Sunday, June 30, 2019

Power of compounding in daily habits

Einstein called it the #8th #wonder of the #world; but it is not that popular. However, it is present everywhere. The more i experience it, the more i think about it. Its called the #Power of #Compounding.

It states that if you do something in small amounts but on a daily basis; u shall get huge returns with time. All it needs is a) consistency of action and b) long term horizon

Case in point is my #running. I started running in end of 2015 inspired by some of my friends' runkeeper posts of distance run. As a normal chap closer to end of year; i took resolution to run everyday....but as you can see from the graph, it didnt last long in terms of consistency. Then again started on and off. Slowly my baseline of runs grew from 30k/mth in 2015-16 to 90k/mth in 2017-18. Even if it tapered in 2019, it is still around 60-70k/mth. The tools available today like @runkeeper help you to keep understanding nuances of growth and performance around speed, calories, cadence etc.

With few runs of 5k and 10k, it grew. I started reading about how to prolong ur runs. And trained for airtel delhi half marathon in Nov17. This entire effort in the process had made this habit persist over initial milestones of 21 days to 365 days and now well over 3.5 yrs. The effort/resistance now to go for a 4k run has got tremendously down with the power of compounding. From a complete novice in 2015 end, i i ha run for close to 4000km without any history of running or focus on excercise in my family tree anywhere. Thats the power of compounding.

One can argue that sports is a field where power of repitition is well known. Then, i think about any habit; it doesnt become an habit until it reaches your daily schedule. Even for 20 min. But that daily rythm is needed.

To work on clarity of mind; i had started on guided meditation on the @curefit app. Initial few sessions were very difficult to do as u battle with silence; but as i persisted to get that power of compounding going...i have now completed 500 min of meditation and now it feels better than ever. I conciously look for those 15 min of meditation post my runs everyday.

James clear in his book, Atomic habits gives a strategy of #habit #stacking. It means you add new habits in your schedule of current habits in such a way that they momentum of one can go into another. I exactly did this with audible listening on my runs. This has multiplied my #reading habit and also enriched the interest in my runs. In last 6 months i have listened + read more books than ever (12 vs 2 or 3 earlier). Even this book itself (Atomic habits) i listened on #audible.

And obviously one knows about importance of power of compounding in #stock markets. One has said - "You cannot time the market, but time is your only friend for better returns".

Another quote i read long time ago - "Nothing will ever change your life which doesnt happen daily".



Sunday, June 23, 2019

Books Reading - Goal Update May19


May19 Goal Update - Against 12 books goal in 2019; currently reading 10th book. And now its like straddling between #paperbooks (which i had been buying but not read), #kindle and #audible.
This is the best year where i am able to double down on this goal given huge productivity boost via kindle and audible.
Read #Ikigai; which culls out secrets of happiness from people aged 100+ from okinawa. Learnt 10 secrets: always remain active and yet take things slow, dont eat 100% full, have friends surround u always, excercise, smile, stay with nature, show gratitude and always live in the moment while treading ur path to ur ikigai (purpose).
#AtomicHabits book has further strengthened my beliefs on small but consistent steps to any big goal (this reading is a good example). The law of compounding works like magic in small bits, daily.
Loved concept of habit stacking - connect a new habit to an existing habit so that the inertia of old leads to momentum in new.  Another gem - Always define habit regimen by time and location. It works.
Envoirnment needs to be designed basis ur targeted habit, if u want to run; keep tracksuit next to alarm clock!

#books #habits #2019 #productivity #goals #life #wisdom

Book Review - Shoe Dog by Phil Knight


Its a hell of a ride with Phil Knight on how this idea called '#Nike' happened as expressed non-chalantly by the cofounder himself.
A must read for anyone interested in creation of an idea and taking it to fruition and keep it alive at any costs. Or #Entrepreneurship. And for anyone who understands #running or any form of sports.
Phil has very openly put down the 'how it happened' without editing the bad spots or places where he felt incompetent to handle things. Thats what i liked the most. Its a story; told sincerely without glorifying.
As a marketer, i wanted to know how this legendary 'swoosh' and Nike happened. And, it just happened! Just a decision on name on a close call with Dimension6 & Falcon. And one of the cofounders said, it came to him in his dream :) Though it means goddess of #victory!
No big research on the symbol also, Phil gave this assignment to a freelancing student of arts whom he met like a coincidence. She did some options and then swoosh was chosen. She charged 35$ for the design!
This book is sprinkled with such moments where Phil took decisions like this quite fast and worked on them as and when they happened.
And yes, huge wisdom in some quotes here. One of them - "Reality is #nonlinear, Zen says. No future, no past. All is now."
#bookreview


Smart E bikes - Will the rebel stereotype work?


AI enabled bikes!! Sounds fab! Envoirnment friendly and cheaper to maintain. Hip. Smart. Techno.
However, does it address basic needs of a #biker? Need for speed. Pickup. Tough terrain friendly (read mountain rides). Show-off. Thump. Feeling of being a big boy. Being #Raw. #Rebel. The brand seems to work on this positioning only trying to entice customers on these primary needs. The TVC does make it look cool around one of these benefits when biker woos a girl by changing bike sound.
On the contrary, should it position around a clean bike, good boy approach striking a refreshing 180 degree on the biker stereotype? Trying to target today's socially concious bikers with a 'change the world' psycographics? Making it really 'revolt' the existing biker stereotype?
Dont know how it pans out. Lets see how consumers approach this space. #ebikes #ai #smart #tech
Read about news here -http://inc42.com/buzz/revolt-intellicorp-launches-its-electric-bike-rv-400/amp/

Dream11 - Yeh game hai mahaan campaign


When you are the #market leader, then the onus of expanding the pie is yours.
#Dream11, India's No 1 online cricket game app is trying to do the same with its last 2 campaigns during IPL and World cup. Not talking about 'how to play on its app and point system" but to celebrate the game of cricket itself to connect emotionally with fans.
And kudos to the team behind the TVCs, its a fantastic concoction of fan's stories of going beyond the limits for the game + melodious tune + #Dhoni end slate with 'yeh game hai mahaan' to convey the app name.
From the #functional space of features and benefits; to celebrating the #category anchor itself. That's very tastefully done by #Tilt Brand Solutions, the agency behind the campaign.
The opportunity in itself in this space is mammoth for a country full of smartphone devices + crazy cricket fans. Anyways evident from how #Hotstar is breaking online views records every game.
#emotional #marketing #consumer #cricket #worldcup #india