds?

That shift has been surprisingly powerful for me.

Meditation Was the Habit I Struggled With Most

Walking is easier to fit in.

Work habits are easier to systematize.

But making time for meditation — for the mind and soul — always felt like the hardest thing to protect.

So instead of trying to force big meditation sessions into my schedule, I started looking for small everyday situations where mindfulness could naturally fit.

Here’s what it looks like in practice.

1) The 15-Second Look at Flowers

A couple of years ago, I started doing something small during my walks.

Whenever I noticed a flower, I would stop for fifteen seconds, just look at it, really see it, and then take a picture.

That’s it.

Instead of being lost in my thoughts or stacking productivity with podcasts and audiobooks, I began paying attention to the world around me.

And what surprised me is how much that tiny pause brought me back to the magic of nature — the colors, the shapes, the simple beauty we walk past every day without noticing.

I started practicing this on my walks now.

2) A 30-Second Scan at New Places

Another small practice I’ve been using happens whenever I go somewhere new — a coffee shop, a restaurant, a coworking space.

My old instinct was the same as everyone else’s: pull out my phone or computer, get busy immediately, rush into the next thing.

Now I try to pause for thirty seconds before doing anything.

I sit quietly, look around slowly, and notice the details — the lighting, the artwork, the people, the sounds, the energy of the space.

And I remind myself:

I spent time, money, and effort to come here. I wanted to visit this place. So let me actually experience it before I rush into working or eating or scrolling.

It’s such a small moment, but it makes the whole experience feel richer.

3) Three Breaths Before Meal

One of my favorite versions of this is right before a meal.

When food arrives, it’s so easy to dive in automatically.

Now I stop for three slow breaths.

On the first breath, I thank the person who prepared the meal.

On the second breath, I think about everyone behind the scenes — the farmers, the workers, the drivers — who made this food possible.

And on the third breath, I thank nature for providing what nourishes me.

It takes less than half a minute, but it changes the entire experience of eating.

It turns something routine into something grounding.

The Bigger Lesson

The more I do this, the more I realize mindfulness doesn’t need to be complicated, and it definitely doesn’t require an app, a cushion, or a perfect 30-minute session every morning.

Sometimes it’s as simple as fifteen seconds with a flower, thirty seconds of arriving in a new place, or three breaths before a meal.

Tiny pauses.

Tiny moments.

But over time, they create a big impact.

And that’s really what Kaizen has been teaching me lately — that instead of wishing for more time, we can start by fully showing up in the time we already have.

👋 Until next time, Anil / CEO and Co-Founder of Multidots, Multicollab, and Dotstore.

May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴

More ways to Learn + Grow

#1: Work with WordPress or build on it? Check out WP for Enterprises —your backstage pass to how BILLION-DOLLAR websites run.

#2: My Go-to Tools for Productivity & Growth 👇🏾

Every December, I spend a few days reflecting on my year:

• What did I learn?

• How did I grow?

• What were the big highlights?

In this issue, I’ll share a few highlights of the year.

2025 was both special and challenging.

I started the year with a few big intentions. I told myself I’d travel less (I still ended up on a plane almost every month). I planned to follow a workout and diet routine to improve a few health metrics (that worked for about half the year).

I also wasn’t as productive as in some of my earlier years. I learned fewer new skills and put a long pause on several growth habits. A big reason was adjusting to a new phase of life as a parent. Another reason was that I deliberately chose to put most of my energy into moving my business from a “winter” season into a “spring” season. That took more out of me than I expected.

You can keep reading to see how the year unfolded, but if I had to sum it up in a few sentences, I feel deeply grateful to be alive at the end of 2025 and to experience the full range of life—unstoppable and stuck, love and conflict, parenting and entrepreneurship, days of momentum and days of feeling completely lost.

Note: If this cuts off in your email, here’s the online version.

Learnings

Here are a few of my top learnings on life, productivity, and business.

Big Lessons

1. AI + Voice + Walking Is a Productivity Cheat Code

One of my favorite hacks this year was AI voice notes.

On walks, I speak my thoughts out loud my thoughts, and AI cleans up and organizes them for me, unlocking a new level of clarity and productivity.

• I captured new ideas

• Worked through personal and business problems,

• And created so much content for my newsletters and books.

(read more here)

2. How to answer the question: “What Do You Do for a Living?”

For years, I answered that question with a title.

“I’m a CEO of Multidots”. Accurate. Also boring.

I learned from Matthew Dicks to answer it by describing my day.

I wake up around 4:45 a.m. I write about personal growth, agency growth, technology, and two new books I’m working on. Later in the morning, I take my son and dog for a walk. That’s usually when I listen to podcasts or audiobooks. From 9 a.m. to noon, I talk to my team spread across three different continents. Around 1 p.m., I take a nap. I usually close my workday around 4 p.m. After that, I do yoga or take another walk with my family.

Giving a visual tour of your day is much more fun, interesting, and memorable.

3. Solo Trips Recharge Me in a Way Nothing Else Does

This year reminded me how powerful solo trips are—how essential they actually are.

One solo trip was to Atlanta, where I had several business reflections and planning. Second, I went to a cabin in Texas, where I read and worked on my upcoming book.

Both trips ended up being the highlights of my year. I always come back from solo trips clearer, calmer, and more grounded. I think better. I write better. I feel more like myself.

(read more here)

4. Instinct vs Mind

This year, I finally got a clearer understanding of why instinct—or gut feeling—matters so much.

Instinct isn’t random. Instinct is aggregated wisdom. It’s built from billions of years of life and evolution. Every survival pattern, every repeated outcome, every signal that mattered long before language or logic existed—that’s the dataset instinct runs on. Instinct is designed for quick decision-making. It operates without conscious thought. There’s no debate, no spreadsheet, no pro/con list. Just a quiet knowing.

On the other side is the mind. The mind is newer. Slower. Analytical. Its job is to solve new problems. To rationalize instinctive responses. To add structure, logic, and perspective.

Both are essential. Problems arise when we ask one to do another’s job. When we overthink situations that require instinct, we freeze. When we rely only on instinct for entirely new problems, we miss nuance.

5. Stress is Mental Multitasking

Lately, I’ve been paying close attention to strong emotions—especially the uncomfortable ones.

Stress. Anxiety. Jealousy.

Not through dictionary definitions or medical explanations, but from a practical, lived perspective. What I’ve come to understand is this:

Stress usually comes from holding two opposing thoughts at the same time.

For example, I wanted to spend an hour at a cafe writing my book. At the same time, I also wanted (and needed) to be present with my family. Both are good. Both matter. But trying to do both at once creates tension. That tension is stress.

What helps is simple, but not easy: choose one option and fully accept losing the other. Once the decision is made—once you stop negotiating with yourself—stress often dissolves. Not because the situation changed, but because the internal conflict did.

6. Life Happens in Seasons—And That’s Not a Failure

I let go of several “identity habits” this year.

No rigid 5 a.m. wake-ups. No rigid routines.

Followed energy instead of rules.

Some of this was intentional—I don’t want to be controlled by habits. Some of it was necessary—growth seasons in my business and being a parent demand different rhythms, and fighting that only creates friction.

7. What is “Waste of Time”?

It’s not rest. It’s not slowness.

Wasted time is:

• Being somewhere you don’t want to be

• Doing things against your will

• Being mentally elsewhere while physically present

Life Lessons

8. Don’t Give People Everything—Give Them What They Actually Want

For a long time, I over-gave. More effort, more explanation, more sacrifice—believing that doing more would automatically make people happier. Most of the time, it didn’t. People usually want something accurate: clarity, reassurance, presence, or respect. Once I stopped projecting my own stories onto others and paid attention to what they actually wanted, relationships became simpler and lighter.

9. Two People Angry at Once Turn Conflict into Chaos

This one showed up repeatedly—in marriage, friendships, and partnerships. When both people are upset, nothing productive happens. When someone is upset and shares their concerns with you, it’s natural to have your own feelings and reasons to be upset too. Just don’t bring them out at the same time. Take turns. Anger doesn’t need more anger—it needs calm, patience, and a little love.

10. “Be Tolerant With Others and Strict With Yourself”— Marcus Aurelius

We’re all fighting our own demons and carrying our own pain. I’ve realized that I often judged others too quickly for their imperfections—or more accurately, for not being perfect by my standards. At the same time, I was far more forgiving and understanding of my own flaws. I’m learning to flip that. To be more tolerant with others, and to hold myself to higher standards.

11. We Overestimate Risk and Underestimate Opportunity

Almost every meaningful decision this year felt scarier in my head than it turned out to be in reality. The downside was usually survivable. The upside, often life-changing. I’m learning to lean into that imbalance instead of letting fear make decisions for me.

12. If You’re Going to Procrastinate, Procrastinate on Something You Enjoy

Procrastination isn’t always the enemy. Fighting it aggressively often creates more resistance. If I noticed myself avoiding something, I chose to redirect that energy into something nourishing—walking, writing, or having a yoga. That alone reduced guilt and made it easier to come back focused.

13. The Only Time You Look Into Someone Else’s Bowl Is to See If They Have Enough

Comparison drains energy. Compassion restores it. This reminder helped me stay grounded—especially during moments when it felt like everyone else was moving faster or doing better. The goal isn’t to win; it’s to make sure no one’s left behind.

14. Kids Should Be Quick to Learn and Hard to Kill

I heard Naval Ravikant say this on a podcast, and it stuck with me.

As a first-time parent, I find myself questioning almost every decision and parenting style. I want my son to be safe—but I also want him to be resilient. I want him to survive and thrive in all kinds of situations, not just comfortable ones. I want him to be kind and generous, but also strong and independent.

There’s another line I read in Sahil Bloom’s book that captures this well: “It’s better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war.”

That’s the balance I’m aiming for. Create a safe, loving environment—but raise someone who can handle the real world when it gets tough.

Business Lessons

15. Challenging My Default “Play Safe” Mode

I’ve always leaned frugal. Careful. Risk-averse.

In 2025, I challenged that instinct. Instead of focusing on small optimizations, I chose to take bigger swings. I hired more people in sales and paid them more than I felt fully comfortable with at the time. I made bold changes in the business that stretched us financially and emotionally.

It wasn’t easy. It was uncomfortable. But it was necessary. Growth doesn’t come from playing it safe. It asks for courage first—and confidence follows later.

16. Who Pays the Price Gets the Vote

I’ve always tried to be democratic in decision-making, inviting everyone’s input. The problem is everyone has an opinion, and in the past, I often leaned toward the loudest or most confident voice.

This year, I realized that confidence doesn’t equal consequence. What matters most is who has to live with the consequences of the decision.

When choosing a CRM, it’s the sales and marketing teams that will use it regularly. If we’re changing payment terms, it’s the finance team that deals with the fallout.

So now, instead of prioritizing the strongest opinion, I prioritize the people who will feel the consequences. Decisions have become clearer, calmer, and more effective because of it.

17. An Empty Seat Is Less Damaging Than the Wrong Person

This was an important lesson for me in 2025. As entrepreneurs, we hate empty seats. When a role is open, there’s a constant urge to fill it—any progress feels better than no progress. An empty seat feels uncomfortable, like something is broken.

What I learned this year is that filling a seat just to fill it is often more damaging than leaving it empty. The wrong person in the wrong role creates friction, slows others down, and quietly drains energy. I’ve learned to wait longer, hire more deliberately, and only fill a seat when the right person is ready to sit in it.

18. It’s Not Always About Information—Presentation Often Wins

Two people can have the same facts. The one who frames them clearly and confidently usually wins. Clarity, storytelling, and structure matter more than we like to admit—especially in leadership and sales.

19. Costs Are Like Fingernails—They Need Regular Trimming

Both in life and in business, it helps to review every expense—especially recurring ones—at least once a year. Many expenses feel justified in the moment, but over time, they don’t add real value.

I have a simple ritual for this. My finance team reviews every subscription twice a year, and my wife and I do the same with our personal expenses.

Success breeds complacency. Complacency lets costs creep in quietly. If you don’t review expenses regularly, they grow without you noticing.

(read more here)

20. Virtual Whiteboarding Changed How I Think

This year, I started using virtual whiteboarding tools—especially Boardmix—for planning, note-taking, and thinking during calls.

Seeing ideas instead of just talking about them changed the quality of my conversations. Credit to Jay Moore for nudging me in this direction. Some tools don’t just improve productivity—they change how your brain works.

Growth

Growth Trips

I did two solo trips this year—what I call growth trips.

Not just trips to relax or run away. No. These were on-purpose retreats to get clear, fill up my energy again, and tune back into the real work—the important stuff under all the daily rush. The kind that don’t just feel good for a week... they shift you for months, even years.

My first one: Atlanta in January

I went to Atlanta when it was cold and quiet. Took some great books and over 50 thinking prompts about my business—questions to shake up old ideas and show me what really matters next.

Each day, I had a simple routine:

• 90 minutes of deep focus in different coffee shops.

• Long walks to activate scatterfocus.

• Tons

• of notes and ideas.

• Lots of silence to think and write.

When you step away from the noise, magic happens. Patterns show up clearly. Choices get easy. Your true direction shines through the fog. That trip helped me see my business fresh—like zooming out on a map. Renewed fire, sharper focus. Pure gold.

The second one: A quiet cabin in Texas Hill Country

This was slower, more personal. Just me, my dog Lucy, and a peaceful glamping cabin in the beautiful Texas hills.

The plan? Work on my first book—build a strong outline in all that calm.

But doubt showed up too. In the quiet, those voices whispered: “Who are you to write a book? There are millions out there—why would yours matter?”

Then I read The Karma of Success by Liz Tran. She’s not super famous, no big crowd cheering. But her words? Deep, real, full of quiet strength.

And it hit me hard: It’s not about the name on the cover. It’s about the truth inside.

If what I write helps even one person take a better step... then every minute is worth it.

By the end, I had the outline done, pages of notes, and something bigger—a fresh belief in the book and in my bigger purpose.

Clarity in my writing. Clarity in life. Clarity in where I’m headed.

Events + Conferences

I picked just a handful of events this year—each one like a new chapter of learning.

• ClickFunnels in Vegas: I went with my buddy Jeremy and saw Tony Robbins live. Wow—that energy, that presence. It wasn’t just sales tricks; it reminded me how positioning, messaging, and real human fire change everything.

• Newsletter Conference in Austin: Close to home, super practical. Learned tons about building audiences with honest writing. Proof that steady, heart-filled words still win big.

• DealCon: Small group, deep talks on buying and building businesses. As I’m stepping more into investing, it felt like the perfect room at the perfect time.

• WordCamps in Portland and Basel: I hadn’t been to Europe in a long time, and meeting my founder friends from India in Basel felt refreshing and energizing. I also had the chance to meet my team in person—sharing meals, conversations, and a lot of laughter. It was a simple but powerful reminder: behind every tool, system, and plan, it’s people who matter most.

Travels

With a new baby at home, I was telling myself and everyone that I’m going to travel less this year.

But somehow, I flew about 57,000 miles—on a plane every month, touching 7 countries. That’s like circling the Earth 2.2x. It’s crazy.

As I’m getting older, flying tires me out. But it also gives a gift: real stillness. Hours with no distractions—to read, think deeply, reflect on life. Those flights weren’t just moving me around. They were quiet spaces where real progress happened, up there above the clouds. I really enjoyed every bit of it and am very grateful to have a wife who supports me on all my adventures. ❤️

Big Highlights

1. A Bucket List Trip That Turned Into a Lifetime Memory

This year, I checked off something that had been on my bucket list for a long time.

My family had never been on an airplane. For years, I had this quiet desire to fly them somewhere and spend a few days together. We finally did that and went to Imagica, Mumbai.

The time and money spent on that trip will continue to pay back in the form of memories. That kind of return doesn’t show up on a spreadsheet, but it stays with you for life.

2. Thank You Notes

A few years ago, I started a small habit: writing thank-you notes to friends and colleagues.

Taking some time out to acknowledge the impact someone had on my life or work.

I didn’t realize this at first, but this might be one of the most fulfilling things I do.

When you slow down and genuinely appreciate people, relationships change. Bonds get stronger. People feel seen. You feel lighter and more positive. It creates goodwill that no meeting or deal ever can.

