Asher's Blog

Excellence is a journey, you remember that quote, right? Over the past few weeks, documenting my days, my thoughts, and most importantly my scruples has become one of the highlights of January. It isn’t always convenient, and most days I don’t even feel like doing it, but I’ve learned that once a decision is made, I am obligated to follow through. Motivation comes and goes; commitment is what stays.

I set a few daily non-negotiables for myself, things that must happen no matter how the day feels.

Compulsory list

1. Pray for 30 minutes
2. Read for at least 4 hours, because I have an exam in August/September
3. Spend one hour talking to my wife and my girls
4. Exercise on weekdays (about 2 hours)
5. Be thankful three times a day, five minutes each

Other responsibilities

1. Go to the office, attend meetings, and work toward our OKRs
2. Blog
3. Carry out my local church responsibilities
4. Plan my day and update my task checklist

For a while, I felt overwhelmed because I kept missing one or two items from the compulsory list. I realised I was trying to execute this season of discipline from the same level of comfort I was used to and that simply wouldn’t work. Meeting these demands meant accepting discomfort and thinking differently. I had to elevate both my mindset and my capacity to match the goals I was expecting from myself.

Eventually, I found a rhythm, a routine I know I’ll need to stick with, at least for now.

I wake up at 5am and pray for about 30 minutes. I’m at the gym by 6am, then at the office by 8:30am. I lock myself in my office until noon, then work from 12pm to 6pm. I get home, rest or sleep until around 10:30pm, blog for the day, and finish up any remaining work until about 12:30am. I pray again for 30 minutes and then sleep. I eat twice during the day and avoid food at night, sticking to water and/or fruits.

This routine has been incredibly helpful.

I know I’m privileged, and I’m deeply thankful for it; for the ability to decide when my workday starts and ends, and for the opportunity to work with some of the best people.

Here’s something that struck me along the way. I’m reading four hours daily right now because I know I have an exam coming up. Life, however, doesn’t give us that kind of clarity. If we knew in advance the challenges we would face, how they would bruise us, test our self-esteem, or alternatively elevate us and bring our dreams closer, we would prepare far more intensely. We would be more focused, more disciplined, and more deliberate.

But we don’t know tomorrow. All we have are patterns, samples, knowledge, and what we often call wisdom, usually after the event. Wisdom, I’m learning, is timed. Something may work for a season but still last longer than it should. The same applies to relationships, products, decisions, and even beliefs.

This realisation humbles me daily. I find myself inspecting my decisions more carefully than ever. That’s why writing things down matters. If something is important, it should be documented. If it truly matters, it should be agreed upon. Product decisions are built on hypotheses derived from research, and when data changes, those products can quickly become obsolete. Watch it. Stay alert. Remain humble.

Be endlessly curious. Stay hungry to learn. And when you learn something new, commit yourself fully to it.

I wish you well.