It's that T.I.M.E of the week again!

The newsletter that provides actionable life lessons to a wealthier, healthier, and happier future.

The Motivational Wave

We’ve all felt that sudden burst of energy, the "This is it, I’m turning my life around" kind of motivation. One moment you're pumped to start a new routine, sign up for a challenge, or reorganize your life… and the next? You're bingeing on Netflix and wondering where that energy went.

Here’s the thing: motivation is like a wave, it rises, crashes, and disappears.

It’s fickle.

So stop waiting for it to stay. Learn to ride it.

Picture this:

• The wave is your motivation.

• The surfboard is your action plan.

• And the moment that wave starts rising? That’s your shot.

You paddle hard when it’s building, start the habit, sign up for the class, prep your environment.

But what about when the wave flattens (and it will)? That’s where systems save you.
Because if you’ve built structure, like laying your gym clothes out the night before, or having a 10-minute morning ritual, you don’t need to feel inspired.

It just becomes apart of who you are and you just do the thing.

Why this matters?

If you only act when you're “in the mood,” you'll keep starting over.

But if you ride the wave and build a system, you'll stay consistent, even when you're not feeling it.

Try this!

• When you feel that surge of motivation: Just start. Ride the wave while it’s high.

• While you’re riding it, build something small that will carry you later:
  A trigger, a checklist, a routine, even a sticky note on the fridge.

• Think: “What will make this easy to do even when I’m tired or distracted?”

Surf the high, but build for the low.

Hit that reply button and let me know if this lesson was relatable for you!

“Being productive isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing less of what doesn’t matter, so you can make time for what does.” – Ali Abdaal

Ali Abdaal is a former doctor turned entrepreneur and YouTuber who built a multi-million-dollar business by mastering one key idea: how to intentionally trade time.

In this video, Ali breaks down exactly how he found 31 hours of free time per week while working full-time as a junior doctor. By auditing his 168 hours and making strategic sacrifices, he created space to grow his YouTube channel and business without burning out.

His message?

You don’t need superhuman discipline, you need clarity on what you're willing to give up.

Here are Some key takeaways:

• Time Audit = Power
  Ali mapped out how he spent every hour of his week and realized he had more time than he thought, he was just spending it unintentionally.

• Sacrifices Make Space
  He deliberately sacrificed:

  • Cooking (lived off ready meals and takeout)

  • Cleaning (outsourced it)

  • TV and entertainment (rarely watched alone)

  • Social media (limited to ~1 hour/day)

  • Dating/family life (he was single at the time)

  • Fitness (2 short gym sessions/week)

• Results: 31.4 hours of weekly free time
  That’s nearly a full extra workweek to build something meaningful. This is time most people unknowingly spend on chores, screens, or distractions.

• Double-Dipping
  He used commutes and lunch breaks to consume podcasts, audiobooks, and plan YouTube content, turning passive time into active learning.

• It’s Not About Hustle
  It’s about trade-offs. Where do your hours go, and what are you willing to sacrifice to change that?

• 168 Hours is the Great Equalizer
  We all get the same amount. The difference is how intentionally we choose to spend them.

Love that last takeaway. Absolute Banger.

Yikes!

My guide word for this year: Detachment.

Have a achieved it. Not Quiet.

This certainly helped trigger a different perspective though.

I really love reframes and mental models. They are like shortcuts for smarter thinking.

They help you make better decisions, avoid common traps, and see the world more clearly.

Here are two simple ones to start using this week:

Second-Order Thinking
Don’t just ask “What happens if I do this?”, ask “And then what?”
This kind of thinking helps you avoid short-term wins that lead to long-term problems.
Example: “If I skip my workout today… will I be more likely to skip tomorrow too?”

Inversion
Instead of asking “How do I succeed?”, flip it: “How could I fail?”
This model helps you spot blind spots by thinking in reverse.
Example: Want a good habit to stick? Ask: “What would make this fail?” Then remove that obstacle.

Do you use mental models in your life? Hit that reply button and let me know!

Ambitious Question

If my future self met me today, what advice would they give?

In case you missed this week’s newsletter, here’s what I shared:

TEACH – The Friction Principle – Don’t rely on willpower—make good habits easier and bad habits harder by designing smarter environments.

INSIGHTS – Why Nobody Can Read Anymore – Our focus is fractured by overstimulation, but we can retrain our brains to enjoy deep work again.

MOTIVATION – Act With Integrity – You are what you consistently do, so let your actions reflect your highest standards.

EXPLORE – Chinese Proverbs – Timeless one-liners that carry centuries of wisdom in just a few words.

Ambitious Question – When was the last time you did something for the first time?

Check it out here.

Feel free to share this if you gained any value from it. Feedback is also welcome.

THANKS FOR READING LEGENDS!