This year, I upgraded the practice a bit. I designed my own thank-you cards and started adding a small gift along with the note.

Writing these notes still gives me a lot of joy. It’s a reminder that sincere appreciation goes a long way.

3. Writing Two Books

Ever since I got into reading, I have had this long-term goal: one day, I want to write my own book (or books).

What I learned over time is that books don’t come out of motivation. They come out of consistency.

In 2022, I decided that if I ever wanted to write a book, I’d have to do it in public. So I launched Learn + Grow and started writing every week. This blog slowly became a public draft of a future book.

Around that time, a close friend — a successful author and marketer — told me something that stuck:

“Books are your golden business card. They build authority over time.”

That idea stayed with me.

Later, I launched another newsletter, WP for ENTERPRISES, and committed to writing consistently about enterprise CMS. I’ve been doing that for over a year now.

Looking back, I realize I now have enough real content to turn into two books.

• Book 1: Behind the Build of Enterprise WordPress

  This book focuses on the strategy, design, and technical architecture behind billion-dollar websites. Set to launch in Q1 of 2026. Subscribe here to be notified.

• Book 2: Peaceful Growth Life

  About building a successful life and career without constant burnout. Written for leaders, managers, and high performers. Set to launch in Q3 of 2026.

4. AI Becoming a Normal Part of Life

I’m still amazed by how fast AI has grown this year.

It went from “interesting” to something I use daily — for writing, thinking, planning, and improving workflows. Personally and professionally.

Seeing AI progress alongside autonomous vehicles felt surreal at times, like watching the future arrive in real time.

I’m especially curious about where humanoid robots are headed. It feels like we’re living through a shift that people will talk about for decades.

Here are two videos I really enjoyed learning from:

1. Documentary on DeepMind

2. How ChatGPT (or AI) works

Messy Me

In past years, I shared mostly my wins. This year, I want to share the other side of me, which is messy.

Some Habits Expire

In past growth reports, I shared a pretty strong track record with my growth habits. This year, I intentionally stopped tracking them.

Some habits that worked well in earlier seasons no longer fit this phase of life. Others simply didn’t survive the demands of parenting and business growth.

At first, it felt like I was failing—failing at routine, productivity, and discipline. I felt guilty and even a bit ashamed. Over time, I realized something important: a lot of my happiness had become dependent on those routines.

Without meaning to, I had built a system that started to feel like a cage.

Don’t get me wrong—I’m deeply grateful for those habits. They helped create a productive, high-performing version of myself. But this season is teaching me that habits should support life, not restrict it.

Accountability Beats Motivation

In my last year’s growth report, I shared my goal to improve a few core health metrics. At the start of this year, I was fully committed. I built a solid system, hired a fitness coach, and made solid progress in the first half.

Then I decided I didn’t need the coach anymore. I thought discipline alone would be enough.

That was a mistake.

A few months after letting the coach go, the entire system collapsed. Momentum faded, and so did my health goals.

The lesson was simple: no matter how confident or disciplined you think you are, a coach—or some form of accountability—matters more than willpower alone.

The Quiet Thieves of Progress

I turned down many podcast invites and networking opportunities this year. Some of that was due to time constraints and prioritizing family. Some of it, honestly, came from impostor syndrome and social anxiety.

There were also periods where comparison, jealousy, fear, and ego quietly took over. Days—and sometimes weeks—where I felt stuck in those emotions. They drained my focus, productivity, happiness, and even cost me opportunities.

I’m not as strong as people might assume. I’m still working through my own inner struggles—and sometimes, I lose those battles.

The Ups and Downs of Being a New Parent

Becoming a parent is a blessing. It’s magical. Creating a new human—flesh and blood—feels like one of the purest expressions of love and what it means to be human. I feel deeply grateful for that, and I’ve captured some of those moments here.

At the same time, becoming a parent changed more than I expected.

Aiden brought our families closer. I felt more connected to my own family and to Colleen’s family because of him. But in the process, Colleen and I also paid a price. We lost parts of ourselves, and we lost parts of us as a couple—at least for a while.

I don’t know if that’s just the price of becoming a parent or something we could have handled better. Either way, it changed our dynamic.

Favorites of 2025

These are my top 3 favorite content this year that really stayed with me.

Videos

1. Deep Dive into LLMs like ChatGPT

I keep hearing that large language models are a “black box,” and I’ve been genuinely fascinated by how something like this is even possible. How do humans build tools that can augment the human mind at this level?

Andrej Karpathy, who was Director of AI at Tesla and also a founding member at OpenAI, does an excellent job breaking this down. He explained complex ideas in a way that actually makes sense and helped me better understand how AI works under the hood.

2. 2025 Emerging Tech Trend Report

Amy Webb and her team consistently do an incredible job forecasting the technologies that will shape the future of humanity. Watching this feels like getting a preview of the next decade—equal parts exciting and unsettling in a good way.

3. How To Get Rich

I loved the honesty in this video. Ali breaks down what it really takes to get rich, and what surprised me most is how much of it comes down to mindset rather than tactics. It challenged some of my assumptions about ambition and made me reflect on my own relationship with money.

One takeaway that stuck with me: you need an unhealthy obsession with making money—at least for a period of time.

Podcasts

1. Grow or Die?

In this episode, Blair and David talk about the science of growth. Since growth is one of my core values and guiding principles, this really resonated with me.

Here are a few favorite lines from the episode:
“The force to grow may be more fundamental than physics itself.”
”Problems are simply the frontier of your growth.”

“In a world where every life and business is constantly striving, the ones that do not evolve get outcompeted and go extinct.”

“Growth is the journey we are all on. Together.”

2. 44 Harsh Truths About Human Nature – Naval Ravikant

Naval shares practical ideas for living a happy, high-performing life. I especially enjoy how he connects ancient spirituality with modern thinking. It helped me simplify decisions and focus more on inner leverage than external success. This episode felt both grounding and challenging.

3. Dharmesh Shah (Founder of HubSpot) Compresses 20 Years of Wisdom Into 75 Minutes

Dharmesh is one of the smartest and most thoughtful entrepreneurs I know of. He speaks from experience and from the heart. This conversation is packed with insights about business, learning, and life.

Pure gold.

Books

This year, I didn’t read as many books as I did in the past. I also re-read a few from earlier years. According to my Goodreads stats, I read around 5,296 pages across 14 books.

Fewer books, but deeper impact.

Here are a few that stood out.

1. How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk

Not surprisingly, my reading list leaned heavily toward parenting this year. This book, in particular, is one I recommended—and gifted—to many parents. Even if you don’t have kids, I think it’s an excellent book on communication and leadership. It teaches how to listen better, respond with empathy, and communicate without escalating conflict.

2. Outlive

This was a long and dense book on health and longevity, but worth the effort. I learned a lot—especially in the context of my own health goals. More than anything, it changed how I think about health metrics, prevention, and long-term decision-making around my body.

It reshaped how I track and think about health, not just how I react to it.

3. The War of Art

As I work on writing my own books, this one hit at the right time. It’s confrontational in a good way. Almost cult-like in how strongly it encourages you to create and share your work with the world. It also helped me better understand resistance—how it shows up, how it disguises itself, and how easily it can stop creative work. It was exactly what I needed to hear this year.

Wishing you a 2026 filled with endless learning, meaningful growth, and abundant peace. 🌟

If you’re interested, you can also read my past growth reports here: 2022, 2023, 2024.

👋 Until next time, Anil / CEO and Co-Founder of Multidots, Multicollab, and Dotstore.

May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴

More ways to Learn + Grow

#1: Work with WordPress or build on it? Check out WP for Enterprises —your backstage pass to how BILLION-DOLLAR websites run.

#2: My Go-to Tools for Productivity & Growth 👇🏾

A few years ago, I worked with a performance coach — something I do once in a while when I feel I’m not operating at my peak. This time, he ran a full 360-degree analysis of my life. He spoke with my team, my family, and a few close friends.

His goal was to uncover two things:

1. My superpowers

2. My blind spots

After weeks of conversations, he came back with six superpowers.

I’m not going to talk about all of them today — just one.

A superpower I didn’t even know I had: Kaizen.

Honestly, I had never heard the word before.

So I went down the rabbit hole.

There’s a dangerous myth many of us believe — that transformation requires a dramatic breakthrough. A bold move. A total reinvention. Overnight success.

Kaizen quietly disagrees.

Kaizen is a Japanese philosophy that gained momentum after World War II, when Japan was rebuilding from devastation. Resources were scarce. Morale was low. Big bets were risky. And yet, out of those constraints came one of the most powerful ideas in business — and life.

Improve a little. Every day. Without stopping.

That’s Kaizen.

Instead of chasing massive change, Kaizen focuses on small, almost boring improvements. Tiny tweaks. Daily refinements. Incremental progress that compounds quietly while everyone else waits for motivation to strike.

From Poor Quality to World-Class Excellence: Toyota’s Kaizen Journey

One of the most powerful examples of Kaizen in action is Toyota, and what makes the story remarkable is where Toyota started.

In its early years, Toyota — and Japanese cars in general — had a poor reputation for quality. They were often seen as cheap, unreliable, and inferior to American and European automobiles. Defects were common. Processes were rigid. Improvement was slow.

Toyota could have tried to fix this with flashy marketing or expensive innovation.

Instead, they chose a quieter revolution — guided by Kaizen and shaped by the teachings of W. Edwards Deming.

Deming, an American statistician and quality expert, introduced Japanese manufacturers to a radical idea:

Quality is not inspected at the end — it is built into the process.

He taught companies to focus on systems, feedback loops, and continuous improvement — empowering workers to fix problems at the source. While many American companies ignored Deming at the time, Japanese manufacturers listened deeply.

Toyota didn’t chase overnight perfection.

They committed to continuous, incremental improvement.

Every employee was encouraged to spot problems.
Any worker could stop the production line if they noticed a defect.
Small inefficiencies were treated as opportunities, not annoyances.

Tiny improvements were made daily — for tools, workflows, materials, and quality checks.

And those tiny improvements compounded.

Over time, Toyota transformed from a company known for poor quality into a global benchmark for reliability, efficiency, and craftsmanship. The Toyota Production System became the gold standard. Business schools studied it. Competitors tried to replicate it.

And Toyota wasn’t alone.

Kaizen, combined with Deming’s principles, spread across the automobile industry and beyond. Brands around the world — from Honda to Ford to BMW — adopted continuous improvement and quality-first thinking.

Not because of one breakthrough moment — but because of thousands of small improvements made consistently over time.

That’s the quiet genius of Kaizen.

It doesn’t rely on intensity.
It doesn’t demand heroics.
It simply asks for commitment — day after day.

Kaizen says you don’t need to be perfect.
You just need to be a little better than yesterday.

And this philosophy isn’t just for factories or corporations.

It’s for your health.
Your relationships.
Your creativity.
Your parenting.
Your inner life.

Your life doesn’t change in moments of intensity.
It changes in moments of consistency.

Progress Without Pressure

After learning all this, I had a moment of clarity:

Yes — this is me. I am Kaizen.

But then came the real question:

How do I actually use it in my life?

The answer didn’t click until I became a dad.

After Aiden was born, I struggled with something deeply personal. I wanted time to read, write, think, and take care of my health — but fatherhood brought a new level of responsibility and unpredictability to my mornings.

Before Aiden, my mornings were sacred. I woke up at 4:45 a.m. and spent 5:00–8:00 a.m. reading, writing, doing yoga and meditation, running, and planning my day. That’s where most of my personal and professional growth happened. I called it my “growth hours.”

Since Aiden was born — between broken sleep and early mornings — those growth hours disappeared. Between taking care of Aiden and running a business, my mornings felt packed before the day even started. I kept telling myself, “I’ll go for a run tomorrow,” or “I’ll read later in the day,” but it never happened.

And that’s when Kaizen came back to me.

And then one day, instead of fighting my schedule, I asked myself a simple Kaizen-style question:

“What’s one small improvement I can make in my current morning routine?”

That question changed everything.

If I couldn’t find more time, maybe I could stack value into the time I already had.

And that’s exactly what I did.

My Kaizen Stack (One Small Improvement at a Time)

Small Improvement #1:
I started a morning walk with Lucy and Aiden. We all get some fresh air, and my wife gets an extra hour of sleep.

Small Improvement #2:
After a few weeks of walking, I started listening to audiobooks. That one tweak got me back into reading and learning again.

Small Improvement #3:
One morning, I thought, “Why not turn this walk into a jog and burn more calories?”
Same time. Same route. Now it was a workout.

Small Improvement #4:
I heard Peter Attia talk about the benefits of walking with weight to build muscle and longevity. So I bought a 20-pound weighted vest from Amazon and started wearing it on my jogs. Suddenly, I was getting a little bit of strength training—without stepping into a gym.

Small Improvement #5:
All these improvements helped me with health and learning, but I was still struggling to find time to write. Around the same time, AI voice tools—especially in ChatGPT—were really improving. So I started using AI audio notes to draft emails, write blogs, brainstorm ideas, outline books, and even solve business problems—all while moving. This turned out to be the most powerful improvement in my entire Kaizen stack.

What My Morning Growth Hour Looks Like Now

After all these improvements, here is what my morning growth hour on these walks looks like:

• 20 minutes of audiobooks or podcasts

• 20 minutes of quiet walking—just nature, Aiden, and presence

• 20 minutes of audio notes for blogs, emails, books, and ideas

That simple 1-hour morning walk turned into a creative, healthy, relationship-building powerhouse:

• I get my cardio and strength training

• I learn through audiobooks and podcasts

• I create content for my blogs and books

• I support my wife

• I bond with Aiden and Lucy

• I reclaim space to think and write

All without adding a single extra hour to my day.

That’s when I truly understood why my coach said Kaizen was my superpower.

Because without realizing it, I’ve always looked for the smallest possible improvement — and stacked those improvements until they transformed my life.

Kaizen taught me I don’t need more hours in the day.

I just need to keep improving the ones I already have.

📚 I’m writing a book

I wanted to share a quick update on my book progress. I’ve finalized the introduction, completed around ten chapters, and locked in the full outline. I’m really excited about how it’s coming together, and I’ll keep sharing updates as I go.

I’ve also been playing around with book cover design using Google’s Nano Banana Pro. Nothing is final yet, but here’s the one I’m liking the most so far. Would love to hear your thoughts!

👋 Until next time, Anil / CEO and Co-Founder of Multidots, Multicollab, and Dotstore.

May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴

More ways to Learn + Grow

#1: Work with WordPress or build on it? Check out WP for Enterprises —your backstage pass to how BILLION-DOLLAR websites run.

#2: My Go-to Tools for Productivity & Growth 👇🏾

A few months ago (July 2025), I flew to Canada for a very special event. About 150 people in one room—millionaires, billionaires, YouTubers, authors, comedians, health experts, AI founders. A wild, fun mix.

The moment I checked in, I grabbed my badge and the swag bag. Inside was a pair of white socks with a strange line printed on them:

“How’s Your Stress Lucky?”

I laughed out loud. What does that even mean?

Later that day, the organizer—Andrew Wilkinson, an entrepreneur that I admire—took the stage. He told us that even now, with all the success, he still wakes up stressed: meetings, decisions, endless messages, people wanting his time, advice, intros—the usual “rich-person problems.”

Then he paused and smiled.

“Wait,” he said. “Every single thing I just listed as stress… was a dream I had 10 or 20 years ago.”

A successful business. People wanting to talk to me. High-impact decisions. Being in demand.

He looked at us and asked, “This was the life I prayed for. Now I have it. So why am I complaining?”

The room went quiet. That question landed in my chest like a soft punch.

Because it is true for almost all of us.

By putting the question “How’s your stress lucky?” on our socks, he wanted to give us a gentle nudge every time we put them on.

We Often Complain About Things We Once Prayed For

Sahil Bloom sent this message to a group of parents:

“We complain about the kids we once begged God to give us.”

Same idea.

Many of us spent years in temples, hospitals, interviews, empty bank accounts, lonely evenings—praying, hoping, waiting.

And now the prayers are answered… and we call the answers “stress.”

