BC LIFE LESSONS
Saved by @Shubham51ngh

My Productivity Hacks

A thread...

 Productivity Hack #1
Not try to remember anything

I consciously and obsessively try to NOT remember things.
So that my mind dispenses the least amount of energy in remembering tasks or even context.
Hence, I carry a notebook with me always.
I take notes like a school student
I put tasks in a calendar
I send myself emails in the future

My mind's energy should be spent in thinking.
Not remembering!
Productivity Hack #2
Document EVERYTHING!

At any point I have 3 notebooks
1. Ideas
2. Todos lists for the day
3. Meeting notes

And I write down things.

Writing helps tell the brain that this is important.
And it helps me not "try and remember" anything.
Productivity Hack #3
I put everything on a calendar

My calendar is my lifeline.
Everything is on my calendar.
Bills to pay, birthdays to remember, threads to write, weekly routines.
This is my calendar screenshot for next week.

50%+ of my waking time goes towards things that are important, but not urgent! :)
Productivity Hack #4
I schedule emails to myself, for the future

There are so many things that interest me, that it becomes important to prioritize.
And for me prioritization is about scheduling.

Future emails serve that purpose.
For instance, this is an email I had sent to myself last Nov. This is SO powerful.
I don't have to add this to my mental bandwidth.
I schedule it for a time when I think I will have the bandwidth.
If I don't - no sweat - I snooze it!
Productivity Hack #5
Using technology for everything possible

There are a lot of tasks that suck your time, but do not make you move forward.
Consider using technology to solve for them.
Simple things such as template replies for your emails (see attached), managing your calendar (I use @xdot), setting recurring emails (I use @baydin), organizing my thoughts (I use @NotionHQ)
Productivity Hack #6
Sharing my calendar with my wife

I kid you not, this is a game changer.
She has 100% access, so she can add, edit and delete things from my calendar.
So I do not have to think about anything, when it comes to family events, birthdays, or even things she wants me to do.

She simply adds it to my calendar.

Productivity MAX!
Productivity Hack #7
The WhatsApp self group

Create a group on WhatsApp with someone else.
Once done, delete that someone else.
Now it's just you in the group.
Pin that Group to the top.
And use it for easy sharing and access.
I have 2 such groups
1. Docs/Images
Which is where I store my important images (PAN Card, License Copy, passport copy etc) and documents for each access (tickets etc)

2. Thoughts
Which I use to just type something on the run, or click something, or record/shoot something
Productivity Hack #8
Afternoon nap

I grew up in a home where Ma insisted we sleep for an hour after lunch.
I guess that's just stayed.
Then I remember going to China and Korea and saw that in offices too, there was a culture of an afternoon nap (heads down on the table)
Never implemented it in nearbuy, but did implement it personally.

I used to grab 15 mins of a power nap while in office. And since stepping down from nearbuy, I have tried to get in an hour.
My daughter and I sleep together. Nothing feels better :)
Productivity hack #9
Setting the right environment

I never work from my bed, always on a table.
I never read lying down, always on a chair.
I never eat while watching something.
I never work in a dark room. Always natural light.
Even something as basic as, while WFH, do change into "office attire" while working and not work in your PJs - subconsciously tricks your mind to get into the zone!

Do not underestimate your surrounding, while trying to create flow!
Productivity hack #10
Create sensory hooks for what is important (not what is urgent)

As a species, our senses have evolved, to work for us. What we see, smell, touch, hear and taste, drives almost all of our reactions.
I use my senses, to drive action.
Keep your phone in another room, while sleeping.
Place your dumb-bells right next to your bed
Keep the book where you can see it easily
Set your alarm to that song that lifts you up
Apply your favorite deo/perfume when starting the day

These things work!
As the world progresses, it is getting easier to slump into laziness and feel lethargic
And it is getting equally easier to life yourself out of slumber and get moving.

It is frankly a matter of intent.
Not capability anymore.
Not even access.
The human mind is conditioned to feel happy and fulfilled, while making progress.

Set your life in such a manner that you measure this progress.
Even a tiny improvement in your productivity will yield results overtime.
https://t.co/RSGMvBlYcK
Focus on being productive instead of busy.

@tferriss
And we are back to the start

https://t.co/ZksfZlaxov

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Ten 90-day challenges for your mind, body and soul.

A thread...

1: Structured thinking

Our mind is buzzing with thoughts.
But when we start speaking, we fail to structure them.

