The Blog of Himanshu Sachdeva
In our fast-paced lives, we often seek grand transformations. But what if the secret to lasting change lies in tiny, consistent actions? Enter micro-habits—the unsung heroes of personal growth. In this post, we’ll explore how these small shifts can yield significant results.
What Are Micro-Habits?
Micro-habits are mini-routines that take less than two minutes to complete. They’re easy to integrate into your day, yet their cumulative effect is profound. Examples include:
Hi Friends!
Greetings from Mumbai!
A new year is here – 2023!
Wishing you a very happy new year!
These past few weeks I spent some hours on reflecting on the year gone by, what did go well, what didn’t go well and what I could have done better. Yes! A yearly review it’s in the making. I’ll be publishing it pretty soon.
Did you spend any time in last few weeks – reflecting, resting and with family? If yes, then good. If no, then you might want to meditate on that and next year end around do this activity.
It brings you a lot of insights, so many things happen during the day that we just take for granted or simply forget, if you look back and reflect on the months gone by, you get to know, how much was done and what you could have done better.
I wanted to read some fiction and you won’t believe how good children books are, I follow a YouTube channel where an audio book – Matilda by Roald Dahl (a free audiobook link here) was recommended. The presenter had read this book in her childhood and now when her kid arrived she is reading it to her. But the book is so good, that she is also enjoying it. So I bought that book on my audible and started listening to it. To my surprise the book is read by Kate Winslet (yes! the Titanic one). I’ll give a review on this book in upcoming newsletters.
Anyway, without further adieu, here is this week’s Saturday-Pentacle. A list of things and ideas I found Interesting.
The Lingering of loss – The writer shares a beautiful story about her friend. When she died she left her laptop to her (the writer) in her will. Twenty years later, the writer turned it on and began her inquest.
Story worth reading.
Ali Abdaal’s video – How I failed in 2022 – Ali is one of my favourite YouTubers who really turned his passion into profession. This is the story of how he expanded his vision from his YouTube Channel to make himself a brand and then create multiple business out of it.
This is not exactly a failure which he is portraying, but rather a self reflection on how he could have done better in his business (spoiler alert he still made millions).
This is the video where who talked from his heart and shared a lot of insights. Really great video.
I’ve been doing weekly reviews from a long time but always wanted to make it a bit more structured, so while finding my footing back into Evernote in recent weeks, I stumbled upon a weekly review template which is GTD (Evernote link) process based. I’ve created an this Evernote link to share the same, in case you are interested to start your own Weekly Review process. It gives you structured ideas to do like –
Weekly Reviews are great for keeping up with your larger goals which span though months or years. Daily we cannot track something, but a week is a good enough unit of measurement towards those goals. So check out the weekly review template Evernote Link, if you are interested
Liam Porritt’s productivity desk setup – This lawyer’s productivity setup is pretty interesting, double monitors, collar bone speaker set (something new I found) and a lot more masterful productivity accessories.
A great video, check it out, if you are interested in productivity improvements too.
“We do not learn from experience…we learn from reflecting on experience.”
― John Dewey
Until Next Saturday!
Thanks for supporting and reading.
Himanshu
PS. – I’m on Twitter and Instagram. Follow for regular tidbits.
Hi Friends!
Greetings from Mumbai!
Here is this week’s Saturday-Pentacle. A list of things and ideas I found Interesting.
Real advice on running in the dark – Coach Bennett – I have known Coach Bennett from the Nike Plus Running App which has helped me a lot in training on my runs. I have learned that he writes quite a lot.
Recently he started writing on substack as a blog. This article is about advice on running in the dark (low light), some really insightful and useful advice and tips. Check it out.
I generally use Todoist for my personal and creative work life for planning and executing tasks and projects.
I stumbled upon this Todoist setup video (setup = a process used by this person, in this context).
I’ve started using this setup/process for the past few days and it’s really effective to see your objectives and focus areas for the day.
Check it out! you may find it valuable.
I recently read this framework which I found really useful. It was created by McKinsey & Company. The framework is for building trust.
They deconstruct it into four components:
Steven Sinofsky on Aarthi and Shriram’s podcast – This episode really insightful. Steven was a leader in Microsoft for a long time and has worked on many popular Microsoft products like – Windows and Office etc.
He writes a lot and that skill has served him pretty well.
He has led large teams (like 20000 people), which is mind-boggling.
Great episode and a lot of between-the-lines learning from an experienced leader.
“When a person can’t find a deep sense of meaning, they distract themselves with pleasure.”