The Life Today Is a Dream Kings Couldn’t Buy 50 Years Ago

Fifty years ago, even kings and queens could not:

• Video-call their child studying on another continent in real time

• Get fresh mangoes flown in during winter

• Have a doctor see them within minutes on their phone

• Adjust the house temperature from bed

• Learn anything, anytime, for free on YouTube

• Fly across the world in one day and land safely 99.999 % of the time

Yet today we wake up inside that miracle… and the first thing many of us do is complain about Wi-Fi speed.

Everyday “Problems” That Are Actually Privileges

I’m not asking you to become a monk or pretend everything is perfect. Real pain exists — loss, illness, betrayal. Those are not “lucky stress.” Feel them fully.

What I am suggesting is a tiny filter for the everyday stuff.

When the air conditioning breaks, instead of “Why me?” pause for three seconds and think:

“I grew up in a house with no AC in 110-degree heat. Millions still live that way. I’m lucky to have an AC that can be fixed.”

Here are a few daily stresses I now catch myself smiling at:

• The alarm goes off at 5:00 a.m. → I’m lucky to have a meaningful reason to wake up early

• Long line at the restaurant → I’m lucky to have money and the freedom to eat wherever I want

• Being a founder is stressful → I’m lucky to lead something that matters

• My calendar is packed next week → I’m lucky that people value my time and want me in their lives

• Car won’t start → I’m lucky to own a car

• Delayed flight → I’m lucky to be able to travel around the world

These little annoyances are the minimal entrance fee for luxuries most of humanity still dreams about.

We Also Need Small Daily Discomforts (They Keep Us Alive Inside the Growth Zone)

Modern life is engineered for comfort. Food arrives at the door. Seats heat themselves. Your favorite show start with one click.

I love every bit of that convenience.

But the body and soul still crave challenge. We feel most alive when we are slightly stretched.

A meaningful day is not a comfortable day. A meaningful day contains small, chosen discomforts.

Examples I use myself:

• Waking up early to read and write

• Wearing a weighted vest on my walks

• Doing yoga or workout even when I don’t feel like it

• Having the honest conversation I’ve been avoiding

These tiny discomforts are not punishment.They are reminders that we are still growing, still strong, still becoming.

Comfort all day feels nice. Comfort + chosen discomfort feels alive.

Peaceful Growth Takeaway

The fastest way to inner peace is not to remove all stress and discomfort.

It is to see most of today’s stress as answered prayers wearing a stressful mask… and to welcome small, chosen discomforts as the quiet proof that you are still growing.

Your stress is probably very, very lucky.

And your willingness to feel a little discomfort every day is the gentle fuel that keeps the growth peaceful and alive.

📚 I’m writing a book

I wanted to share a quick update on my book progress. I’ve finalized the introduction, completed around ten chapters, and locked in the full outline. I’m really excited about how it’s coming together, and I’ll keep sharing updates as I go.

I’ve also been playing around with book cover design using Google’s Nano Banana Pro. Nothing is final yet, but here’s the one I’m liking the most so far. Would love to hear your thoughts!

👋 Until next time, Anil / CEO and Co-Founder of Multidots, Multicollab, and Dotstore.

May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴

More ways to Learn + Grow

#1: Work with WordPress or build on it? Check out WP for Enterprises —your backstage pass to how BILLION-DOLLAR websites run.

#2: My Go-to Tools for Productivity & Growth 👇🏾

🎓 Learn

If there’s one theme that has kept showing up in my life lately—from books, conversations, newsletters, and even random quotes—it’s this:

Courage matters far more than skill.

And more specifically…

The courage to be disliked.

In my previous issue, I wrote about how courage can beat preparation. That taking action—before you feel ready—is often the only real advantage you need. This week, that idea evolved into something deeper and more uncomfortable: being willing to take action even when people might not like it.

And if I’m honest, this one hits home.

Why We Hold Back (Even When We Know What to Do)

Most of the time, we know exactly what we want to do.

Send that email. Share that idea. Set that boundary. Raise that price. Have that uncomfortable conversation.

But something stops us.

Not the lack of talent.

Not the lack of clarity.

It’s the fear of being disliked.

You don’t want clients to think you’re difficult.

You don’t want friends to think you’ve changed.

You don’t want your team to think you’re too demanding.

You don’t want strangers online to judge you.

So you soften your voice.

You avoid the tough conversation.

You dilute your goals.

You play small.

And all of this creates a quiet form of self-betrayal.

Warren Buffett once said:

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.”

He’s right — but that quote can also become a cage.

For years, I worried too much about how I appeared to others. I avoided anything that might make me look foolish or imperfect. I wanted everyone to like me, online and offline. One misstep and I thought I’d blow my reputation.

But living like that isn’t wisdom.

It’s fear disguised as strategy.

The Invisible Boxes We Live In

This fear shows up in another way: the boxes people put us in.

Andrew Wilkinson (an entrepreneur I admire) once shared a story about his father — a moment that captures this perfectly.

He asked him, “Dad, you’ve always wanted to build your own buildings. Why not become a real estate developer?”

His father replied:

“Once people put you in a mental box, they punish you for leaving it. In their minds, I’m in the ‘architect’ box. If I suddenly pitch a real estate project, it would hurt me more than starting fresh. Everyone hates it when you change boxes.”

That hit me hard.

We all live inside these invisible boxes — titles, roles, expectations, reputations. And the second you try to evolve, people resist it.

When the world won’t let you change, you end up choosing from three bad options:

1. Hide. Stay quiet. Don’t rock the boat.

2. Perform. Become a character instead of a human.

3. Split. Live two lives — who you are and who you pretend to be.

None of these feels like freedom.

The Only Way Out

The only real way out is the courage to be disliked.

Not by being rude or careless — but by being real.

You cannot make everyone happy.

You shouldn’t try.

Growing will disappoint some people.

Honesty will offend some people.

Authenticity will confuse some people.

And that’s okay.

That’s part of the path.

Your job is not to manage everyone’s reaction — it’s to stay true to your direction.

I’ve been reading “Courage to Be Disliked,” and the timing couldn’t have been better.

The central message is simple but powerful:

Your fear of being disliked is often the biggest barrier to your growth.

I’m working on growing my courage muscle so I can stop playing for applause.

Courage Isn’t Always Loud

Courage doesn’t always roar. It often whispers.

It shows up in tiny acts of honesty with yourself.

Sometimes courage is ordering something different from the menu when everyone expects you to stick to your usual.

If you’ve been “the vegetarian” your whole life but want to try meat or wine, allow yourself that curiosity.

If you’re an extrovert, try spending time alone.

If you’re an introvert, walk up to a stranger at a networking event — I usually start with someone standing by themselves.

If a thought has been sitting heavy in your mind, confide in a friend. Or write it down. I often use ChatGPT to unpack complicated feelings and see my fears more clearly.

Courage begins with these little micro-moments — choosing truth over performance.

A Dare for You

Let someone down today — gently but honestly.

Say the thing you’ve been avoiding.

Launch the weird project.

End the fake-perfect situation.

Admit what’s not working.

Watch what happens:

• 90% won’t care

• 8% will respect you

• 2% will dislike you

• And you’ll finally feel free

Because the cage only exists if you believe in the bars.

I’d rather have 2% hate the real me than 100% applaud a performance.

🤩 Inspiration

⁠Here’s another line I wrote to myself:

“No matter what you do, you cannot make everyone happy.”

And the moment you accept that, life becomes lighter.

Your decisions become clearer.

And your progress becomes faster.

Here’s to learning, growing, and yes—risking being disliked.

📚 I’m writing a book

Creating this short video for my upcoming book - Peaceful Growth took just 10 minutes — thanks to AI tools like Sora. A few years ago, this would’ve taken months.

Excited to share the first look at my new book — Peaceful Growth.

👋 Until next time, Anil / CEO and Co-Founder of Multidots, Multicollab, and Dotstore.

May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴

More ways to Learn + Grow

#1: Work with WordPress or build on it? Check out WP for Enterprises —your backstage pass to how BILLION-DOLLAR websites run.

#2: My Go-to Tools for Productivity & Growth 👇🏾

🎓 Learn

You know, I still remember a particular moment from 2016 when one of my project managers and I had a bit of a disagreement.

I’d put him in charge of a project, but he wasn’t happy about it. He said our competition had way more experience, more money, and more talent. He wasn’t wrong — they were clearly better on paper.

But I told him, “To be successful in anything, you need both skill and will.”

We might not have had the most skill, but we had something they didn’t — the willingness to show up and give it everything we had.

It’s funny, we see this same pattern everywhere.

In school, we shy away from competing with the smart kids.
At work, we skip opportunities because we don’t think we’re ready.
In business, we often hold back from targeting the big players.

But the truth is — those “giants” are too busy competing with each other to even notice us.

That’s why underdog stories are so powerful.

• WhatsApp started as a tiny app and ended up bigger than Apple’s iMessage globally.

• Instagram was founded by two entrepreneurs with almost no budget, yet it outperformed Google+ and even led Facebook to acquire it.

• Tesla went from near bankruptcy to shaking up the entire auto industry.

• Airbnb was laughed at by investors — “strangers sleeping in your house?” — yet it completely changed how we travel.

• Netflix disrupted itself, moving from DVDs to streaming while Blockbuster disappeared.

• Zoom, up against Microsoft and Google, became the video platform of choice during COVID, just by being simple and reliable.

Different stories, same lesson: it’s not always the smartest or most skilled who win — it’s the ones who have the courage to try.

Looking back, I’ve missed more opportunities because I didn’t try than because I didn’t know enough.

I used to blame my lack of experience or timing, but really, it was fear — fear of failing, looking stupid, or being rejected.

Willingness is just another word for courage.

• The courage to try something new.

• The courage to take on something hard.

• The courage to be rejected.

• The courage to fail and look foolish.

If I ever got three wishes, one of them would be for “more courage.”

Because skill can be learned. But courage? That’s the thing that gets you off the sidelines.

How to Build Courage to Compete and Win

Courage isn’t something you’re born with — it’s something you build.
Here’s what’s helped me strengthen mine:

1. Start before you feel ready.
Everyone waits for perfect timing or confidence. It never comes. The moment you start, fear starts to lose its power.

2. Reframe the competition.
Don’t think of others as enemies. See them as mirrors showing you what’s possible. Competing with people better than you is the fastest way to level up.

3. Take small, bold steps.
Courage compounds. Volunteer for that tough project. Pitch an idea you’re nervous about. Try a contest you think you can’t win. Every “try” builds your courage muscle.

4. Prepare harder than most.
Courage without preparation is just gambling. Know your stuff. Do your homework. When it’s game time, remind yourself — “I’ve earned the right to be here.”

5. Surround yourself with doers, not doubters.
Courage is contagious. Hang out with people who take risks, build things, and keep showing up. Their energy rubs off.

6. Celebrate effort, not just results.
Every time you do something that scares you, even if it doesn’t work, you’ve already won. Courage is about staying in the arena, not winning every round.

7. Visualize success and failure equally.
Don’t just picture victory. Picture failure — and imagine yourself handling it well. When you realize failure won’t kill you, you play bolder.

Before You Go

The world doesn’t reward the most talented person — it rewards the one who shows up.

Skill matters, but courage multiplies whatever skill you already have.

So start before you feel ready.
Do the thing that scares you a little.
And remember — the willingness to act is your biggest advantage.

🚀 Growth Tip

Usually, I don’t click on “How to Get Rich” videos — but Ali Abdaal’s take on it was surprisingly thoughtful and well done. He breaks down how real wealth is built—not through luck, but through smart ownership, leverage, and patience.

Here are 3 key takeaways:

• Wealth compounds slowly. Focus on long-term gains through consistent investing and business building, rather than pursuing quick wins.

• Own assets, not just income. Real freedom comes from owning equity or systems that make money while you sleep.

• Take smart risks. Bet on opportunities with big upside and limited downside, and diversify so one loss doesn’t break you.

🤩 Inspiration

⁠Practice small daily discomforts.

Modern life is built for comfort — heated car seats, food delivery, instant entertainment. And while comfort is nice, it’s not what we’re built for.

Real satisfaction comes from challenge.
From learning something hard, finishing a tough workout, or having a difficult conversation.

You don’t need to suffer all day. But a good day should stretch you, even just a little.

Growth demands discomfort.

You need something to push against — that’s how you get stronger.

📚 I’m writing a book

Lately, I’ve been writing a lot about balance, clarity, and growth. Over the years, I’ve learned that growth isn’t just about speed — it’s about peace.

So I decided to go deeper — I’m writing a book called Peaceful Growth.

It’s packed with short, powerful lessons on living with purpose, working with focus, and growing without stress.

Would you be interested in seeing sneak peeks from the draft in upcoming newsletters?

👋 Until next time, Anil / CEO and Co-Founder of Multidots, Multicollab, and Dotstore.

May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴

More ways to Learn + Grow

#1: Are you a founder (or dreaming of becoming one)? If you want actionable strategies to scale your agency to $10M, give Peaceful Growth a read.

#2: Work with WordPress or build on it? Check out WP for Enterprises —your backstage pass to how BILLION-DOLLAR websites run.

#3: My Go-to Tools for Productivity & Growth 👇🏾

Welcome to Learn + Grow, where you will learn tips and tools that will help you be 3% more peaceful + productive in just 3 minutes a week.

Key Learnings:

1. The overlooked spectrum of time focus: present vs. future

2. How your environment, mindset, and even stress levels shape your focus

3. A simple mindset shift to balance joy and ambition

🎓 Learn

A few years ago, I was in Bali, having coffee with a guy I’d just met.
He was a kitesurfing instructor — tan, barefoot, and glowing with life.

He told me his whole schedule depended on the wind.
“If it’s windy, I kite. If it’s calm, I chill.”
No five-year plan. No productivity hacks. Just… now.

I remember feeling both envious and confused.

My calendar was packed. My head was full of goals.
I was building something big, and every day had a purpose.
But in that moment, I realized — we were living on different timelines.

He was tuned into the present.
I was tuned into the future.

That memory stuck with me — and it all clicked when I read Hell Yeah or No by Derek Sivers.

Let’s Break It Down

Everyone talks about being introverted or extroverted.
But there's another lens that might be even more powerful:

Are you present-focused or future-focused?

Understanding this changed the way I look at myself — and others.

Present-focused people:

• Pursue pleasure, excitement, and novelty

• Focus on immediate gratification

• Especially appreciate life, nature, and the people around them

• Are playful, impulsive, and sensual

• Avoid anything boring, difficult, or repetitive

• Get fully immersed in the moment and lose track of time

• Are better at helping others than helping themselves

Future-focused people:

• Delay gratification

• Are driven with self‑discipline because they vividly see their future goals

• Tend to live in their minds, picturing other selves, scenarios, and possible futures

• Especially love their work

• Exercise, invest, and go for preventative health exams

• Are better at helping themselves, but worse at helping others

• Are more likely to be successful in their careers, but often at the expense of personal relationships, which require a present focus

Both types have their strengths — and blind spots.

Why This Happens

Your time focus isn’t fixed. It’s shaped by:

Your environment:
People in unstable conditions often become present-focused — because the future feels uncertain.
People in colder climates often develop a future focus — they have to plan ahead for survival.

Your attention:
If you ask a present-focused person to map out their dream career and steps to get there — boom, they shift to future-focused.
If you ask a future-focused person to notice every sound and sensation around them — boom, present-focused.

Your values:
Falling in love or making a meaningful promise? You’re pulled into the now.
Feeling ambitious and driven? You’re propelled toward the future.

Your spiritual practice:
Almost every spiritual tradition encourages us to return to the “here and now.”
Living in the present is central to meditation, mindfulness, and awareness practices.
But here’s the thing: As a high-achiever type, being present-focused is really challenging for me. My mind naturally drifts to what’s next.

How I Use This

Understanding time focus has been a game-changer for me.

It explains why I sometimes act “out of character.”

• When I’m stressed or lost, I lean into present-focused thinking. I ground myself. I slow down. I try to feel now.

• When I’m excited, peaceful, or full of energy, I shift into future-focused thinking. I make plans. I dream. I visualize.

• When I’m procrastinating or being undisciplined? I’ve lost sight of my future.

• When I feel disconnected or robotic? I’m too deep in future-mode.

When emotions are high, I balance them out by slowing down and focusing on the moment.
When life feels calm and steady, I zoom out and build for what’s next.

That balance keeps me sane. It keeps me growing. And it keeps me peaceful.

