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Day 4: Snooze, but Don’t Lose

DISCLAIMER: DO NOT READ ANYTHING IN BRACKETS OR IN RED TEXT, THAT'S A BIT OUT OF CONTEXT USUALLY MY MIND OFF RAMPING. (SOMETIMES IT'S GENUINE LINKS TO ARTICLES WITH MORE INFO SO READ AND CLICK IT).

So, confession time: I snoozed my alarm this morning. Just once 10 minutes. But let me tell you, those 10 minutes felt like a full-blown negotiation between me, myself, and that warm cocoon of blankets. When the alarm went off again at 3:40, I was this close to hitting snooze for round two. Surprisingly enough the snooze button is relatively big and bright, which is very behaviour really if you ask me. 


I mean, just look at it 😒. Like who designed this? My finger hovered over the button, and then it hit me, No, no, why am I doing this? This is not part of the agreement.

And just like that, I threw the covers off, swung my legs over the side of the bed, and sat there, letting my brain catch up with my decision. The deal was made, 3:30 a.m. wake-ups are the new normal. We don’t snooze our way out of this.  This is what we do now. 

Winning the Day, Even After a Snooze

Now, some might argue that snoozing is a sign of weakness. "Tu dormis, tu perdis" - Paul Beatty  (Extract from the Paul's book The Sellout, great book by the way you should check it out. And that phrase simply translates to you snooze you lose). But for today let's just call it a strategic delay. Sure, I slipped up, but I didn’t let it derail me. Instead, I used those 10 minutes to reaffirm my commitment. Because here’s the thing: the journey isn’t about perfection; it’s about progress.

By 4:05, I was back at my desk, coffee brewing, and those small wins were already lining up:

  • Bed made? Check.
  • EMP? Check ( I will get you acquainted with what that is in the later series) 
  • Macbook open? Check
  • Coffee in hand? Check.
  • Alarm clock officially forgiven? Check.



The Power of the Reset

What I’m learning through this process is that every day offers a reset button. Didn’t stick to the plan perfectly? No big deal champ reset and keep going. They say life has no reset button, yet every day we wake up to a fresh start, different from the one before. It’s like resetting a phone, the screen goes dark for a moment, only to light up again. Similarly, the day fades into darkness, but inevitably, the light returns. The victory lies in showing up, not in being flawless. It’s like those first awkward push-ups when you start working out. They don’t look great, but you’re still doing them, and that counts.

Humor in the Hustle

Let’s be real: 16-year-old me would find all of this hilarious. Waking up before the birds? Voluntarily? He’d probably laugh and go back to sleep. But the older, wiser me knows better. These early mornings, these tiny wins they’re laying the foundation for something bigger.

And hey, there’s humor in the hustle. Like the fact that I now celebrate brushing my teeth as if I’ve unlocked a new level in a video game. It’s the small victories that keep the momentum going, even when the alarm feels like an enemy.

Let’s Keep It Moving

Today’s mission? Keep stacking those wins. Whether it’s tackling a small task, taking a moment to breathe, or resisting the siren call of the snooze button tomorrow, every little action matters.

Because this is what we do now. Small wins, big momentum. Let’s go.

References: https://www.goodreads.com

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