Monk Mode-Day 1- A Rough Sketch
Last night I had a retirement party for the version of me that is no longer relevant to where my story is headed. In true JW fashion, it was a party of one that included such festivities as Bellatoria’s super-thin crust supreme pizza, that seven-layer salad from Lowes foods he loved so much, and of course the one constant character in his life, a bottle of 19 Crimes red blend that had spent 30 days aging in rum barrels. All of it was delicious and well enjoyed.
Why did I choose last night? Not sure, but it seemed like a good night for a retirement party.
If you’re reading this, you are one of the few who will have access to this journey, but I felt it was important, so you didn’t think I up and died or something. Going into “Monk Mode” is something I’ve been wanting to do for quite some time. It’s a commitment to a short period of intense focus and sacrifice to emerge as a different and improved version of myself.
This blog will keep track of my activities during the next 60 days. Outside of the goals listed below, I won’t be talking about what I intend to do next, only what I’ve done already. That keeps things real. So far, I’ve removed most of the apps from my phone that have kept me distracted. Facebook was the first to go, my email app, and Instagram. I even canceled my subscription to Pandora and removed it from my phone. Now, the most potentially distracting thing on my phone is the messages app, but I don’t want to cut out the world totally.
Why am I doing this? What’s the goal? Well, there’s a version of me that exists just beyond my comfort zone, and I’ve wanted to meet that guy for a while and maybe get his autograph or something. As we know, nothing changes if nothing changes, so here goes…
GOALS:
-12% body fat- This one won’t be attained in 60 days, but I should be well on my way after hitting ketosis in the first week.
-Total overhaul of W&W systems and workflows- This includes all contracts, emails, products and processes, from pricing to packaging.
-Complete Meditations of the Mundane- Just get the damn thing to the publisher for fuck sake!
-Complete personal financial assessment and put a plan in place-
-Have five or more AJR episodes edited and ready to go at all times- So I’m not constantly scrambling to edit the day before each episode drops
What are the rules? There are some things I’m adding to life, and other things to subtract. So far, Here’s what I’ve got:
Mind: Removing distractions on every level. From my phone to my calendar, to my physical space. Everything in my life is getting an audit. Any items that don’t get me toward my goals are either eliminated or paused for the next 60 days. This includes removing social media, when and how I review and respond to emails and texts, how I organize the desktop of my computer and my physical desk too. Adding in more intentional meditation each morning to prepare myself for focus and clarity. Adding in specific podcasts in place of music to help boost efforts and ideas toward my goals. Removing the evening YouTube entertainment. Adding structure to my life and business will remove a ton of decisions.
Body: Removing all sugar, alcohol, refined carbs, and anything that isn’t a whole food or a mixture of whole, unprocessed foods. (like a salad) Leaning heavily on protein and fat as my main calorie sources. Drinking only water, coffee, bone broth, or Ayurvedic tea. Removing starches and grains from the diet completely. Simplifying my supplement intake to the basics by adding Magnesium, Potassium, K2, and Vit, D. Walking a minimum of 10k steps each day. Weight training three times per week.
Where things are currently:
-Body fat at 25.1%- I don’t care how much I weigh, so I won’t be measuring that, but I’m tired of the fluff. It brings me no joy. I’m ready for my cool jeans to feel loose again.
-W&W systems, processes, packages, and pricing haven’t been updated in 5+ years for deb offerings and 10+ years for weddings. It’s time to get with the times. It’s also time to add a full suite of branding offerings as an additional income stream.
-Meditations of the Mundane- I’d say I’m 80% there, with the hardest parts yet to go. Nearly every image has a rough story, though most need work.
-Personal financial plan- I have a vague idea of what I’m working with but would benefit from clarity and automation of certain parts. Going to dig in deep.
-AJR- Currently have twelve interviews ready to edit, and zero episodes ready to publish.
What I did today to get closer to my goals:
I meditated, wrote out my goals, got in 10k steps, listened to several business podcasts, and blocked off my calendar for the next week to align my activities toward my goals.
A few rules for this time:
For the next 60 days, I’ll decline any new invitations or opportunities unless they fit the following:
-Get me closer to 12% body fat
-Add structure to, or streamline any W&W business processes.
-Add at least $500 of revenue in a day (still gotta pay bills)
-Contribute to getting the Meditations book complete.
-Get 5+ surplus AJR episodes ready to publish
This means I’ll be declining most social invitations outside of the ones I’ve already committed to. I feel confident it will be worth it in the end.