Final Thought

Next time you’re judging someone — or yourself — try asking:

Are you present-focused or future-focused?

Because the real wisdom?

Is learning when to switch.

🚀 Growth Tip

We all know and love James Clear. I recently listened to his old interview on The Peter Attia Drive — and wow, it’s packed with gems on habits, behavior change, and why we struggle with doing what’s good for our future selves.

So many practical tips, especially around instant vs. delayed gratification (super relevant to the present vs. future mindset).

Highly recommend giving it a listen.

🤩 Inspiration

⁠Here are three qualities that have nothing to do with talent or intelligence, but. can make a dramatic impact on your results:

From Sahil Bloom — and they’ve stuck with me:

1. Cheerful – Positive energy is a magnet.

2. Accountable – You take full ownership.

3. Adaptable – You bend, but don’t break.

No special talent required. Just mindset.

👋 Until next time, Anil / CEO and Co-Founder of Multidots, Multicollab, and Dotstore.

May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴

More Ways to Learn + Grow

#1: Are you a founder (or dreaming of becoming one)? If you want actionable strategies to scale your agency to $10M, give Peaceful Growth a read.

#2: Work with WordPress or build on it? Check out WP for Enterprises —your backstage pass to how BILLION-DOLLAR websites run.

#3: My Go-to Tools for Productivity & Growth 👇🏾

Welcome to Learn + Grow, where you will learn tips and tools that will help you be 3% more peaceful + productive in just 3 minutes a week.

Key Learnings:

1. Why emotions often cost us money in investing

2. 11 common mistakes our brain makes

3. Notes and reflections from my own learning journey

🎓 Learn

Last month, I noticed a book on our coffee table that I hadn't purchased—unusual in our house, where most books are ones I impulsively ordered.

Rethinking Investing: A Very Short Guide to Very Long-Term Investing turned out to be my wife's doing. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional, she'd ordered it based on a recommendation from my father-in-law (also a CFP® professional).

I tossed it in my bag for a recent trip to Victoria, Canada. What I thought would be light flight reading turned into something much more valuable—a masterclass in why we sabotage our own financial futures.

One chapter hit me like a cold shower: the role of emotions and behavior in investing.

After years of reading books like The Psychology of Money, The Little Book of Investing, and The Snowball, the same truth keeps surfacing:

Unchecked emotions are the biggest reason investors lose money.

Author Charles D. Ellis compiled 11 timeless lessons from Daniel Kahneman's groundbreaking work on behavioral economics. As I read each one, I found myself taking notes—not just about investing, but about the mental traps I recognize in myself every day.

Here are those 11 mental traps, along with my own (sometimes uncomfortable) reflections:

1. Jumping to Conclusions

Acting on partial knowledge is dangerous—particularly in investing. When we buy and sell individual stocks, most of us base most of our investment decisions on remarkably limited information. All too often, we allow first impressions to govern.

My thoughts: I form opinions within seconds. Whether it's a stock, a person, or a restaurant recommendation—my brain wants to "just do it." In investing, that instinct to act fast is expensive. I'm learning to pause and ask: "What don't I know yet?"

2. Getting Distracted by Extraneous Information

A classic example of misjudgment or misunderstanding is the “Linda problem” that was reviewed in Thinking, Fast and Slow. Linda is described as 31, single, and an outspoken philosophy student. She is deeply concerned about discrimination and social justice and participated in anti-nuclear demonstrations. Students were asked to rate the likelihood of several different statements. Two of these were “Linda is a bank teller” and “Linda is a bank teller and active in the feminist movement.” Even though the second description is a much smaller subset of the first, 85% of groups after group believed the second statement was more likely. The Linda issue arises in investing when we get distracted by extraneous information that we wrongly consider particularly relevant.

My thoughts: Stories are seductive. I get pulled into compelling narratives about companies, markets, and trends—even when they distract from basic facts. The more detailed the story, the more convincing it feels, regardless of logic.

3. Preferring Certainty Over Probabilities

For example, if offered a choice of getting a sure $50 over a 50% chance of getting $100, most of us will go for the sure $50—even though the expected values actually are the same.

My thoughts: I definitely prefer the bird in the hand. Safe feels smart, even when calculated risks offer better long-term returns. I'm fighting my instinct to choose comfort over mathematics.

4. Reversion to the Mean is Powerful

Discovered in 1886 by Francis Galton, a polymath of distinction, mean reversion is a particularly important phenomenon for understanding the behavior of market prices. An example is that very tall parents tend to have less tall children and short parents tend to have less short children. Or stocks that just went up in price are less likely to go up immediately thereafter. (There is some evidence of momentum in stock prices in the short term, but that tendency is dominated by other short-term price fluctuations.)

My thoughts: "What goes up must keep going up" feels true in the moment. I have to constantly remind myself that markets—like life—tend to balance out over time.

5. Framing Effects

The way outcomes are described can have a major impact on our views. Consider, for example, the differing impact when something is framed as half-full versus half-empty. Think carefully about how active investment managers describe their recent performance in quarterly newsletters—and focus on the actual results.

My thoughts: Language shapes my emotions more than I'd like to admit. "You lost 5%" hits differently than "you kept 95%"—same reality, completely different emotional reaction.

6. Availability Bias

We are more influenced by easy-to-see evidence, whether it is particularly valuable or not. That is why so many individuals, unfortunately, act on tips from TV commentators about hot stocks.

My thoughts: Whatever's loudest often feels most true. I catch myself paying attention to what's trending on financial media instead of what's actually important for long-term wealth building.

7. Avoiding Faux Intuition

Intuition is divided into two categories. One is the intuition of an experienced expert in his or her field of expertise. The other is the faux intuition—the very prone-to-error judgment of an amateur with little experience. The first is very likely to be right, but the second is likely to be wrong. How often do individual investors accept tips from friends and acquaintances who don’t have any real expertise?

My thoughts: I'm learning to separate true expertise from confident-sounding opinions. In fields like investing, enthusiasm doesn't equal expertise—but it often sounds more convincing.

8. Constructing Flimsy Accounts of the Past

We fool ourselves by creating convenient explanations for what happened—and then believing them far more than we should.

My thoughts: I constantly rewrite history in my head, convincing myself I "saw it coming." It's humbling to admit how easily I trick myself into thinking I "knew it all along."

9. Letting Outcomes Dominate Decision Evaluation

We judge our investment decisions solely by results, even when the outcome involves more luck than skill.

My thoughts: I've celebrated "smart" decisions that were actually lucky, and beaten myself up over sound decisions that didn't work out. Separating process from outcome is harder than it sounds.

10. Anchoring Effects

We anchor to irrelevant numbers, especially in money decisions. That's why investors say, "When the stock gets back to what I paid for it, I'll sell!"—as if the market cares about your purchase price.

My thoughts: I've definitely held investments just because of what I originally paid. "Getting back to even" feels meaningful, even though the market has no memory of my personal breakeven point.

11. Seeing Patterns Where None Exist

A classic example is to ask a group of people to imagine they are repeatedly tossing a coin and record H (head) and T (tail) in a “random” sequence, and also ask one person to toss a real coin and record the Hs and Ts as they occur. The actual coin-tossing record is easily identified because the truly random sequence does not look all that random. It will have longer runs of Hs and of Ts than we think would be random. In brief, we think random should look more “random.” Which sequence is more probable if taken from a long sequence of coin tossing?

H H H H H H H H

H T H T T H T T

Answer: Neither

We fall into the trap of seeing meaning where there is no meaning. So, we think we are good at seeing patterns—even when there is no pattern. Investors do this all the time: “The market was down yesterday, so it will likely be up today,” or “The market was up yesterday, so chances are high that it will be up again today.” No wonder we have a difficult time appreciating random walks and random numbers. We seek to find patterns, and we do “find” them, even when the data are just random.

My thoughts: This one stung. I'm always looking for patterns—"The market was down three days in a row, so tomorrow it has to bounce back." I've made trades based on these imaginary patterns, like thinking Friday selloffs mean Monday rallies. But when I actually tracked it, there was no correlation. Now, when I catch myself thinking "this always happens," I remind myself that markets are largely random in the short term.

The Simple Truth

Kahneman's research proves what every experienced investor knows:

We are often our own worst enemy.

The good news? I don't need to win against these emotions every single day.

My reminder to myself is simple:

• Stick with low-cost index funds

• Hold them for the long term

• Don't let short-term noise push me around

• Work with fiduciary financial advisors

It sounds boring. But boring works.

Because when it comes to investing, the biggest danger isn't market volatility.

It's the person staring back at me in the mirror.

Here are a few more readings on “money and investing”

• Understanding Money and Wealth Through Naval Ravikant's Wisdom

• From Poverty to Prosperity: Money Lessons I Learned From My Millionaire Journey

• My 23 Financial Planning Principles

🚀 Growth Tip

If you haven’t already, I encourage you to try an AI-powered browser. I’ve been using Dia (it’s invite-only, so sharing my link), and there’s also Comet by Perplexity. Both are worth exploring — they can unlock more productive and creative ways to browse the web.

🤩 Inspiration

For the next few days, I’m staying in a little cabin in the woods, about an hour south of Austin. I’m calling this one of my “Growth Trips” — time set aside to read, reflect, and reconnect with nature.

Yesterday, I went out for dinner nearby and came across a piece of art on the wall. It carried a few inspiring thoughts that really struck me, and I thought you might enjoy them too.

👋 Until next time, Anil / CEO and Co-Founder of Multidots, Multicollab, and Dotstore.

May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴

More Ways to Learn + Grow

#1: Are you a founder (or dreaming of becoming one)? If you want actionable strategies to scale your agency to $10M, give Peaceful Growth a read.

#2: Work with WordPress or build on it? Check out WP for Enterprises —your backstage pass to how BILLION-DOLLAR websites run.

#3: My Go-to Tools for Productivity & Growth 👇🏾

🎓 Learn

I attended the 2024 Berkshire Hathaway shareholder meeting with my buddy. I already shared a few of my highlights in a past issue.

This year, I couldn’t make it in person, so I watched the full 5+ hour replay on YouTube. (Yes, it’s long—but if you’re a Warren fan, it’s worth every minute.)

One moment that stood out:

Warren talked about a new book that captures 60 years of Berkshire’s journey—told through colorful stories, cartoons, and rare photos.

I heard the special (or signed) copies were selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars… even Tim Cook bought few. (Warren is one hell of a salesman.)

Naturally, I had to get my hands on it.

I checked eBay and found one. Ordered it immediately.

It took forever to arrive—Amazon has spoiled all of us—but it was worth the wait.

It’s now my favorite coffee table book. I’ve been flipping through it during coffee breaks and baby time in the living room.

One gem I found inside:

Mark Tobak’s “10 Great Things I Learned From Charlie Munger.”

Even though I’ve read a few books on Charlie, this list felt like a mini crash course in his timeless wisdom—for life and investing.

If you love Charlie, or just want a quick shot of practical wisdom, here is:

A simplified version of Mark Tobak’s 10 lessons—in my words.

1. Invert the problem.
When stuck, flip the problem around.
Instead of asking “How can I win?”, ask “How could I fail?”
Looking at things from the opposite side often shows you the truth.

2. Repeat what works.
If something works—do more of it.
That’s how evolution builds strong species.
Trial. Error. Keep the winners.
Same rule applies in life and business.

3. Be a learning machine.
Try to go to bed a little smarter than you woke up.
It’s not just about IQ—it’s about staying curious, honest, and open to learning.
Einstein said he just thought longer about problems.

4. Big opportunities are rare—go all in.
Great opportunities don’t show up often.
When they do, don’t hesitate.
Go big.

5. Incentives rule the world.
People do what they’re rewarded to do.
Surgeons operate. Lawyers bill. Brokers sell.
If you understand someone’s incentives, you understand their behavior.

6. Simple is powerful.
E = mc² is simple. So is “compound interest.”
The best ideas aren’t complicated—they’re just hard to stick with.
Clarity beats complexity.

7. Reality is what it is.
We get disappointed not because life is unfair, but because we expect it to be fair.
Hope isn’t a plan.
Face reality as it is, not as you wish it to be.

8. Explain the why.
We all work better when we know why something matters.
If you want someone to care, don’t just give them a task.
Tell them why it matters.

9. Envy is a waste of life.
Envy makes people miserable—and unlike other “sins,” it doesn’t even feel good.
There will always be someone richer, faster, smarter.
So what? Run your own race.

10. Tough times are your test.
Life will hit you hard. That’s just how it goes.
The only question is: How will you respond?
Charlie liked the wisdom of Epictetus:
Use every setback as a chance to grow, learn, and act with character.

🚀 Growth Tip

If you're in the mood for something deep and timeless—this podcast with Naval Ravikant really stuck with me.

He talks about wealth, happiness, self-worth, grief, even death… but in a way that’s honest, simple, and surprisingly comforting.

It felt less like a podcast and more like life advice from someone who's thought a lot about what really matters.

Let me know what part hits you the most.

🤩 Inspiration

Loved this short read by Chris Williamson (yep, the guy who interviewed Naval).
Unteachable Lessons—simple, true, and way too relatable.

👋 Until next time, Anil / CEO and Co-Founder of Multidots, Multicollab, and Dotstore.

May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴

More Ways to Learn + Grow

#1: Are you a founder (or dreaming of becoming one)? If you want actionable strategies to scale your agency to $10M, give Peaceful Growth a read.

#2: Work with WordPress or build on it? Check out WP for Enterprises —your backstage pass to how BILLION-DOLLAR websites run.

#3: My Go-to Tools for Productivity & Growth 👇🏾

🎓 Learn

We all love productivity.
We’ve tried the apps. The hacks. The color-coded calendars.

(Heck, you probably signed up for this newsletter because I promised to help you get more done.)

But if you’ve been reading for a while, you might’ve noticed—I don’t talk about productivity in the usual way.

I don’t care how much you get done in a day.
I care about how you feel while doing it.

That’s what I call peaceful growth.
Sustainable productivity.
Where your progress doesn’t come at the cost of your peace.

And the #1 killer of that kind of growth?

Burnout.

Not just tiredness. Not just stress.
But that low, heavy fog that makes everything feel harder than it should.
The mood killer. The joy killer. The energy zapper.

There’s a study I read recently that hit hard:

In a 2021 survey of over 10,000 workers across 100 countries, almost 3 in 5 people said they felt burnt out.
Not just once. Regularly.

And most of them couldn’t even explain why.
They weren’t working 100-hour weeks.
They weren’t always under extreme pressure.
But something was off.

Here’s what I’ve learned:
Burnout isn’t just about overwork.
There are different kinds of burnout.

I actually first read about these three types of burnout in Ali Abdaal’s book Feel‑Good Productivity.

And each one needs a different fix.

Let me break it down.

1. “Too Much on My Plate” Burnout

This one’s obvious.
You’re juggling too many projects, meetings, ideas, people.
Your calendar looks like a losing game of Tetris.

It’s not just work either.
It’s family. Social stuff. Errands.

You’re stretched thin.
So your brain and body go into survival mode.

Last year, I said yes to everything—launching a podcast, running three newsletters, building a new product, starting a mastermind group, learning AI, and growing my agency.

All of them are exciting. All of them… too much.
By mid-year, I was snapping at people I love and couldn’t finish anything without sighing 10 times.

What helps?

• Say “no” more often (even to fun stuff)

• Avoid chasing every shiny object

• Try the NICE goal

Think subtraction, not addition.

2. “Running on Empty” Burnout

This one’s sneakier.
You’re taking breaks… but not the kind you need.

Scrolling Instagram isn’t real rest.
Neither is answering emails on the couch.

Your mind, body, and soul are starving for deeper recovery.

What helps?

• Try taking what I call a “productive break” or a quick power nap to recharge.

• If your schedule allows, experiment with a “growth week” — a few focused days just for learning, rest, or deep work.

• And remember: don’t force yourself to give 100% when you’re running at 40%. Be kind to your energy.

Rest isn’t a reward. It’s a requirement.

3. “What’s the Point?” Burnout

This one hits the hardest.
You’re working hard… on the wrong thing.

It doesn’t light you up.
It doesn’t align with your values.
It doesn’t feel like you.

So even when you win… it feels empty.

