You're Not a Loser, You Just Need These Three Mini Wins a Day.

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It’s ironic that during my 9-5, the very process that a lot of people look down upon, I’m going through my Q3 development review.

Working for a big company means all these processes are necessary to push you.

I still see myself as a cog in the machine though.

I try to not let it kill my aspirations.

For example, the work I did at the start of the year was enough to make me quit, but I rode it out like a champion.

Now I see it as a blessing from Allah that I have more time within my workday to focus on my side hustles and multiple passions.

But oh the temptation.

“Sleep longer; you need rest.”

“Forget the thread writing; the new Bin Laden documentary is out.”

“You don’t need that shoulder session; the new season of Demon Slayer is waiting for you.”

You see the whispers I have to deal with?

As much as I hate the development reviews at work I understand that they're necessary, and they’ll feed into my growth outside of work too.

Just like the writing I’m doing now, the French and Arabic learning and the discipline from playing football multiple times a week, it’s all pieces of a puzzle contributing to the bigger picture.

So the ‘why’ is something I always talk about when doing things.

Extrinsic vs intrinsic motivations.

What do I mean by that? This is a snippet from one of the chapters of my digital product.

Everyone hates on the process of a 9-5, and sometimes rightly so.

Working for someone else, colleagues you may not get along with or the commute.

It can be endless.

However I look at what it’s done for me over the last three years.

I could have quit because no one is truly forcing me to work.

I look at it as a 50/50 balance of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations.

We have yearly goals to set e.g., utilising our volunteering allowance or hitting targets on projects. That can be seen as intrinsic.

But I get paid for it all, and sometimes recognition from peers or managers. We call that extrinsic.

So this is essentially my ‘why’ for my full time job, but this is a loose definition because society deems a full-time 9-5 for the next 40+ years is the norm, regardless of motivation.

Some don’t care about bettering themselves; they just need money to feed their family and pay the bills.

Others don’t care about their salary; they thrive in building relationships and connections.

Those who have found success in entrepreneurship understand that you have to have a mix of both.

If that’s you or you’ve dipped your toes into a side hustle or hobby where you’ve started from zero, you’ll understand the concept behind the three wins a day to succeed.

Most impactful individuals have their own personal goals to achieve, but saying " I only do it for the love of the game" can be an excuse to not push yourself to your full potential.

And only looking for external reward can be a slow burner towards killing the passion that once excited you.

I had the preconceived notion that selfish people only seek external rewards, but I’ve started to understand that it’s possible to balance intrinsic joy with extrinsic goals.

It’s having that balance in motivation to ignite the fire that makes you want to keep it burning.

I’ve failed at discipline many times, maybe more than people have tried.

Usually it’s a one and done for most people and tasks.

Most of what’s taught about discipline and consistency online is just for show on Instagram, but in reality it fails after the first few days.

Having small wins a day are essentially little habits to kickstart the efforts.

You’re not going to start off as the Serena Williams of your passions. It takes work to build up proficiency.

1. A Physical Win

No aesthetic chasing here.

This is all about keeping the body resilient so it’s strong enough to support your passions.

Who knows? I talk about my passions but you might require a physically able body for yours.

For rock climbing or scuba diving. The world is your oyster.

Understand that simple movement is key for a sharp mind, fueling discipline across all areas.

While I have a balance between intense cardio and heavy lifting with weights, my rest days consist of light walking.

It’s never truly a rest day as those are the days I still stay active and get the steps in.

Gotta move the body with purpose.

2. A Mental Win

There are so many elements of creativity possible for the human.

Reading, writing, creating, learning and drawing.

Yet you choose to scroll through reels daily or fixate for hours on your TV screen.

I tell a lot of people you never know what you’re capable of until you try, especially in the creative aspect.

Pick up that pencil; you might end up with a masterpiece.

You might have the craziest language learning method where you pick up new words and vocab with no effort (I’m not jealous)

I now pair this with frameworks to help with deep work sessions.

Your brain is too intricate to let it rot.

One deliberate session a day, even if it’s 15 minutes focusing on a form of learning or problem-solving, can help build momentum.

I started off so small it was almost impossible not to achieve.

With the amount of time we have in a day, you can’t tell me it’s not possible to do 10 pages of reading, a paragraph of writing, a sketch, 15 flashcards or even begin a chain for crocheting.

The small wins compound into expertise.

3. A Spiritual Win

Your purpose in life might mean you end up fixating on that and not seeing the bigger picture.

Chase success and look to help others, but don’t forget the reason we’re here on this earth.

As a Muslim, it’s to worship God and maintain the five pillars, the key foundations of being a Muslim.

A little reminder for you and me:

• Reciting the shahada: the declaration of faith and understanding that “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.”

• Salah (Prayer): Muslims are obligated to pray five times a day, facing the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca.

• Zakat (Almsgiving): This involves giving a portion of one's wealth to charity, supporting the poor and needy.

• Sawm (Fasting): Muslims fast during the month of Ramadan, abstaining from food and drink from dawn to sunset.

• Hajj (Pilgrimage): Able-bodied Muslims are expected to make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime.

I briefly spoke about this in my previously newsletter

https://liftlangleon.beehiiv.com/p/you-get-one-body-so-don-t-neglect-it-like-i-did

Even in a packed schedule, that spiritual win reminds you you’re not doing life alone.

You’re guided.

It also resets mental clarity and emotional resilience.

I’ve figured out the hard way that you can’t control every aspect and every process that you go through or want to go through.

Trying to implement reading the Quran daily into my schedule has allowed me to dive into certain teachings that mention the importance of maintaining a spiritual connection.

It's not about putting your faith in stars, astrology or stones.

You're not Thanos.

It's about understanding that we were born on this earth for a purpose more important than the constructs of society or the concept of money.

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The bottom line

Instead of trying to "do everything every day," the three wins allow you to hit all dimensions.

The correct type of balance.

Body, mind, and soul, with one aligned action each.

Too much of one thing can have a negative impact long-term.

But if you start your day looking to hit a small aspect of each of these, you'll find it's sustainable, flexible, and deeply energising.

Picture this, heartbreak, loss of a loved one or going through the motions.

For me, a workout is something that always fixes it.

You don't ever look back and feel worse after some movement.

The freedom and peace I feel on a football pitch is indescribable.

Humans crave reward from accomplishments.

I’m buzzing when that one Arabic sentence finally clicks, or I can remember a verb that took ages to get into my head.

We all go through varied emotions.

A few Quran verses or my Salah (prayer) gives me the clarity I need, understanding that everything is temporary, leaving it into the hands of the almighty.

Implement these into your daily routine and you’re ahead of 90% of the curve.

And it doesn’t need to be perfect.

I never advocate perfection.

If you're doing something badly, carry on.

It’s training your subconscious to understand that you are doing that thing.

A bad workout? You still worked out.

A bad study session? You still studied.

A bad prayer? You still prayed.

In the moment it might not feel like it, but you’re shaping your identity and it’s becoming a whole lot easier as you progress.

You have a body to mold.

A mind to build.

And a soul to nurture.

So this week's focus is on the one thing you can do for each element, even if it's 10 minutes a day.

Get used to life getting in the way and causing complications.

Once you’ve got your three wins established, it will help you through it all.

The resilence to come back for more.

If you have any questions or want to discuss the content you just read, feel free to reach out on Instagram @liftlangleon.

Break free from that negative paralysis.

Till next time, peace.

LiftLangLeon