– Viktor Frankl
Until Next Saturday!
Thanks for supporting and reading.
Himanshu
PS. – I’m on Twitter and Instagram. Follow for regular tidbits.
Hi Friends!
Greetings from Mumbai!
Last week started out great for me, a bit peaceful, but then towards the mid of the week, chaos again started to pour in. Then suddenly it started to feel like, firefight mode. But all well, which ends well.
Learning from the last week –
It’s good to help the business counterparts on things that matter, but not so good when they start to pull up stunts on you with the information they got from you. Then you need to take charge and confront them as well. Stand for yourself. As I learned from a Jordan Peterson quote –
You have to be Dangerous, but that doesn’t mean you need to pose threats out of control. Being dangerous means having control over your actions but your countparty should have that fear that this man could be dangerous, if I mess with him.
On another note – I’m also learning more about cloud-based applications and migrations to modern architecture. It’s becoming fun and interesting.
As this month I got into a new year of my life (yes it is the birthday month for me), I’ve been contemplating letting certain things go, material things, I’ve been clinging on to. As you move further, things accumulate and until you get rid of some stuff you don’t need, you can’t make space for meaningful things.
Moving on – I’ve bought the maximum number of books this month in this entire year (I think 7+ books). I’m really excited about a few of the books I’m going to read in the coming months.
My note-taking has also been improving, which is more to do with the process, rather than the tools I was using. But let me tell you something, if you fix the tools you gonna use for your note-taking, it lessens the decision fatigue when you are actually doing the process. I think the last 2 months have been when I took the maximum number of notes, since the 2013-16 period when I really started out with blogging and writing. It’s been fun to rediscover the knowledge I had, resurfacing it and reconnecting to it.
I’ve been reducing my consumption of Instagram, with this iPhone app/trick (inspired by Ali Abdaal’s YT Shorts video) (it’s annoying sometimes, but it has reduced my Instagram usage from 100% to merely 15% (in terms of the number of hours per week).
So that’s it from my last week’s reflections.
Without further adieu, here is this week’s Saturday Pentacle consisting of things and ideas I found Interesting last week.
This Person Does Not Exist – In past years deep fake images or videos have been surfacing which in many cases have notoriously put the victims of the deep fakes in shambles.
You won’t believe how believable these deep fakes have become. Check out this site to see the persons who do not exist.
The Denial of Death – I don’t know why few books where the author is talking about death, to be more precisely their own foreseen death, are so intriguing and gripping to me always. It shows me how their perspective shifts around the time when they are thrown up against death. A race they slowly realize they can’t win, then how they start living mindfully knowing each moment counts.
This book will surely make you rethink your own fears and insecurities.
Side note – This book won the Pulitzer prize in 1974.
In the Library with Kristen Stewart – Kristen Stewart (Stew + Art – I just made up that name breakdown) – as she was usually identified with Twilight saga movies, but when I read more and more about her, I got to know, how outstanding an actor she is and how she is obsessed with stories.
In this video, she shares her literary side and her passion for literature.
“No Help for that” a poem by Charles Bukowski from the book “You Get So Alone at Times That it Just Makes Sense” (got the reference of it from above Kristen Stewart video itself)
There is a place in the heart that will never be filled a space. And even during the best moments and the greatest times we will know it, we will know it more that ever. There is a place in the heart that will never be filled and we will wait and wait in that place.
An idea kept private is as good as one you never had.
— Taking smart notes
Until Next Saturday!
Thanks for supporting and reading.
Himanshu
PS. – I’m on Twitter and Instagram. Follow for regular tidbits.
Hi Friends!
Greetings from Mumbai!
It’s been a while since I published this newsletter. Life gets in the way. Other critical things became priorities. But I’m glad to be able to make it back here.
Even though I’ve not been publishing this newsletter. but I’m writing consistently in private or publishing short writings on my Twitter.
In the past few months, I’ve become passionate about smart note-taking and how to better capture and retain what we consume. So you’ll be having more and more coming in this newsletter as I’m trying to make better notes from the books I read, videos I consume and conversations I have.
So here is to a few start for my weekly newsletter and the weekly review exercise.
Without further adieu, Here is this week’s Saturday-Pentacle. A list of things and ideas I found Interesting.
Nathaniel Drew – He and his YouTube channels have been a constant source of inspiration for me. His perspective and how he turns those ideas into beautiful pieces of art videos. Wow. It’s just mind-boggling. You can see that in the video I shared as the next bullet in this newsletter.