What helps?

• Audit your calendar: what actually energizes you?

• Check where you are in the motivation spectrum?

• Make tiny course corrections toward meaning

Sometimes burnout isn’t about how hard you're working.
It’s about why you're working.

Final thought

Burnout doesn’t always look like a breakdown.
Sometimes it’s just quiet frustration.
Or numbness.
Or waking up every day a little less excited than the one before.

But here’s something important:

If you’re in a great flow, full of energy—don’t mess with it.
Forget routines. Skip the hacks.
All those methods exist to help you get energized.
But if you’re already in the zone, just ride the wave.

And for those of us lucky enough to work from anywhere…
With a comfy home, good coffee, a flexible schedule—
Sometimes we confuse boredom with burnout.

But you don’t need more ease.
You probably need a bit more challenge.
A stretch. A mountain. A mission.

Because the goal isn’t just to get things done.

The goal is to feel alive while doing it.

🚀 Growth Tip

Want to get better at using the internet?

This video is full of cool tools, websites, and tips that will help you search faster, stay safe, and be more creative online.
I’ve watched it more than once—it’s that useful.

🤩 Inspiration

⁠Most of us wait until we’re totally drained before we take a break.
But honestly, it’s way smarter to rest before you hit empty.

👋 Until next time, Anil / CEO and Co-Founder of Multidots, Multicollab, and Dotstore.

May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴

More Ways to Learn + Grow

#1: Are you a founder (or dreaming of becoming one)? If you want actionable strategies to scale your agency to $10M, give Peaceful Growth a read.

#2: Work with WordPress or build on it? Check out WP for Enterprises —your backstage pass to how BILLION-DOLLAR websites run.

#3: My Go-to Tools for Productivity & Growth 👇🏾

🎓 Learn

Last year, I picked up a book called Die with Zero—and it completely changed how I think about time, money, and what really matters.

It’s full of powerful ideas that push you to use your time and money with more intention. Less chasing. More living.

One idea from it has been looping in my head ever since.

Life Energy!

Basically, it’s this:

Money is not just money.
It’s your time.
Your focus.
Your limited energy.
Your actual life.

Every dollar you earn costs you time.

Every dollar you spend = a slice of your life.

It hit me hard.

So I started doing this thing — whenever I see something I want to buy, I do a quick mental calculation:

“How many hours of my life am I trading for this?”

And once you see it this way…
You can’t unsee it.

What Is Life Energy?

Life Energy is the energy you spend to earn money.
And the energy you give away when you spend it.

Let me break it into two parts.

1. Earning money costs life energy.

Every time you work — whether it’s writing code, running a business, sitting in meetings, or managing teams — you’re spending part of your one short life.

In the book, there’s a story of a woman named Elizabeth. She had saved $130,000 by the time she passed away. Sounds responsible, right?

Until you realize she earned about $19.56/hour.

That means she traded 6,646 hours of her life — over 2.5 years of full-time work — for money she never even got to enjoy.

2. Spending money also costs life energy.

Say you make $25/hour after taxes.

That $100 you spent on random Amazon stuff?
That’s 4 hours of your life.

It’s not just “stuff.” It’s time.

Even with food. The author jokes that whenever he sees a cookie, he asks himself:

“Is this cookie worth one more hour on the treadmill?”

It’s funny. But also… kinda real.

Because the minute you start asking yourself questions like that, you become more thoughtful.

You stop living on autopilot.

How I Use This in My Life

I’m 38 now and, if I’m lucky enough to live to 100, I’ve got around 543,120 hours of life left.

That number hit me.

It’s completely changed how I think about spending and saving.

Just the other day, I caught myself browsing the Apple Vision Pro and the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2.

Old me would’ve jumped at it.

Now? I pause and ask —

“Am I okay trading X hours of my life for this?”

Sometimes the answer is yes.

Other times, I skip it.

It’s not about guilt. It’s about awareness.

I've also started looking at things not just by their price tag — but by how long they’ll actually matter to me.

A shoes I’ll wear 365 times? That might be worth it.

An AirPod that I’ll use every day to listen to audiobooks and podcasts? Sure!

A random gadget I’ll use twice and forget? Not so much.

Eating a 200-calorie donut just to bike for an hour to burn it off? No thanks.

Don’t Take It Too Far

This doesn’t mean you stop working or never spend a dime again.

I love working. And I plan to keep going.

But I’ve also realized this:

You don’t need as much money as you think to live a rich life.

Most of us are just guessing. So we overwork and oversave.

Working with a good financial planner can help. They can tell you how much you actually need — not some vague number you read on the internet.

And when you do spend?

Spend on things that give you something back.

Not just in the moment — but for years.

Spend on experiences that give you what the book calls a Memory Dividend.

• The trip you took with your family.

• The weekend away with your closest friends.

• Going on a Yoga/Meditation retreat.

Those things don’t fade. They get richer with time.

Action

Here’s what I’d recommend trying this week:

1. Calculate your real hourly rate.
   (Take your after-tax income, divide it by hours worked.)

2. Track your spending for 3 days.
   Then next to each thing you bought, write how many hours it cost you.

3. Ask yourself:
   “Was it worth the trade?”

4. Talk to a financial planner.
   Even one session can give you more clarity than 10 years of guessing.

5. Choose experiences over stuff.
   Spend where your future self will thank you.

Because in the end, you’re not just trying to make money.

You’re trying to make a life.

And that life deserves to be spent wisely.

🚀 Growth Tip

You should check out this video where Ali Abdaal breaks down the entire book and explains the concept of "Life Energy" in a super clear, relatable way.

🤩 Inspiration

"Don’t give people everything—just give them what they truly want."

When we love or deeply care about someone, our natural instinct is to give them everything we’ve got.
But one thing I’ve learned this year is—they don’t need it all.
They just need what matters to them.
Focus on that. Give with intention, not overload.

👋 Until next time, Anil / CEO and Co-Founder of Multidots, Multicollab, and Dotstore.

May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴

More Ways to Learn + Grow

#1: Are you a founder (or dreaming of becoming one)? If you want actionable strategies to scale your agency to $10M, give Peaceful Growth a read.

#2: Work with WordPress or build on it? Check out WP for Enterprises —your backstage pass to how BILLION-DOLLAR websites run.

#3: My Go-to Tools for Productivity & Growth 👇🏾

Welcome to Learn + Grow, where you will learn tips and tools that will help you be 3% more peaceful + productive in just 3 minutes a week.

🎓 Learn

In 2010, a young rock climber named Alex Honnold stood at the base of El Capitan.

3000 feet of sheer rock. No rope. No harness. No second chances.

He was about to "free solo" one of the hardest climbs in the world.

Scary, right?

But here’s the wild part.

Alex wasn’t fearless. His brain felt fear just like yours or mine.

He just trained himself to manage it.

To keep his mind from running wild with “What if I fall?” thoughts.

And to focus on the climb, one move at a time.

How?

By practicing a trick called cognitive reappraisal.

In simple words: teaching your brain to see things as they really are.

Not as the big scary story it’s telling you.

And guess what?

You don’t need to climb mountains to use this trick.

You can do it with something called the 10/10/10 Rule.

It comes from Ali Abdaal’s book Feel-Good Productivity. And it works like magic.

You know how sometimes we blow things way out of proportion?

Like…

You get rejected by someone you like. And your brain goes:
“I’ll be alone forever!”

You don’t get hired for a job. Suddenly it’s:
“I’ll never get another job! I’ll be homeless!”

Or you fail your first driving test and think:
“I’m a terrible driver! I’ll never pass!”

Sound familiar?

(I’m raising my hand here.)

Our brains LOVE to catastrophize. It’s wild.

But the 10/10/10 Rule helps you snap out of it.

Here’s how it works.

Next time you catch yourself spiraling, ask:

Will this matter in 10 minutes?

Will this matter in 10 weeks?

Will this matter in 10 years?

Simple, right?

But super powerful.

Let’s walk through it.

Say you get rejected by someone you like.

10 minutes: Yeah, it stings. You feel kinda low.

10 weeks: You’ll probably have moved on. Maybe even met someone new.

10 years: You won’t even remember this person’s name.

Or say you don’t get hired for a job.

10 minutes: Disappointed. Maybe frustrated.

10 weeks: You’ve applied to other jobs. Probably got interviews lined up.

10 years: This will be a tiny blip in your career. You’ll laugh about it.

One more: You fail your first driving test.

10 minutes: Embarrassed.

10 weeks: You’ve retaken it. Passed. Driving around town.

10 years: You tell the story for fun at a dinner party.

See what I mean?

Most of the stuff we freak out about won’t matter that much in the grand scheme of things.

The 10/10/10 Rule is like giving your fear a reality check.

Now, I know what you might be thinking…

“But what if my fear really IS a big deal?”

Totally fair. Still try this. Even big fears lose their sharpness when you zoom out over time.

“I can’t think clearly when I’m panicking.”

That’s normal. Write the 10/10/10 questions down somewhere. Have them handy. Ask a friend to remind you.

“This sounds too simple.”

That’s exactly why it works. When your brain is spiraling, you don’t need complex. You need simple.

So here’s my challenge for you:

Next time fear grabs you — whether it’s about work, relationships, or life — pause.

Take a breath.

And ask yourself:

Will this matter in 10 minutes?

Will this matter in 10 weeks?

Will this matter in 10 years?

Write it down if you need to.

Then keep moving forward. One step at a time.

🚀 Growth Tip

If you want to hear it straight from Ali on how to overcome fear, definitely watch his YouTube video here:

🤩 Inspiration

⁠⁠The feeling of progress is one of the best feelings of all. This is true even when progress is small.

— James Clear

👋 Until next time, Anil / CEO and Co-Founder of Multidots, Multicollab, and Dotstore.

May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴

More Ways to Learn + Grow

#1: Are you a founder (or dreaming of becoming one)? If you want actionable strategies to scale your agency to $10M, give Peaceful Growth a read.

#2: Work with WordPress or build on it? Check out WP for Enterprises —your backstage pass to how BILLION-DOLLAR websites run.

#3: My Go-to Tools for Productivity & Growth 👇🏾

Welcome to Learn + Grow, where you will learn tips and tools that will help you be 3% more peaceful + productive in just 3 minutes a week.

🎓 Learn

You know, lately, I’ve been adding lots of graphics to my social media posts and newsletters.

Most of them? Made with ChatGPT-4o’s new image tool.

Last week, I ran a quick workshop with my team.

Most of them aren’t designers.

But in 60 minutes, they learned to generate images like pros.

No fancy skills. No waiting on the design team.

Just simple prompts. Real results.

Let me show you what I taught them.

You’re gonna love how easy this is.

What can you use it for?

Literally anything visual.

• Blog headers

• Instagram posts

• YouTube thumbnails

• Pitch decks

• Product mockups

• Explainers

• Posters

• Quote cards

• Website hero images

And here’s how I’ve used it:

My 3-step process to generate 🔥 graphics

Step #1: Inspiration

As a non-designer, most people get stuck at the imagination part. They don’t know what they want, so they don’t know what to ask.

They type something vague. And get something... meh.

That used to be me. Now I do something different.

I visit these sites first:

• Sora Explore – find AI-generated images with prompts

• CreativeOS – great swipe file of blog banners, ad layouts, landing pages

• Icon Ads – performance-driven ad templates

• 21st.dev

• MarketingExamples – my favorite for landing pages, banners, and emails

Browse. Take notes. Screenshot what you like. You’ll start to see patterns.

Step #2: Attach Supported Images or Docs

This is where magic gets more personal.

You can actually upload things like:

• Your logo

• Brand guideline or color palette

• Screenshots of your product

• Reference images

• Docs with notes

Then just say, "Use these for style."

Now your image will feel on-brand, not generic.

Step #3: Prompt Recipe (Formula)

Here's the prompt formula I use:

Style + Subject + Details + Mood

Let’s break that down.

Style: Cartoon, Sticker, WSJ Style, Chalk, 3D, watercolor, flat, realistic, sketch, poster, etc.
Subject: the main thing (a desk, a woman doing yoga, your app on a phone)
Details: add color, layout, extra items, size, scene
Mood: cozy, calm, playful, bright, bold, etc.

Examples:

"Flat illustration of a woman working remotely from a beach, with a laptop and coconut drink. Bright and fun colors."

"3D render of a futuristic electric bike, with neon lights, matte black frame, and glowing wheels."

"Cartoon-style image of a team brainstorming with sticky notes on a wall, in a creative studio. Warm and playful feel."

Tips:

• Be specific (instead of “a dog,” say “a small white dog wearing sunglasses”).

• Use adjectives for mood: cozy, futuristic, clean, playful, etc.

• Mention styles: cartoon, 3D, sketch, watercolor, photo-realistic, etc.

• Add action or composition if needed: “facing forward,” “bird’s eye view,” “in motion.”

Prompt Templates (Copy + Customize)

• Marketing:
  “Create a clean and bold landing page hero image for a wellness app, showing a happy woman using the app outdoors.”

• Product:
  “Realistic image of a tech gadget on a white table, with soft shadows and clean lighting.”

• Educational:
  “Flat-style diagram showing the process of how solar panels generate electricity.”

• Inspirational:
  “Vintage poster design with motivational quote: ‘Start before you’re ready.’ Earthy tones, bold typography.”

Pro Tips for Using ChatGPT-4o

These are things most people don’t realize:

• Ask for transparent backgrounds to use in Canva or on websites

• Say "make it 16:9" or "make it square" based on where you’re posting

• Ask for 3 variations to choose the best one

• Want tweaks? Just say "change background to blue" or "add coffee mug on the table"

• Use it for mockups: "Show this website on a laptop next to a coffee cup"

• You can ask it to edit the same image by referencing what it just made

• It’s surprisingly good at making pitch slides and product mockups

• Here are a few Quick Use Cases for Non-Designers

  • Blog Header Image → “Create a clean header image for a blog post titled ‘7 Ways to Work Smarter.’”

  • Vision Board → “Make a collage of mountain hiking, peaceful home, and financial abundance.”

  • Social Media Quote → “Create a bold poster with quote: ‘Done is better than perfect.’”

  • Idea Sketch → “Simple sketch of an app that shows weather and calendar side by side.”

My Cheat Code

Sometimes, when I feel lazy, I just ask ChatGPT to help me create a perfect prompt that I just copy and paste in next window to generate image.

“Hey ChatGPT, write the perfect prompt for me.” 👇🏾

Pick one idea from your to-do list. Write it as a simple sentence. Upload your logo or brand file if needed.

Let GPT-4o draw it for you.

Use it in your next post. Or newsletter. Or pitch.

You’ve got a superpower now.

Use it.

🚀 Growth Tip

As we’re on the topic of AI image generation, I wanted to share this video — it walks through some of the same tips I shared earlier on creating visual images and ads using ChatGPT-4.

🤩 Inspiration

Einstein said there are 4 levels of intelligence:

1. Smart

2. Intelligent

3. Genius

4. Simple

The highest level? Simplicity.
Anyone can complicate.
True mastery is in making things simple.

👋 Until next time, Anil / CEO and Co-Founder of Multidots, Multicollab, and Dotstore.

May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴

More Ways to Learn + Grow

#1: Are you a founder (or dreaming of becoming one)? If you want actionable strategies to scale your agency to $10M, give Peaceful Growth a read.

#2: Work with WordPress or build on it? Check out WP for Enterprises —your backstage pass to how BILLION-DOLLAR websites run.

#3: My Go-to Tools for Productivity & Growth 👇🏾

🚀 My Go-To Growth Tools: I put together a list of my favorite tools for writing, productivity, and learning— Check it out here (free).

Welcome to Learn + Grow, where you will learn tips and tools that will help you be 3% more peaceful + productive in just 3 minutes a week.

🎓 Learn

"Man, I Thought I Was Healthy…"

You know how most people look at me and think,
“Wow, you must be super healthy—you do yoga, you walk a lot, you don’t drink much, you eat clean.”

Yeah… I thought that too.

I mean, I wasn’t crushing beers every night or hitting up McDonald’s for dinner.
I did all the “good things” you're supposed to do.

But then something happened.

Last year, my friend Jeremy invited me to do a health challenge with him. Just for fun.
We both did a full DEXA Scan at the start—those scans that show your body fat, muscle mass, bone density… all the real stuff.