What is needed, is a way to pace our thoughts.

That is where writing helps.

Writing is the slowest form of expression.
When we write, we are not just thinking about what we wish to communicate, we are also selecting the most important thought from all other thoughts.

Write everyday for 90-days.
And always conclude with a "This tells me that ________"

2. Confident speaking

We get conscious when it comes to public speaking.
Even if we are confident of the content.

Record a video of yours for 90-days, on ANY topic.

Do not share it with anyone.
Review it, identify improvements and correct them the next day.

3. Sugar craving

Whenever you feel like having sugar, drink a glass of water and then have sugar-free chewing gum.

Water fills your stomach.
Gum satiates your sugar craving.
Because you are chewing it, you can't have anything else.

90days and you won't crave for sugar anymore.
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25 immensely powerful life hacks.

A thread...

1. When speaking to others, try and notice the color of their eye balls.

This will maintain eye contact without you feeling awkward.
While making them feel heard.

2. Send emails to your future self.

It could be a task, a prediction, a thought. Compose the email and schedule send it for sometime later.

It is joyful when we have forgotten about something and then hear from our own selves.

3. Do not try to remember anything!

Write everything down.
Put things on a calendar.
Create a to-do list.
Use a notes app.

We over-estimate our ability to remember things!

4. Predict your future (and then laugh about it)

Every birthday, write down 2-3 predictions for yourself, for the next year.

And then next birthday, go through them.

Over 3-5 years you will be amazed at how inaccurate your predictions were!
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10 ways I am running my current startup differently from the ones before

A thread...

Difference #1
Bootstrapped as against raising money

https://t.co/RKWB3KfMZt was a venture funded company. We raised $43Mn from top investors, but I couldn’t give them a return that I would be proud of. In the process, learning how raising money works but also doesn’t work

My current startup is bootstrapped.
I do not intend to raise money for it.
It has been profitable from Day 1 and that is the way I hope it remains.

I have raised money from customers.

Difference #2
Slow and small

For the past decade, I was in the mode of fast and big.
Being fast was the only thing that mattered.
And you either go big or go home.

Today, I am taking it slow.
Slow to add costs, slow to take decisions that are irreversible.

I am patient because all good things in life take time!
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My top books I read in 2020

A thread...

Almanack of Naval Ravikant
What a stunning and thoughtful compilation of @naval's work and words.
I predict that this is going to define a new industry - curating public content of thought leaders and converting them into

Waking Up: Search for spirituality without religion
@SamHarris provoked me through this book and offered me, an atheist, a lot to think about.
Pick up his works!

Psychology of Money
My most awaited book of this year, since the day @morganhousel announced his book.
A must read for all ages, especially those in their 20s.

I predict this to reach levels of "Rich Dad Poor Dad" over the next 10

Courage to be disliked
What a stunner! Challenges most of our tightly-held beliefs and I found myself nodding more often than not through the book.

Not for the
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Ankur Warikoo
@warikoo
No one is going to do it for you

A thread...

As a founder, if you won't show up every single day, despite how you are feeling, or how the startup is doing or what the press is writing about you, or your cofounders not working out, or your product failing or your customers shouting

No one is going to do it for you

As a student, if you won't do things that scare you, that make you feel nervous, that challenge you, that intimidate you, that you have always wanted to do but never gathered the courage to

No one is going to do it for you

In your first job, if you are not going to make an effort to know how things have happened before and why, to meet new people, to seek help, to ask for feedback, to be patient with results, to not seek "impact" in the first month itself

No one is going to do it for you

If as a son/daughter you are not going to realize what your parents went through while growing up, that they want the same things from your life that you want for your self, that their path is different but there are reasons why

No one is going to do it for you
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The art of cold emailing

A thread...

Cold emailing is the act of sending an email (or a DM) to someone who doesn’t know you (hence the word, cold!)

Every day I get 300+ emails, most from those I do not know, and a shocking number of them are poorly written.

Here are 10 things that work for emails that I reply to

1. A different (but not aggressive) subject line

Ask yourself, what is the most likely subject line that EVERYONE will tend to write.
And then DO NOT write that.

What works?
Personalization (I think Vidur and Uzma will love this)
Intrigue (This is when I first saw you)

What doesn’t work?
Common themes (Seeking investment; Job application)
Aggression (Your content sucks - true story btw. It was used only to catch attention)
Buzzwords (AI/ML startup by Stanford founder)

2. The salutation

It is crazy how this small thing is so impactful.
How do you start your email?