Here’s his YouTube Channel and Twitter.
Success ≠ Happiness – In this video Nathaniel shares his perspective and his friends’ perspective on happiness and how it is not connected with success.
Here is a snippet from the video to get you curious –
Success is synonymous with our career. But you could be really unsuccessful in your career but you could be a successful Father. So you need to meditate on which area you want to be successful at.
– Eric Tabach
You – Gabe Coulter – I got referred to this song from Ali Abdaal’s Spotify wrap 2022 and I instantly loved it.
Tim Ferriss Podcast with Roland Griffiths – This was such a great episode. Tim is sounding drunk on wine and having a conversation with Roland who is terminally ill. But it doesn’t sound anywhere like a pity conversation. So many great nuggets and funny moments in this conversation.
Don’t get frustrated with someone who YOU didn’t tell properly WHAT to do.
Better delegation comes from better SOP documentation and timely check-ins.
— one of my mentors
Until Next Saturday!
Thanks for supporting and reading.
Himanshu
PS. – I’m on Twitter and Instagram. Follow for regular tidbits.
Hi Friends!
Greetings from Mumbai!
Here is this week’s Saturday-Pentacle. A list of things and ideas I found Interesting.
A Simple Way to Map Out Your Career Ambitions – This HBR article is really powerful and can help you put on the course to success in your career.
From where you currently are in your career and life, to where you want to be in your career and life.
This thread from Wes on giving feedback is old but I stumbled upon it recently and found it to be quite insightful and practically useful.
CYMATIC Frequencies – This video is just spectacular, I’m so glad the internet connects you with such things which take you back to the first principles of nature. Sound and Science and how they converge into each other.
Matt Mullenweg and Tim Ferriss episode from Antarctica – This episode was such an in depth look into how Matt and Tim’s though process works.
The conversation goes from the insignificance of humans (compared to the universe and yet how they are making this life worth living) to how death of Matt’s father changed the way he thought about many of the things.
The sincerity of the conversation is like having a deep conversation with a close friend. I think that’s what is the relation between Matt and Tim and hence this came out this way.
Really interesting episode, especially if you are curious about existence, life paths and curiosity about the unknown.
“Rest at the end, not in the middle”
— Kobe Bryant
Until Next Saturday!
Thanks for supporting and reading.
Himanshu
PS. – I’m on Twitter and Instagram. Follow for regular tidbits.
Hi Friends!
Greetings from Mumbai!
Here is this week’s Saturday-Pentacle. A list of things and ideas I found Interesting.
COVID variant BA.2 drives case surge worldwide – We thought that with the Omicron variant the third wave has gone by, but now new cases are surging (as of writing it in mid of March 22). New variant BA.2, a sub-lineage of Omicron, is making up nearly a quarter of new COVID infections in the United States. It’s also leading high number of new cases worldwide.
The HT article shares the information shared by WHO. Read up and keep yourself updated.
This thread – Story of RTFKTstudios sell to Nike for millions by @gregisenberg is really insightful.
This new Crypto, NFT – Metaworld is mind-boggling most of the time.
When I first heard about Nike buying a company that was selling digital sneakers for the meta verse, blew my mind. This story by Greg takes that even further.
Nonviolent Communication by Marshall B. Rosenberg. – This book is one of the books where I went in with a very low expectation and came out with life-changing perspectives.
In this book, Dr Rosenberg explains the ways of non-violent communication. Not just actions but even our communication can be violent. How to course correct from that place, this book guides on that.
Check it out, a great and pragmatic read, which you can apply in your life easily to make yourself better.
Become Undefeatable – This video explores the origins of Stoicism and how they can be applied today as well –
P.S.: I didn’t know the word cosmopolitan was invented by early stoic philosophers and it means “the citizen of the world”.
A lot of wisdom explained in one single video.
“There’s no shame in losing money on a stock. Everybody does it. What is shameful is to hold on to a stock, or worse, to buy more of it when the fundamentals are deteriorating.”
— Peter Lynch
Until Next Saturday!
Thanks for supporting and reading.
Himanshu
PS. – I’m on Twitter and Instagram. Follow for regular tidbits.
Hi Friends!
Greetings from Mumbai!
Here is this week’s Saturday-Pentacle. A list of things and ideas I found Interesting.
Die with zero – This article from Khe Hy (from radreads.co) talks about the book Die with zero and the philosophy it talks about – If you die with > zero then you failed at fully optimizing your life.
It resonates with me. That whatever impact you want to have on the world why you want to think about leaving a legacy when you are gone? Do it while you are alive. You want to work on climate change? Work on it right now.