And I was like, “Cool, let’s see how fit I really am.”

Turns out…

I wasn’t.

That scan and my blood work (which I did around the same time) told a different story.

High cholesterol. Body fat over 30%. Muscle mass wasn’t great either.

Honestly… I was a bit disappointed.

My health report was not horrible, but it was not optimal either. A lot of red and yellow colors.

And the worst part?
I thought I was doing everything right.

Anyways… as Jeremy and I started the challenge from Aug 2024, I made a few changes—added a few runs here, some cardio there. Tried to eat a little cleaner.

But I wasn’t serious. Just aware.

Then came December. Round two of the scan and blood work.
I figured it would show at least some improvement.

Nope.

Everything got worse. I didn’t just lose the challenge with Jeremy…
I lost my illusion of being “healthy.”

That’s When It Got Personal

I don’t know what switched in me, but I took that second scan personally.
It hit something deeper.

So I went down the rabbit hole.

I picked up the book Outlive by Peter Attia. The guy’s all about healthspan—living well, not just living long.

The book blew my mind.
It taught me how to think about health differently.

I started asking new questions:

• What does future-me need from present-me?

• How do I want to feel at 70?

• What can I do now to stay sharp and strong later?

With the help of ChatGPT, I dug into more research. Learned about VO2 max, ApoB, visceral fat—all stuff I never paid attention to before.

But learning wasn’t enough. I needed accountability.

So, in January 2025, I signed up for a monthly coaching program called MyBodyTutor.

Nothing fancy. I share what I eat each day and what workout I did through the app. My coach gives me feedback every day. Holds me accountable. Encourages me.

From January to March, I went all in.
Changed how I ate.
Started tracking my calories, protein, fat, sugar, etc.
Made changes in my sleep schedule.
Took my health very seriously—for the first time in years.

In April 2025, I did my third DEXA scan and blood test.

And finally…

Things were improving.

Body fat dropped.
Muscle went up.
VO2 max improved.
Cholesterol (still red), but started moving in the right direction.

It felt amazing.

⛑️ 23 Lessons I’ve Learned about Health and Fitness

1. Protein is king
As we get older, we naturally lose muscle. That’s just biology being rude.
But here’s the thing—muscle is your armor. It helps you move, carry things, and even stand tall.
I used to think protein was for gym bros. Nope. It’s for anyone who wants to age well.
Now I aim for 0.7–1g of protein per pound of body weight. Every single day.

2. Calories count
I never tracked my calories before. Felt like too much work.
But when I started using the Cronometer app, I was surprised.
That “healthy” granola I was eating? Loaded with sugar and fat.
Tracking even for a month taught me what’s really going into my body.
You don’t need to do it forever—but do it once, and you’ll never eat the same.

3. Fat hides in everyday stuff
We all blame the pizza, but honestly, it’s the milk in our daily tea or the butter on our toast.
Those little things add up.
When I switched to fat-free milk (and yogurt) and started checking labels, it changed the game.
Not all fat is bad. Fat from olive oil and avocado is good.
I still eat pizza. I just save the “fat budget” for things I actually enjoy.

4. Don’t pop random vitamins
I used to think, “A multivitamin will cover it all, right?” Wrong.
Turns out I was low on B12 and Vitamin D—but taking stuff I didn’t even need.
Now I only take what shows up as low in my blood work.
Way better results, way less guesswork.
(Also: consult your doctor before going full supplement ninja.)

5. Get a DEXA Scan
This one changed my whole mindset.
It tells you your body fat %, muscle mass, bone density, visceral fat—all in one scan.
You can’t improve what you don’t measure.
Do it at least once a year. Twice, if you’re making changes.
Trust me, the data will humble you.
(I use BodySpecs for DEXA scan, use my link, and we will both get a $10 credit)

6. Blood work is your health report card
Skipping this is like ignoring your car’s check engine light.
Once I started doing full blood panels, I got real insights—cholesterol, inflammation, hormone levels, and more.
It’s not just for people who are sick.
It’s for people who want to stay well.
Think of it as yearly maintenance for your most important machine.

7. ApoB is a better cholesterol marker
I used to only look at “LDL” and “HDL” because that’s what everyone talks about.
Then I learned about ApoB from Peter Attia—and wow.
It’s a stronger predictor of heart disease.
Mine was not bad, but it was not optimal either.
Now it’s the first number I check on my blood test.

8. Drink more water
It sounds so basic, but it’s wild how many of us walk around dehydrated.
Water helps everything—energy, digestion, skin, sleep.
My coach told me: 10–12 glasses a day.
Add a pinch of salt or electrolytes if you're active.
And yes, you’ll pee more—but that’s kind of the point.

9. Sleep is non-negotiable
This hit me hard.
My December blood work showed cortisol (stress hormone) creeping up.
Probably because I wasn’t sleeping much—shoutout to my newborn.
Now I aim for 8+ hours. No alarms, no phone in the bedroom, no late-night hangouts.
(Also: nap snacks are legit. Take one if needed.)

10. VO2Max shows if your heart is happy
You can’t see heart health in the mirror. But you can measure it.
Apple Watch tracks VO2Max.
Peter Attia says if it’s not optimal, even walking or stairs will feel hard as you age.
So now I do 3 slow jogs (Zone 2) and 1 intense bike session (Zone 5) a week.
My VO2Max went from 35 to 37.5. Goal is 40+. Getting there.

11. Muscles aren’t vanity—they’re survival
We think muscles are for the beach.
Truth is, they’re for staying alive.
Falls are one of the biggest risks in old age.
They’re caused by weak muscles and poor balance.
So I lift weights 3x a week—right at home.
Peloton app. A few dumbbells. 30-minute sessions.
Simple. Effective. Sustainable.

12. Bone health is quiet—but vital
Your bones don’t complain… until they snap.
Lifting weights, doing resistance training, and even jumping (yes, jumping) helps keep bones strong.
Especially important if you’re over 40.
I think of it like adding bricks to a house I want to live in forever.

13. Flexibility keeps you feeling young
Ever try to tie your shoes and feel like you’re about to break? Yeah.
Flexibility is underrated until it’s gone.
I do 15–30 minutes of stretching or yoga most days.
Not to become a pretzel—just to move freely and feel good.
(It also helps prevent injuries.)

14. Mental health is part of health
I used to think mental health was separate from physical health. Nope.
They’re deeply connected.
Bad sleep, poor food, no movement? Hello, anxiety.
Now I meditate, do breathwork, and talk to people when I’m feeling off.

15. Visceral fat is the sneaky villain
You can’t see it, but it’s deadly.
Visceral fat wraps around your organs and increases risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Cardio, protein, and cutting processed fats helped me reduce mine.
I saw big changes in just 3 months.
Get a DEXA Scan to find your number. Then make a plan.

16. Fix one small thing
This is my favorite hack.
Don’t overhaul your life. Just fix one daily habit.
Tea with low-fat milk. No sugar in coffee. Switch granola brands.
These tiny changes stack up faster than you’d think.
And they’re way easier to stick with.

17. Rucking is a secret weapon
Rucking = walking with weight.
I wear a 20 lb weighted vest (or carry my son, who weighs about the same).
Same walk, more effort, better results.
It boosts cardio and strength at the same time.
Plus, it feels like a cheat code for burning calories.

18. Simple beats fancy
Fancy shoes, boutique gyms, and cool outfits won’t make you healthy.
A simple, repeatable, zero-friction routine will.
The less effort it takes to start, the more likely you’ll stick with it.
(My home gym = a mat, a weighted vest, and a couple dumbbells. That’s it.)

19. Fitness is about feeling
Looking good is cool.
But I care more about feeling strong, clear, and alive.
I don’t train for six-pack abs.
I train so I can keep up with my kid, hike mountains at 70, and dance at weddings in my 80s.

20. Your 60s are built in your 40s
If you don’t invest in your health now, you’ll pay for it later.
Period.
Your habits today are either building a future or a problem.

21. “A healthy person has a thousand wishes. A sick person only ONE.”
That quote hits hard.
Every time I want to skip a workout or eat like crap—I remember this.

22. Health is easier to maintain than achieve
It’s way harder to recover health than to maintain it.
So I don’t wait for problems.
I build the habits now.

23. Your body is your forever home
This isn’t a rental.
You don’t get a new one when things fall apart.
Treat it like a house you’ll live in for 70 more years.
Feed it well. Move it often. Keep it strong.

Why I’m Telling You This

So last month, I was hanging with my close friends (Kaushik and Aslam) during our virtual friendscamp (as we all live in different countries, we connect every few months via Zoom call and talk about life) and shared this whole journey.

After meeting with them, I thought, why not share this with my Learn + Grow community?

Not just to help others, but so I could come back to it myself—when life gets busy and I fall off the track (which, let’s be real, will happen).

So here I am.

Not giving advice.
Not pretending to be an expert.
Just telling you what I’ve learned from where I’m at on my health journey.

Your body’s different.
Your goals are probably different too.

But maybe something here will click for you.
Maybe it sparks a little curiosity.
Maybe it reminds you that small steps matter.

Here’s a quick list of the apps, tools, and services I actually use (and mentioned earlier):

• MyBodyTutor – This is the coaching program that helped me stay accountable. If you decide to join, let them know I sent you—we both get a $100 credit.

• Cronometer App – Super useful for tracking calories, protein, fat, and even micronutrients. Takes a bit to get used to, but totally worth it.

• Weighted Vest – I use this 20-pound vest that wears like a backpack on my walks. It makes every step a little more effective.

• DEXA Scan (via BodySpec) – This is where I get all my scans done: body fat %, muscle mass, bone health, visceral fat. Use my link, and we will both get a $10 credit.

• InsideTracker – This is the service I trust for my full blood work panels.
  Great data, and easy to understand the results.

• Protein Shake Recipe – I tried a ton of recipes before finding one that actually tasted good and kept me full. If you want it, just reply to this email—I’ll gladly share it.

🚀 Growth Tip

When it comes to reading, I pick books based on these situations:

1. Just in Case: These are the books I read purely for enjoyment, even if they don’t directly apply to my current life situation or goals. They offer a welcome escape from the constant push to be productive and efficient, which I really appreciate.

2. Just in Time: These are the books I pick up with a specific purpose in mind—whether it’s to learn a new skill, solve a problem, or improve in some way. I try to put these insights into action as soon as I finish reading them.

🤩 Inspiration

Constant learning = Constant action.

Both are equal- both are necessary.
We learn from our actions- we act from our learning.
One without the other suffers.
Both together provide depth and clarity in truth.

👋 Until next time, Anil / CEO and Co-Founder of Multidots, Multicollab, and Dotstore.

May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴

More Ways to Learn + Grow

#1: Are you a founder (or dreaming of becoming one)? If you want actionable strategies to scale your agency to $10M, give Peaceful Growth a read.

#2: Work with WordPress or build on it? Check out WP for Enterprises —your backstage pass to how BILLION-DOLLAR websites run.

#3: My Go-to Tools for Productivity & Growth 👇🏾

Welcome to Learn + Grow, where you will learn tips and tools that will help you be 3% more peaceful + productive in just 3 minutes a week.

🎓 Learn

A few months ago, I was out on a walk with my wife and our dog.

You know, one of those slow, thoughtful walks where the air feels light, and your mind gets a bit heavier?

I turned to her and said,
“Something’s been weighing on me lately…”

She looked at me, curious.
And I admitted it.

“I’ve been comparing myself.”

Not in a healthy, motivating kind of way.

But the kind that makes you feel like you’re falling behind.
Like you’re not doing enough.
Like everyone else is 10 steps ahead.

There are a few people in my circle — good people, inspiring people — who have:

• 10x bigger businesses

• 10x more followers

• 10x higher net worth

And instead of cheering them on, I felt... small.

I didn’t feel inspired.
I felt deflated.

(Comparison really is a silent killer, man. It creeps in without warning.)

But then my wife, in her calm and grounded way, said something I’ll never forget:

“You have 10x more of the things they wish they had.”

I paused.

She kept going, almost like she’d been keeping a list just for this moment:

• 10x more adventures — you go to all these yoga retreats, barista courses, random learning hobbies

• 10x more time with your favorite people

• 10x more energy for meaningful work

• 10x more freedom to travel and explore

• 10x stronger relationships

• 10x more fulfillment

• 10x better health

• 10x better sleep

• 10x more peace

• 10x less stress

• 10x more joy

And in that moment, I honestly felt like the richest man alive.

Then she hit me with two questions that just stopped me:

“Would you trade what you have for what they have?”
No. Not a chance.

“Are you even willing to pay the price for that kind of success?”
Still no.

And she was right.

Now look — I get it.

Not every successful person is burning out.
Some people really do have it figured out.
Some have the money, the freedom, the peace, the sleep, all of it.

But not everyone.
And definitely not always.
And maybe… not me.

So here’s what I’m taking with me from that conversation. And maybe you will too:

1. Talk to your spouse.
If you’ve got a good one, they’ll hold up the mirror when you forget who you are.
(My fellow founders — she’s basically your built-in board of advisors.)

2. Print your blessings.
Seriously. Put them on a wall. You’ll forget. We all do.
It’s scary how fast we normalize the beautiful life we’ve created.

3. Your “ordinary” might be someone else’s dream life.
That friend with the fancy car and 100K followers?
They might pay anything to have your peace, your health, your mornings with your kid, your walks with your wife.

We chase the extraordinary like it’s hiding just around the corner.

But maybe — just maybe — we’re already standing in something rare.

So, before the next scroll…

Pause.

Take a look around your life.

Really look.

Ask yourself:

What am I taking for granted right now?
What would someone else give anything to have?
What would I never trade — not even for 10x more?

Let the answers land.

And let them shift something inside you.

🚀 Growth Tip

Lately, I’ve been using ChatGPT a lot to create images.

But as a non-designer, my prompts were total potato quality.

I’d type stuff like:
“Make it look cool but not too cool, with vibes, you know?”

Most prompts like this gave me pretty average results.

Then I tried something obvious (but genius):

“Hey ChatGPT, write the perfect prompt for me.” 👇🏾

Now, when I use the prompt suggested by ChatGPT, it creates much better images. 👇🏾

🤩 Inspiration

My friend Jeremy gifted me this beautiful book, The Daily Dad.

This quote from the book gave me incredible clarity:

Kids learn from home.
They learn in the car.
They learn from Mom and Dad.
You set the standard, so be the standard.

Little eyes are always watching.
And little hearts are always learning.

They don’t just hear what we say —
They become what we do.

So here’s a gentle reminder of what not to do in front of your kids:

• Don’t speak badly about others — it teaches judgment.

• Don’t stare at your phone during dinner — it teaches disconnection.

• Don’t raise your voice in anger — it teaches fear, not respect.

• Don’t lie, even about small things — it teaches that honesty is flexible.

• Don’t ignore your partner — it teaches what love shouldn’t look like.

👋 Until next time, Anil / CEO and Co-Founder of Multidots, Multicollab, and Dotstore.

May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴

More Ways to Learn + Grow

#1: Are you a founder (or dreaming of becoming one)? If you want actionable strategies to scale your agency to $10M, give Peaceful Growth a read.

#2: Work with WordPress or build on it? Check out WP for Enterprises —your backstage pass to how BILLION-DOLLAR websites run.

#3: My Go-to Tools for Productivity & Growth 👇🏾

Welcome to Learn + Grow, where you will learn tips and tools that will help you be 3% more peaceful + productive in just 3 minutes a week.

🎓 Learn

So I’ve been thinking a lot about this whole work-life balance thing.

It’s everywhere, right?
Everyone’s chasing it.
People are posting about how they’ve finally cracked the code—9 to 5, no work on weekends, full digital detox on vacation. Like it’s the secret to a stress-free, happy life.

But honestly?

I think most of us have it all wrong.

The Version We’re Sold

The version of work-life balance we see online? It’s usually just a highlight reel.
And the “rules” that come with it feel like a trap:

• No work after 5 p.m.

• No emails on weekends

• No laptops on vacation

• Clear-cut “family time” vs. “work time”

Honestly, it sounds great.

But in real life?

It’s kind of unrealistic. And for many of us, exhausting.