Hi Ankur / Hey Ankur / Good Morning Ankur / Dear Mr. Warikoo etc

Adding harmless emoticons helps (😊)
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1. It's OK to Fail

Bezos helped develop the Fire Phone, one of Amazon's worst failures.

And yet, the Fire Phone led to one of Amazon's biggest successes: Alexa.

“If you want to be inventive, you have to be willing to fail.” @JeffBezos

2. Be Uncomfortable

Before founding Amazon, Bezos worked on Wall Street.

Yet, he left his comfort zone to start an online business.

In 1994, building an online business was incredibly risky.

"One of the only ways to get out of a tight box is to invent your way out" @jeffbezos

3. Your Actions Define You

You are born with strengths and weaknesses.

What you do is what ultimately defines who you are.

It is not your ability that defines you, but your actions and choices.

"It's not an experiment if you know it's going to work" @jeffbezos

4. Embrace Criticism

If someone you trust gives you feedback, decide if their criticism is right.

If yes, then change and stop resisting.

Candid feedback is your ticket to true growth.

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23 lessons I learned on my path from $0 to $2M in 8 years

// THREAD

1. “Play long term games with long term people” @naval

Anything that provides instant gratification is probably bad for you and your wealth.

Anything that provides delayed gratification is likely good for you.

There’s no such thing as “get rich quick” or “overnight success”

2. “Focus on the $10K+ questions, not the $5 ones.” @ramit

Spend time focusing on the big decisions like asset allocation & building good credit rather than the $5 Starbucks decisions.

Set an hourly rate for yourself.

Outsource everything that’s under that rate to save time.

3. Invest early and often. Time in the market > timing the market

Consistency is the name of the game.

Automate everything.

Sometimes investing can be boring and that’s a good thing.

Early on, investing more and often is far more important than yield or portfolio performance.

4. Learn to avoid lifestyle inflation.

You really do need less than you think, trust me.

Get out in nature, and you’ll see.

Freedom + time are worth much more than nice cars and clothes.

Keep your lifestyle flat even as you get promoted and make more.

Invest the difference.
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1) Every tax loophole I know.

No sales. Pure content.

If you appreciate my stuff, push this huge thread.

I’m tired of stalling at 9k.

If this group gets big enough, I could do so much more for you.

RT! Like! Tell your mother! Let’s go!!!

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2) Pre-loopholes

Make sure tax is part of your wealth strategy.

How much of your income you keep matters even more than how much you make.

Tax is your largest expenses. Tattoo that on your wallet because it’s the truest thing you’ll read today.

3) Almost any expense can be deductible.

I’ve written threads on deducting your vacation. Even getting paid to go on vacation.

If you are speaking money and it relates to a profit motive, there is a good chance you can deduct it. Start capturing these expenses for analysis.

4) One of the easiest ways here - have a business reason you are taking your vacation. Maybe for a rental property. Maybe for a retreat. Maybe for recruiting.

It needs to be four house per day of your non travel days, but that isn’t that hard.

5) Burn in your brain that paying more tax than you should doesn’t make you a better person (or worse if you find ways to save).
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9 biggest business lessons

I built a 7 figure business with 0 experience

I went from being dirt broke to running a company that feeds 250 families.

Here are the 9 biggest business I've learned along the way

(Hint: you won't find any of this in any MBA curriculum)

//Thread//

Quick PSA:

When it comes to business

Karma is real

The value you give will 10x the wealth you keep

With that in mind

If you get value from this thread, please share the karma by retweeting ☝ tweet above 🙏

Let's get your business started with Lesson # 1 👇👇

Lesson # 1 Never give up

When I first started I had $0 in my pocket.

I was so broke I had to use the wifi from a nearby coffee shop just to check my emails.

I knocked on 100s of doors and got 100s of "No" and sent 100s of cold emails.

9-5? Mon-Fri?

Don't make me laugh.

It's more like 9am-9pm (often more), 7 days a week

Building a business is a FULL TIME gig.

No different to raising kids.

Because money NEVER sleeps.

You can relax a little once you're established but when you're building?

Be prepared to GRIND and never give up

Next ... 👇

Lesson # 2 You can't do it all yourself

Reason #1313 why business degrees are bullsh!t.

They will teach you about things like "business plans" but they won't teach you practical tips like delegation.

Look.

Building a business is CHAOTIC

One day you're killing it and the...
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