Put your-self in uncomfortable situations
Written on: 19th April 2025
Hiking With Strangers
Last weekend (12th April 2025) I did something very out of character - I signed up for a hike with 52 complete strangers. No backup plan. Just a mountain, my body, and a bunch of people I have never met.
I had always told myself I’d start with beginner treks and build up slowly. But last week, something in me said, “F**k it. Let’s go.”
It was one of Ireland’s tougher trails. The first hour was brutal. My legs hurt. My lungs were screaming. Every step forward, my brain screamed, “You can turn around now, no one will judge.”
But I didn’t. Two hours later, I reached the summit — and it wasn’t just the view that blew my mind. It was the realization that my body is capable of so much more than I give it credit for.
And when you achieve something physically difficult — when you push your limits the feeling is unreal. That inner voice that says “you’re not strong enough” goes quiet. And a louder one takes its place: “You did that.”
That hike reminded me of two things:
1. You find your tribe not by sitting indoors, but by showing up in places where growth happens. I mean come on, no one’s gonna knock your door and ask - hey do you wanna join me?
2. We spend so much time optimizing our schedules, but forget to explore the outer edges of our physical potential.
I’ve decided to start running. I did some action too. I completed a 5K Monday 14th April week (in 40 mins — not great, but a start). And I’ve committed to doing a half marathon soon.
Also, I’ve been watching Daniel Dalen’s video on running a marathon without training. It’s chaos. I love it. This is what got me pumped before the trek. Was watching it the night before the trek.
This Quarter’s Obsession: Health > Everything
I’ve realized that I love Ireland. But also… winter here is dark, gloomy, and at times unbearable. Hence I am planning to maximise the longer days (11pm sunsets) before the winter depression kicks in and I start doubting all of my decisions.
Anyways, the cold plunge + hikes + 5Ks have made me feel more alive than anything else ever did.
Also, random tangent:
I want good stories to tell my kids.
Stories I created. Not my parents’. Not anyone else’s.
Because one day, when my kids ask: “What was your life like?”
I want them to look up to me - and not my dad’s story about how he went to the college barefoot with a mesh bag for books.
Top of the world quite literally
The Feeling of Falling Behind
This quarter hasn’t gone as planned.
In 2022, I moved to Ireland. By the “ideal” timeline I should be having a (Stamp 4) by the end of 2024. But due late company sponsorship, and life doing its thing I’m a year behind.
That’s where the feeling of being “behind” starts.
Because we tie our worth to timelines.
“I should’ve done this by now.”
“I was supposed to be there already.”
But the truth is: I can’t move forward while looking backward.
So I’ve been focusing on this:
Acknowledge the delay. Accept it. Then move forward.
There’s nothing else you can do. PERIOD
Numbers and Goals
I stumbled across this fascinating video recently comparing lifestyles at different income levels - €25k, €40k, €100k, €1M, and €25M per year. It really made me think: what do I actually want from life?
For me, I realized something important: I need to be clear about my number.
My number is $1 million/year.
Not because I want luxury cars or a mansion (though a Porsche wouldn’t hurt), but because the impact I want to have requires it. I’m dreaming of building an education system that creates people who are not just skilled, but well-mannered and respectful. A community with real values.
Plus taking care of my parents, myself, and having the freedom to pursue physical health without financial constraints.
What’s your number? I’m genuinely curious what figure would make you content. $100k? $500k? $10M? Drop me a reply I’d love to know.
First 5km run in my life
Again, I want to touch base on our goals
Our goals list probably looked something like this in Jan:
Get X job
Get 5K YouTube subs
Pay off loan
Get Stamp 4 in Ireland
Run 4x/week
Eat clean, 10k steps, etc.
And here’s the thing… some of it is happening. Some isn’t.
That’s life.
But you know when it stings the most?
When you see others doing it.
I open LinkedIn.
“Promoted to Senior Manager!”
“Just landed a job at Google!”
“Completed 10 years in Europe — now getting a second passport.”
You’re happy for them. Really.
But a voice whispers: “Why am I still here?”
This is where I learned about Mimetic Desires
The Trap of Mimetic Desires
Here’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot: how much of what I want is actually what I want?
There are two types of “borrowed desires” in my life:
1. Celebrity-inspired - When Shah Rukh Khan flashes that luxury watch or Virat Kohli with his One8 or WROGN, a part of me immediately wants it too. But do I really want a Rolex, or am I just programmed to desire it because someone I admire has it? (The Porsche though? Yeah, I genuinely want that!)
2. Peer-influenced - This one hits harder. When a friend or LinkedIn connection gets promoted to Senior Manager or posts about their 7-figure business, that small voice inside whispers: “Why aren’t you there yet?”
Even though I might be content with my progress, suddenly I feel behind. It’s almost like having a financial GPS constantly recalculating, telling me I’m off course.
The Mindset Shift That Helps
When these comparison thoughts creep in, I ask myself one powerful question:
“Am I willing to sacrifice what they sacrificed to get where they are?”
That €25M might look amazing on paper, but what if it came at the cost of family time, health, or peace of mind? Would I still want it?
This question usually brings me back to center. If you want the good, you need to be willing to accept the bad that comes with it.
Three Prompts recommended by Ali
When feeling behind, I write down answers to these questions:
Who am I comparing myself to?
What specific achievements make me feel behind when others reach them first?
What would actually be enough for me?
Why write it down though? Ali Abdaal shared this experiment in his book “Feel Good productivity”:
Two groups of people afraid of spiders were taken into a lab.
Group 1 was told to talk about their fears (Like I am afraid spider might bite)
Group 2 wasn’t.
Turns out, just saying out loud what you’re scared of… lowers your fear significantly.
So next time you feel “behind” — write the feeling down.
Whose path are you comparing against?
What’s the root cause?
You’ll be surprised how quickly your brain goes: “Wait… I’m actually doing okay.”
This is a good video if you want to know more about memetic theory.
Well anyways that’s it for the day, have a swimming lesson in an hour. But I guess by the time you read it. I would be probably swimming already ;)
Whenever you’re ready, here are some ways I can help you:
Moving abroad Consultation: If moving abroad is on your mind and you’re confused should you be taking that leap or need help with SOP tips, Loan payoff strategy. Then just book a 1:1 call with me and we can figure out things together with the WADM.
Quick Chat: If you are already abroad and facing issues with managing time, not knowing how to find a job, optimise LinkedIn, Resume or even write cold DMs. Then you can book a shorter duration call where we can have a discussion with actionable steps at the end of the call.
And if you fancy then watch a weekend in my life, living in Ireland
See you next week!