Tim Cook, Elon Musk, and Warren Buffett Aren’t Complaining About Balance

Do you really think Tim Cook closes his MacBook at 5:01 p.m., tosses on some Netflix, and calls it a day?
Or that Elon Musk—who’s running, what, like seven companies now?—only works four days a week?

Even Warren Buffett, who’s in his 90s, still shows up every day doing what he loves.
He reads, thinks, invests—and loves it.
You don’t hear him saying, “Man, I wish I had better work-life balance.”

Because here’s the thing:

They’re not obsessing over balance.
They’re obsessed with purpose.

And when you love what you do?
When it’s meaningful, creative, energizing?

Work doesn’t feel like something you need to escape from.
It’s something that adds to your life—not takes away from it.

They’ve figured that out.
And to be honest, that mindset changed everything for me too.

What My Life Actually Looks Like

Sometimes, I work 12–14 hours a day.
I’ve brought my laptop on vacation.
I like to write, think, organize, and plan on weekends.

Not because I’m a workaholic.
But because I love what I do. And I feel alive when I’m in that creative flow.

It doesn’t mean I’m not present.
It doesn’t mean I don’t care about my family.

It just means I’m not following someone else’s script.

The Three Buckets I Try to Fill

The truth is, I don’t follow a strict routine.
But I do try to make space every week for three things:

1. Work Time: Where I handle the team, projects, and strategy.

2. Family Time: Unstructured but sacred. I show up when they need me.

3. Growth Time: That’s my reading, writing, learning, and reflecting.

If I hit all three—even unevenly—it feels like a good week.

The Two Questions That Keep Me Grounded

So instead of chasing “balance,” I’ve started asking myself two simple questions every week:

1. Am I happy at the end of most days?

2. Are the people I love happy to be around me?

If I’m good on both, I’m doing fine—even if I worked 12 hours that day.

If one of those is off, I adjust.

That’s it.
That’s my real check-in for balance.

Life Has Seasons, Not Schedules

I’ve started thinking about life more like seasons.

Thinking about life like a farmer.

They don’t try to plant, grow, harvest, and rest all at the same time.

They follow the season.

• Spring = Plant

• Summer = Nurture

• Fall = Harvest

• Winter = Rest

You don’t need balance every single day.
You just need rhythm over time.

Some seasons are for hustle.
Some are for recovery.
Some are for creating.
Some are for simply being there.

Let the season guide you—not a calendar template.

When Someone You Love Says, “Hey… You Work Too Much”

You ever get that look?

Like your partner, your kid, or your mom just quietly drops a truth bomb—
“You’re working a lot lately.”

It’s not an attack.
It’s more like a nudge.

And here’s what I’ve learned:

They’re not asking for more of your time.
They’re asking for the real you.
The version of you that’s not half-scrolling Slack while nodding through dinner.

So now? I try to catch it before it gets there.

Here’s what’s helped me:

• I say no to stuff. Like, a lot of stuff. Podcast interviews, random dinner invites, free events that aren’t a “hell yes.”

• I let them in. If I’m working a lot this week, I explain why. “I’m pushing hard now so we can take a full week off next month.” It helps.

• I cut the noise. If a meeting can be an email? It’s an email. If I don’t need to be somewhere, I’m not going.

And if you’re leading a team or running a business?

• Hire help. Seriously. A virtual assistant, a freelance ops lead—someone who frees up your time so you can be a better human, not just a busier one.

• Automate and delegate. Tools exist. People can help. You don’t have to be everywhere, all the time.

Because here’s the truth:

People don’t need all your hours.
They need the best of your energy.

And if you give them that?
Even 30 minutes can feel like everything.

What Balance Actually Looks Like for Me

I’ve stopped aiming for symmetry and started honoring what matters most each day.

Here’s what my real-life balance looks like:

– Work when it fuels me—wherever, whenever
– Feel good after work, not drained
– Eat one meal peacefully without a phone, computer or TV
– Sleep like a baby, wake up excited
– Take guilt free nap
— Go on a long walk with my dog/kid when don’t feel like working
– Take days (or weeks) off when life needs me
– Move my body 3+ hours a week
– Be present and positive with loved ones
– Feel lucky to be alive
– And if today were my last day—zero regrets

No two days look the same.
But they feel aligned.

“Okay, But You’re a Founder…”

Totally fair.

I get this a lot:
“Yeah Anil, you can do that—you run your own company.”

And you’re right.
As a founder, I do have more control over my time than I would in a 9–5 corporate role.

But here’s what I’ve seen up close:

It’s not just a founder thing anymore.

The world’s changed.
Companies are way more flexible now.
Many care more about what you deliver—not how many hours your status shows “green” on Slack.

Remote work. Async teams. Flex hours.
It’s happening.

And I’ve got team members—right now—living their own version of Peaceful Growth.
They’re not working 9–3 from a beach in Bali or anything wild.
But they’re making time for what matters.
They’re moving their bodies. They’re picking up their kids. They’re unplugging without guilt.

So don’t brush this off like it’s a luxury you’ll “maybe have someday.”

You might have more space than you think.

And hey—
If your current job makes that kind of life impossible?

You already know what you need to do.
That misalignment?
It’s a clue.
Not a dead end.

Peaceful Growth > Perfect Balance

At the end of the day, what I want isn’t balance for the sake of it.

What I want is peaceful growth.

To grow my business.
To grow my relationships.
To grow my sense of meaning—without losing myself in the process.

That’s the goal.

So here’s what I’d tell you, friend to friend:

Forget the perfect routine.
Forget the productivity porn.
Forget the guilt.

Just ask:

• Am I proud of how I spent my time?

• Are the people I love still feeling loved?

Start there.
Then make one shift.

That’s the beginning of something better.

🚀 Growth Tip

Have you noticed the new graphics in my newsletters and LinkedIn posts?

I am using an AI tool called Napkin.AI. It is free currently and totally mindblowing.

I can create awesome visuals in just minutes. No more wasting time with complicated design software.

My whole team's hooked on it. Marketing loves it. Content team can't get enough.

Check it out before they start charging! (Trust me, something this good won't stay free forever.)

🤩 Inspiration

Here is one of my favorite thoughts from James Clear:

Success is largely the failures you avoid.

— Health is the injuries you don't sustain.
— Wealth is the purchases you don't make.
— Happiness is the objects you don't desire.
— Peace of mind is the arguments you don't engage.

Avoid the bad to protect the good.

👋 Until next time, Anil / CEO and Co-Founder of Multidots, Multicollab, and Dotstore.

May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴

More Ways to Learn + Grow

#1: Are you a founder (or dreaming of becoming one)? If you want actionable strategies to scale your agency to $10M, give Peaceful Growth a read.

#2: Work with WordPress or build on it? Check out WP for Enterprises —your backstage pass to how BILLION-DOLLAR websites run.

#3: My Go-to Tools for Productivity & Growth 👇🏾

🔔 Small ask: Could you answer these two quick questions? Your answers will help me focus on creating content that matters most to you!

💡 Here are 3-ideas to help you learn, grow, and be inspired this week!

🎓 Learn

Most people in tech want to be more productive—but they don’t know how.
They jump between tools.
They try to-do lists, Pomodoro timers, AI apps…

But still feel stuck.

The real solution?
Look at how you work, not just what you use.

Start With This: The 3R Method

Before we dive into the tips, let me share a simple method I introduced to my team:

Repeat. Reduce. Reuse.

We used it to spot productivity opportunities in our daily work—without adding more tools or stress.

Here’s what each “R” means:

• Repeat → Anything you do more than 2x a week is worth optimizing or automating.

• Reduce → If a workflow or tool can save even 10 minutes a day, it’s worth exploring.

• Reuse → What you’ve created in the past can be reused now — or what you’re creating today can be reused in the future.

Once our team started using this lens, we began to see opportunities everywhere.

Slack replies. Scheduling meetings. Estimations. Proposals. Project Kickoff.
We optimized it all, one step at a time.

The tips below are based on real things we’ve done in my company using the 3R method.

Let’s get into it.

1. Use the 2x Rule

If you do something more than twice a week, it’s time to systemize it.

We used to ask the same client questions during every project kickoff.
Now, we are sending them a Google Form called the “Discovery Workshop Questionnaire.”
Clients fill it out once, and we’re ready to roll.

Tip: Look for tasks you explain or repeat often. Can you record a Loom, write a doc, or make a form?

2. Use the 10-Min Rule

If a tool or process saves you 10 minutes daily, it’s worth investing time and money.

We adopted Calendly to eliminate back-and-forth emails for scheduling.
Now, meeting times are booked in seconds—not 7 messages later.

Tip: One small tool can save you 60 hours a year.

3. Record It Once, Reuse Forever

Instead of explaining the same thing over Zoom or Slack 100 times a month…
Record a video tutorial once.
We’ve done this for onboarding, project instructions, and tool walkthroughs.

Example: A short Loom video on “how to use Google Calendar effectively” is now shared with every new hire.

4. Build a Content Library

You already write helpful stuff. Save it.

I built a content template bank with:

• Common slack replies

• Email messages

• ChatGPT prompts

I also use tools like Alfred and default Text Replacement features to quickly add any content to my workflow.

Tip: If you’ve written it once and it worked well, save it for next time.

5. Create Internal Tools with Spreadsheets

Spreadsheets aren’t just for numbers—they’re automation machines.

Our tech team built a project estimation spreadsheet that cut proposal time in half.
Now, estimates are fast, accurate, and easy.

Tip: Think about what you’re doing manually that a spreadsheet can automate.

6. Get Good at the Tools You Already Use

Most people use only 10% of the features in their daily apps.

So, I encouraged my team to go deeper, especially with everyday tools like Gmail, Slack, Zoom, Canva, Google Docs, Spreadsheets, and Basecamp.

Example: We found a YouTube channel that teaches hidden features of everyday tools.

7. Upgrade Your Stack Every 6 Months

Tech changes fast. So should your toolset.

Every six months, we review what we’re using and explore new alternatives.
We also ask peers in similar roles what they use—and we always discover something better.

Tip: Search “alternatives to [your app]” or join tech productivity groups.

8. Use Keyboard Shortcuts Everywhere

Keyboard shortcuts = speed boosts.

Here are some team favorites:

• Cmd+Shift+V → Paste without formatting

• Cmd+Option+M → Add comments in Google Docs or Sheets

• Cmd+J → Jump to recent messages in Basecamp

Here are my other favorite keyboard shortcuts and an app that I use to find keyboard shortcuts for any app.

Tip: Find 3 shortcuts for each tool you use daily and master them.

9. Switch to Async Communication

Loom > Zoom.

It’s faster, async, and reusable. Record once, skip the meeting, and share it with the team later.

You don’t need a meeting to explain everything.

We started using Loom for feedback, task breakdowns, and updates.
Now, team members can watch on their own time, rewatch if needed, and stay in sync without a call.

Tip: Replace one meeting this week with a recorded video or detailed message.

10. Build With Reuse in Mind

Whenever you create something—think ahead.

Can someone else use this later?
Can this doc, code, or template work for future projects?

Example: Our devs now tag reusable components during projects and save them into a shared repo. It saves time in future builds.

Final Thought

The 3Rs—Repeat, Reduce, Reuse—helped our team cut noise, reduce stress, and get more done.

Print this. Bookmark it. Share it with your team.

Small changes compound. And these questions will help you find them.

🚀 Growth Tip

🤩 Inspiration

I was reading The Great Mental Models by Shane Parrish (btw, highly recommend), and came across this idea that blew my mind:

Science studies the world through 3 systems:

1. Inorganic — physics, chemistry, the universe (13.7B years)

2. Organic — life, biology, evolution (3.5B years)

3. Human — culture, behavior, history (20K years)

The human system is tiny.

The bigger the sample size, the better the insight.

Zoom out to level up.

👋 Until next time, Anil / CEO and Co-Founder of Multidots, Multicollab, and Dotstore.

May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴

More Ways to Learn + Grow

#1: Are you a founder (or dreaming of becoming one)? If you want actionable strategies to scale your agency to $10M, give Peaceful Growth a read.

#2: Work with WordPress or build on it? Check out WP for Enterprises —your backstage pass to how BILLION-DOLLAR websites run.

#3: My Go-to Tools for Productivity & Growth 👇🏾

Welcome to Learn + Grow, where you will learn tips and tools that will help you be 3% more peaceful + productive in just 3 minutes a week.

🔔 Small ask: Could you answer these two quick questions? Your answers will help me focus on creating content that matters most to you!

💡 Here are 3-ideas to help you learn, grow, and be inspired this week!

🎓 Learn

The Truth About Greatness

Scott Adams never set out to be the best artist.

Or the best businessman.

Or the funniest person alive.

Yet, he became wildly successful by blending these three skills into something unique—Dilbert. A simple comic strip that turned into a global phenomenon, making him a multi-millionaire.

He didn’t need to be in the top 1% of any one skill.

He just needed to be in the top 10-15% of a few.

This is the power of skill stacking.

And it’s the secret to standing out and creating your circle of genius.

What Is Skill Stacking?

Skill stacking is about combining multiple good-but-not-great skills into something unique and valuable.

Instead of trying (and probably failing) to be world-class in one thing, you create a combination of skills that make you stand out.

Think of it like building a unique cocktail. A little bit of this, a little bit of that—and suddenly, you’ve got something special, something unique.

Personally, I know how to code, how to run a business, and how to write. I may not be in the top 1% of coders, the top 1% of entrepreneurs, or the top 1% of writers.

But combining these three skills? That makes me a pretty unique and valuable CEO.

Why Skill Stacking Works

The world glorifies the top 1%. But the truth? 99% of people will never be in the top 1%.

Take soccer. The highest-paid players are in the top 1%—Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappé. But the other 99% of professional soccer players? Still incredibly skilled, still making millions, but they aren’t the best.

Now, if you’re not even in a professional league, where does that leave you?

Skill stacking gives you another way to win.

How to Stack Your Skills

Step#1: Pick a Core Skill. What are you already decent at? Writing? Marketing? Coding? Public speaking?

Step#2: Find Complementary Skills. What other skills amplify your core skill Example: A writer who knows SEO and email marketing can make way more money than just a “good writer.”

Step#3: Get to the Top 10-15%You don’t need to be world-class—just better than most. A few books, a course, and some practice will put you ahead of 90% of people.

Step#4: Create a Unique Combination: The magic happens when you mix skills in a way no one else does. Example: A decent musician + basic video editing + social media marketing = Viral YouTube sensation

Skill Stacking Examples

Identify your core skill. Then, start stacking.

But What If…?

• “I’m not great at anything.” → Perfect. That means you’re not tied to one thing and can mix skills freely.

• “Won’t specialists always win?” → In some fields, yes. (Surgeons, elite athletes, etc.) But for most careers, being uniquely skilled beats being the best at one thing.

• “Isn’t this just being a jack-of-all-trades?” → No. A jack-of-all-trades is random. Skill stacking is intentional. You pick skills that work together.

Build Your Stack This Week

Look at your skills. Now, ask yourself:

• What’s one secondary skill that would make me 10x more valuable?

• What’s something most people in my field don’t know?

• What’s a skill I can learn in 3-6 months that would set me apart?

Pick one.

Start learning.

Stack your way to success.

The world doesn’t need another Mozart.
It needs more people who can play four instruments really well.

🚀 Growth Tip

A lot of you have asked about the tools I use to stay productive and grow every day.

So, I put them all in one place—organized by category:

• Writing tools ✍️

• Productivity Apps ⏳

• Game-changing courses 🎓

And more.

You can check them out here (for free!).

Hope it helps! 🚀

🤩 Inspiration

Everything has two prices:

1️⃣ List Price – what it seems to cost.
2️⃣ Real Price – what you actually give up.

The List Price is obvious. The Real Price? Hidden.

John D. Rockefeller’s success looked like years of hard work.
But the real cost? Broken relationships, declining health, and a damaged reputation.

Before chasing anything, ask yourself: Is it worth the real price?

[Talking about Skill stacking, here’s something I’m excited to share to help you build your skill stack by learning copywriting]

How Samir, an Engineer, Unlocked His Career with One Skill

Samir was a great engineer but struggled to explain ideas, pitch projects, and share updates.

After missing a promotion, he realized—it wasn’t his technical skills holding him back. It was his writing.

So, he took a copywriting course.