There is a concept from the stoic philosophy called memento mori which literally means inevitability of death. This whole Die with zero concept works around memento mori.
9 short rules for a better life – Ryan Holiday shares these 9 rules from stoic philosophy, I resonate with all of them.
This thread by Wes Kao on maximizing your reading experience was like a course correction in the way I read.
Check it out.
What are smart contracts in Crypto? – Very well explained concept of Smart Contracts. This video also explains smart contracts in context of crypto. Also their fundamental properties –
Great video from Whiteboard Crypto to get started with Smart Contracts.
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”
— Lao Tzu
Until Next Saturday!
Thanks for supporting and reading.
Himanshu
PS. – I’m on Twitter and Instagram. Follow for regular tidbits.
Hi Friends!
Greetings from Mumbai!
Here is this week’s Saturday-Pentacle. A list of things and ideas I found Interesting.
Issue 213 // Week 10 // 2022
An article I found interesting —
Yuval Noah Harari argues that what’s at stake in Ukraine is the direction of human history – This economist article by Yuval Noah Harari shares his perspective on the Ukraine crisis and how it might be the pivoting point of human history.
He talks about how in recent decades peace has become “the implausibility of war”.
He also shares that the decline of war didn’t result from a divine miracle or from a change in the laws of nature. It resulted from humans making better choices.
A good piece. Check it out.
A poetry page which I’m loving —
WhitneyHansonPoetry – Her modern-day daily life poetry is just amazing. She’s even coming up with her book of poetry. A recent poetry reel on her Instagram –
A Tweet thread I found fascinating —
This thread by Bijan Hosseini was a window into what’s happening to the refugees coming to neighbour countries from Ukrain. Facing, racism, freezing temperatures, injuries, infinite waiting.
Go ahead and read this thread where he shares the story of his adopted sister’s journey to reach Poland.
A video I found interesting —
Tripping on the world’s oldest psychedelic – I’ve been watching Hamilton (from vice) Pharmacopeia for last couple of years. The Toad venom episode was one of my favourites.
This specific video shows tripping on one of the world’s oldest psychedelics
P.S.: I don’t endorse psychedelic intake and this content is just for information purpose.
Quote which I found meaningful –
“Growing up in a particular neighbourhood, growing up in a working-class family, not having much money, all of those things fire you and can give you an edge, can give you an anger.”
— Gary Oldman
Until Next Saturday!
Thanks for supporting and reading.
Himanshu
PS. – I’m on Twitter and Instagram. Follow for regular tidbits.
Saturday-Pentacle // Issue 213 // Week 10 // 2022
Hi Friends!
Greetings from Mumbai!
Here is this week’s Saturday-Pentacle. A list of things and ideas I found Interesting.
Issue 212 // Week 9 // 2022
A book I’m reading —
The Making of a Manager – I’ve was introduced to this book from an email or video (not sure which) by Ali Abdaal.
This book is written by Julie Zhuo who is famous in the Silicon Valley circles. She started her career with Facebook and worked along with Mark and Sheryl as well.
But this book is no fluff, it’s pretty intimate story of her journey from being thown into a manager position and how she managed to be come a great one.
As quoted by her –
Good managers are made, not born.
I’m midway through this book in two sittings, It’s that interesting. Plus I’m able to relate many portions with where I am in my career right now.
My recent LinkedIn post —
Disruptive Innovation Vs Traditional incremental change – In this micro essay, I explored how Disruptive Innovation being different from Traditional incremental change can still coincide.
A Tweet thread I loved —
This thread by Joe Speiser was fire. After reading this I also started re-evaluating my entire investment strategy.
It’s full of how insights and strategy (especially cigar butts strategy).
A podcast episode I loved —
Minting Billionaires and the Religion of Bitcoin with Meltem Demirors – The title of the episode sounds too lucrative to be true, doesn’t it?
But when you start digging in and find how deep Meltem is in this crypto ecosystem and how knowledgeable she is, it starts turning into a really really interesting podcast episode.
Loved the episode.
Quote which I found meaningful –
Trust allows relationships to compound. When you don’t have to re-evaluate people or worry about protecting yourself all the time, you go both further and faster with less anxiety and stress.
– @ShaneAParrish
Until Next Saturday!
Thanks for supporting and reading.
Himanshu
PS. – I’m on Twitter and Instagram. Follow for regular tidbits.
Saturday-Pentacle // Issue 212 // Week 9 // 2022