We all aspire to master something—whether it's writing, programming, painting, teaching, playing an instrument, cooking, public speaking, or fitness. So what’s stopping us? It's not a lack of knowledge—we watch plenty of YouTube tutorials and read enough self-help books. What we actually face is a doing deficit . To become good at any skill, deliberate practice is essential. Want to be a better writer? Write at least one page every day. Want to be a skilled programmer? Code daily. Want to be fluent in a language? Practice it consistently. So how do you overcome the doing deficit? 1. Start small: Set a daily goal that’s easy to commit to. 2. Focus on the process: Don’t worry about immediate results; they will come with time. 3. Track your progress: Even if daily improvements seem small, tracking them over time shows how much you’ve grown. 4. Embrace discomfort: Mistakes are part of the process—growth happens outside your comfort zone. 5. Find
“People are frugal in guarding their personal property; but as soon as it comes to squandering time they are most wasteful of the one thing in which it is right to be stingy.” -- Seneca Time is precious, but let’s be real—sometimes we just need to relax and scroll through Instagram reels or YouTube shorts after a long day. It’s totally fine to take breaks! The problem comes when that mindless scrolling takes over. On the flip side, we don’t want to push ourselves into toxic productivity either. The key is balance—finding that sweet spot between work and rest. Every now and then, check in with yourself: How much time are you using productively, and how much is slipping away? Time, once lost, is gone forever—so let’s make sure we use it in ways that truly count! Reflection: How much time did you spend productively today, and how much time did you waste?