In months, his emails became clearer, his proposals got approved faster, and he became the go-to person for presentations.

Then? He got the promotion.

Why? Because writing is a meta-skill. It makes you more productive, persuasive, and valuable—no matter your field.

Also, writing is a “complimentary skill” to any “core skill” to build a powerful skill stack.

Good news? Writing is learnable.

If you improve one skill in 2025, make it writing.

I’ve taken tons of courses, and CopyThat is the best—30 minutes a day, 10 days, all via email.

✍🏻 Check it out here: CopyThat

👋 Until next time, Anil / CEO and Co-Founder of Multidots, Multicollab, and Dotstore.

May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴

More Ways to Learn + Grow

#1: Are you a founder (or dreaming of becoming one)? If you want actionable strategies to scale your agency to $10M, give Peaceful Growth a read.

#2: Work with WordPress or build on it? Check out WP for Enterprises —your backstage pass to how BILLION-DOLLAR websites run.

#3: I’ve sat down with founders who’ve grown their businesses from $500K to $10M. Want their playbook? Listen to the Peaceful Growth Podcast for insider tips on scaling up.

🔔 Quick reminder: If you are a founder (or want to be), check out my Peaceful Growth newsletter, where I share actionable tips to grow your business to $ 10M without working crazy hours.

💡 Here are 3-ideas to help you learn, grow, and be inspired this week!

🎓 Learn

Milkha Singh almost gave up.

It was 1951. He had just joined the Indian Army. He had never run professionally before. One day, his officer spotted him and told him to run a 400-meter race.

He lost. Badly.

Exhausted and humiliated, he thought about quitting. But his officer had one thing to say:

“Come back tomorrow.”

Milkha did.

Day after day, he trained. He kept showing up. A few years later, he became one of India’s greatest athletes—winning gold at the Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games, and earning the title "The Flying Sikh."

(Spoiler: Life rewards those who just keep showing up.)

I’m no Milkha Singh, but I know what it feels like to start something new and struggle.

I started learning to swim at 32.

At first, it felt awkward. Everyone else in the learning in the pool was either a kid or a teenager, moving through the water with ease while I flailed like a drowning cat. (Not my proudest moment.)

Over the last 7 years, I’ve put in 52 hours of practice in the water—on and off, scattered across different years. Some weeks I made progress. Some weeks I felt stuck. But I kept showing up.

And that’s when I realized something: Swimming isn’t just about moving through water.

It’s about moving through life.

Here’s what I learned from swimming that has nothing to do with swimming.

1. Start Now, Waiting Won’t Help

I started learning to swim at 32.

I showed up to my first swim and looked around.

Everyone else?

Kids. High schoolers.

For a second, I felt out of place. Like I had missed my chance. But here’s the thing: There is no "right time." There’s only now.

(You either start today or look back a year from now wishing you had.)

2. Learning Is Messy—And That’s Okay

I started in 2019. Stopped. Started again in 2020. Stopped. Tried again in 2022 and 2024.

Progress?

It was all over the place.

Some days, I felt unstoppable. Other days, I was back to swallowing water like a malfunctioning fountain.

Trust the process, not the clock.

Progress doesn’t follow a schedule. Some days you improve fast. Some days you don’t. But if you stick with it long enough, the breakthroughs come.

3. Breakthroughs Require Breaking Free

For weeks, I clung to the pool's edge.

It felt safe. Secure.

But at some point, I had to let go. That first moment of floating alone? Terrifying. But also necessary.

Fear fades with repetition.

At first, water felt intimidating. But the more I showed up, the more comfortable I became.

Fear works the same way in life.

4. Focus on Milestones, Not the Finish Line

At first, I thought swimming was just one skill.

Stay afloat. Move your hands. Kick your feet.

Simple, right?

Not even close.

Over time, I realized swimming is actually a collection of tiny actions working together:

• Breathing – Inhale, hold, exhale underwater, and time it right.

• Kicking – Smooth, controlled movements—not wild splashes.

• Floating – Learning to trust the water and let your body stay up.

• Crawling – Coordinating movement without panicking.

• Armstrokes – The rhythm of catching and pulling water.

Instead of trying to master everything at once, I broke it down.

One thing at a time.

First, I learned to float. Then, I nailed my breathing. Then, I moved on to kicking. Then, armstrokes.

Finally, I put it all together... and I was swimming.

Turns out, that’s how you learn anything.

5. Failure Is Just a Ripple

I swallowed water. Flailed. Panicked.

It felt like failure. But the truth?

It was just part of learning.

Failure isn’t a stop sign. It’s a speed bump. You adjust, keep moving, and try again.

One day, I just swam without overthinking.

That’s when I realized: Your body knows before your mind does.

Sometimes, you have to let go of logic and trust muscle memory.

6. Your Mind Is the Only Thing in Your Way

Half the battle was mental.

Doubt. Hesitation. Overthinking.

That’s what held me back—not the water.

And it’s the same with anything challenging in life.

We talk ourselves out of things long before reality does. But the moment you decide to push through, something changes.

Your mind stops working against you.

And suddenly, the impossible feels possible.

7. The Guide Appears When You’re Ready

Ever notice how the right book, mentor, or advice shows up exactly when you need it?

That’s not luck.

That’s your brain filtering out what it wasn’t ready for before.

Last year, I hit a plateau.

I could comfortably swim 25 yards. The only problem? I was still holding onto a kickboard—barely using it, but still relying on it.

My goal was clear: Swim without support.

But for months, I kept gripping that kickboard. Just in case.

Then, one day, a swim instructor looked at me and said,
"Anil, if you really want to learn to swim, you need to let go."

I hesitated.

Then, finally, I did.

It was terrifying. But that day, for the first time, I swam without support.

- Growth is uncomfortable but necessary.
- Holding on feels safe, but it holds you back.
- Letting go is the only way to move forward.

That’s how progress works.

Your Turn

“But what if I suck at it?”

Good news: Everyone sucks at first.

I sucked. Milkha sucked when he started. Everyone does. But the only way to not suck? Keep going.

You don’t have to be great to start.

You just have to start.

What’s the thing you’ve been putting off?

Starting a business? Writing a book? Learning a new skill?

Jump in.

You’ll struggle. You’ll fail. But if you keep showing up, something amazing happens:

One day, without even realizing it...

You’re swimming.

🚀 Growth Tip

How many times do you type your phone number, email, address, or passport info every week?

Filling out a form?
Signing up for something?
Ordering online?

It adds up—hours wasted every year on repeat typing, typos, and endless copy-pasting.

I fixed this with Text Replacement on my phone. Now, I just type:

• mynum → Pastes my phone number

• myemail → Drops in my email

• myaddy → Fills my address

• ppnum → Auto-fills my passport number

No more scrolling. No more mistakes. No more wasted time.

Set it up in 3 minutes:
🔹 iPhone/Mac: Settings → Keyboard → Text Replacement
🔹 Android: Gboard → Dictionary → Personal Dictionary

Small tweak. Big time saver. Try it.

🤩 Inspiration

[On a different note, here’s something I’m excited to share to help you boost your productivity and performance through better writing in 2025]

How Samir, an Engineer, Transformed His Career with One Skill

Samir wasn’t a writer. He was a software engineer, great at building things but struggled when it came to explaining ideas, pitching projects, or sharing updates.

After being passed over for a promotion, he realized something: It wasn’t his technical skills holding him back—it was his writing.

He signed up for a copywriting course, thinking it would help him write better emails. (It did that and more.)

In a few months, Samir’s emails were clear and persuasive. His project proposals got approved faster. He became the go-to person for internal presentations. And, yes—he finally got that promotion.

Why? Because writing is a meta-skill.

Whether you’re an engineer, designer, accountant, or manager, writing impacts everything. Emails, reports, pitches, presentations—good writing makes you more productive, more effective, and more valuable.

Here’s the good news: WRITING IS A SKILL. You don’t “have it”, you learn it.

If you can improve only one skill in 2025, make it writing.

I’ve spent over $5,000 on different writing courses, and out of all of them, I highly recommend CopyThat—an email-based copywriting course you can complete in just 30 minutes a day for 10 days.

✍🏻 Check it out here: CopyThat

👋 Until next time, Anil / CEO and Co-Founder of Multidots, Multicollab, and Dotstore.

May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴

More Ways to Learn + Grow

#1: Are you a founder (or dreaming of becoming one)? If you want actionable strategies to scale your agency to $10M, give Peaceful Growth a read.

#2: Work with WordPress or build on it? Check out WP for Enterprises —your backstage pass to how BILLION-DOLLAR websites run.

#3: I’ve sat down with founders who’ve grown their businesses from $500K to $10M. Want their playbook? Listen to the Peaceful Growth Podcast for insider tips on scaling up.

💡 Here are 3-ideas to help you learn, grow, and be inspired this week!

🎓 Learn

Let me tell you a quick story.

Meet Mary.

She’s 35, works a demanding job, and juggles two kids at home. One day, she noticed something weird. Her morning walk habit—something she’d done consistently for 6 months—disappeared. What changed?

Her best friend (who was her walking buddy) moved away.

This small shift ruined her motivation. She didn’t just lose her friend—she lost her consistency, energy, and calm.

Why? Because our habits are contagious.

(Yes, you catch habits the way you catch a yawn or a cold.)

Today, I want to share a concept that can change your life. (Big claim, I know. But trust me—it’s worth it.)

I learned this from James Clear’s Atomic Habits.

You want success? Peace? To quit bad habits? To build better ones?

It all comes down to who you spend your time with.

The Hidden Influence

James talks about three groups that quietly shape your success, health, and happiness.

Here they are:

1. The Close: Family, Friends, and Colleagues

You don’t need a study to know this one is true. But let me give you one anyway:

In a famous study from Harvard, researchers tracked thousands of people over 32 years and discovered something fascinating: If a friend becomes obese, you’re 57% more likely to become obese too.

(57%! That’s wild, right?)

It works the same for positive habits. If you surround yourself with people who read, exercise or meditate—you’re far more likely to follow suit.

Why this group influences us: Humans crave connection. When we see the people closest to us doing something, we naturally feel the pull to fit in.

Mary's morning walks didn’t stop because she lost motivation. They stopped because she lost her close influence.

Key takeaway: Want to get healthier or happier? Surround yourself with people who live those values. (Not the ones who drag you down.)

2. The Many: Tribe, Community, Society

Let me tell you a story from the book.

In the 1960s, a psychologist named Solomon Asch conducted a simple but powerful experiment. He placed participants in a group and showed them a set of lines, asking which line was the longest. The answer was obvious.

But here’s the twist: The majority of the group had been instructed to give the wrong answer.

What happened? Most participants ignored their eyes and followed the crowd.

(Yeah, humans are weird like that.)

Why this group influences us: We’re social creatures. We don’t want to be left out or feel different. If everyone around us eats fast food, complains about their jobs, or skips workouts—it becomes normal.

But: If you join a community of goal-setters, runners, or meditators, you’ll start adopting those behaviors too.

Key takeaway: Find a tribe that pulls you up, not down. If your current community doesn’t align with your goals, it’s time to switch teams.

3. The Powerful: Those with Status and Prestige

Ever wonder why people imitate celebrities? It’s not just about admiration—it’s about influence.

A study on social behavior found that people are more likely to copy those they perceive as successful or powerful.

Here’s an example James Clear gives: When a high-ranking waiter recommends a dish, diners are far more likely to order it than when a junior server does.

Why this group influences us: We subconsciously believe that mimicking successful people will make us successful too. This is why we listen to CEOs, athletes, and influencers.

But there’s a catch: Not all powerful figures set good examples. (Ever seen a successful person with terrible work-life balance?)

Key takeaway: Be careful who you put on a pedestal. Pick role models who embody both success and the peace you’re aiming for.

My Habits Changed Through Podcasts, Books, and Newsletters

I’ll be honest—my thinking, behaviors, and habits didn’t magically improve on their own.

I’m the product of the content I consume.

Podcasts from people like Tim Ferriss, Peter Attia, Sadhguru shifted how I approach productivity, health and peace.
Books like Atomic Habits reshaped my mindset around habits.
Newsletters I follow taught me how to think clearly and take action.

Even though I couldn’t always surround myself with successful entrepreneurs or productivity experts in person, I created that influence through what I fed my mind.

And it worked. (It still works.)

If you’re stuck in a place where your immediate surroundings feel limiting, remember this:
You can always change your influences by what you read, listen to, and watch.

“What About Exceptions?”

Now, I know what you are thinking:

“If this is true, then how do kids from bad neighborhoods still succeed?”
“Why do some people break free and create their own path?”

Here’s the thing: Yes, exceptions exist. But they’re called exceptions for a reason.

In most cases, people succeed because they either found a positive influence elsewhere or removed themselves from toxic surroundings.

Think about it. The kid who rises above poverty? Often, they had a mentor or role model who changed their path. Or they consumed content (books, podcasts, etc.) that reshaped their beliefs.

That’s where personal agency comes in. If you can’t control your physical surroundings, you can control your mental inputs.

Upgrade Your Circle

So, here’s your homework:

Take 15 minutes today.

Write down the three groups: The Close, The Many, The Powerful.

Now, ask yourself:

• Who’s currently influencing my life?

• Who inspires me to be better?

• Who am I imitating without realizing it?

And if needed—upgrade your circle.

(Because sometimes, success isn’t about working harder. It’s about being around people who make you better without even trying.)

That’s the real secret to peaceful growth.

Simple. Powerful. Game-changing.

Go apply it.

🚀 Growth Tip

Put Your Phone to Bed Before You Sleep

I was addicted to my phone.

Even after deleting social media, I still couldn’t put it down before bed. One more scroll. One more article. One last email check. And suddenly, 40 minutes were gone.

Then, I tried the simplest advice ever: Leave the phone outside the bedroom.

At first, it felt impossible.

(Like, why is this so hard? It’s just a piece of metal and glass!)

But after a month? I’m sleeping better (even with a 3-month-old!). Mornings feel calmer. I feel free.

Try it for a week.
No phone in the bedroom.

You’ll thank me later.

🤩 Inspiration

"On funerals, loss, grief, friendship, and support:

It's not about knowing what to say. It's about being there when nobody knows what to say. The only thing people need to hear is, "You are not alone." And that doesn't require words. It just requires your presence."⁠⁠

This quote by James Clear hits differently around Valentine’s Day.

Love isn’t just about grand gestures or the perfect words—it’s about showing up, especially in the hardest moments.

Sometimes, the most powerful way to say “I love you” is simply by being there. ❤️

[On a different note, here’s something I’m excited to share to help you boost your productivity and performance through better writing in 2025]

How Samir, an Engineer, Transformed His Career with One Skill

Samir wasn’t a writer. He was a software engineer, great at building things but struggled when it came to explaining ideas, pitching projects, or sharing updates.

After being passed over for a promotion, he realized something: It wasn’t his technical skills holding him back—it was his writing.

He signed up for a copywriting course, thinking it would help him write better emails. (It did that and more.)

In a few months, Samir’s emails were clear and persuasive. His project proposals got approved faster. He became the go-to person for internal presentations. And, yes—he finally got that promotion.

Why? Because writing is a meta-skill.

Whether you’re an engineer, designer, accountant, or manager, writing impacts everything. Emails, reports, pitches, presentations—good writing makes you more productive, more effective, and more valuable.

Here’s the good news: WRITING IS A SKILL. You don’t “have it”, you learn it.

If you can improve only one skill in 2025, make it writing.

I’ve spent over $5,000 on different writing courses, and out of all of them, I highly recommend CopyThat—an email-based copywriting course you can complete in just 30 minutes a day for 10 days.

✍🏻 Check it out here: CopyThat

👋 Until next time, Anil / CEO and Co-Founder of Multidots, Multicollab, and Dotstore.

May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴

More Ways to Learn + Grow

#1: Are you a founder (or dreaming of becoming one)? If you want actionable strategies to scale your agency to $10M, give Peaceful Growth a read.

#2: Work with WordPress or build on it? Check out WP for Enterprises —your backstage pass to how BILLION-DOLLAR websites run.

#3: I’ve sat down with founders who’ve grown their businesses from $500K to $10M. Want their playbook? Listen to the Peaceful Growth Podcast for insider tips on scaling up.