Day #653 - Struggle and Growth

If I'm not struggling, then maybe I'm not pushing myself enough.

Goals of the Day:

• Push up a blog post on the calculator
• Not Achieved
• Get clarity at work on Project EO and F
• Not Achieved

I felt that I would need more time to get something decent up for the calculator, so I would leave it till the weekends.

Today's Small Wins:

• Read for 15 min

Today's Small Losses:

• Didn't push out blog
• Tried, but didn't get much clarity for Project F

Things I'm Grateful for Today:

• To indulge in some TV for relaxation
• A teammate who understands the struggle I have with the project scope

Day #652 - Deliberate Practice

Deliberate practice, as Angela Duckworth said in her book, Grit, is necessary to gain mastery of our skills.
Just practicing is not enough.
Deliberate practice has to take place in order for me to progress forward.

Goals of the Day:

• Get clarity on the tasks at work
• Not Achieved
• Prepare and have a good public tuition session
• Achieved
• Get a skeleton of the frontend portion of the Gsheet savings account calcultor
• Not Achieved

Got quite tired after the tuition to do anything and decided to just enjoy some leisure time on the tv.

Still a good day.

Today's Small Wins:

• Had a good public tuition session; the boy from last week came again
• Exercised
• Read for 15 min

Today's Small Losses:

• Didn't get enough clarity at work
• Haven't got the skeleton of the Gsheet savings account out yet
• Didn't meditate

Day #651 - Busy, but Not Productive

Feels like I'm recently busy, but not productive enough.

Goals of the Day:

• Housework (Iron)
• Achieved
• Financial Accounting for Jan 19
• Achieved
• Structure of Google sheet calculators

Today's Small Wins:

• Ran 2 km
• Did ironing
• Finished financial accounting
• Started a draft on maths database
• Meditated for 10 min

Today's Small Losses:

• Only worked a bit on the structure of google sheet calculators
• Slept slightly late

Things I'm Grateful for Today:

• Having the will to wake up early to exercise
• Being able to devote time to do my personal work
• Dearest for helping me wash the dishes
• Dearest for reminding me to take folic acid

Day #650 - Effort Counts Twice

A motivational quote from the book Grit, by Angela Duckworth.
Effort counts twice.
And therefore, it's effort that I should focus on,

Goals of the Day:

• Financial accounting for Jan 19
• Not Achieved
• Draft out the structure of the frontend of savings account calculators
• Not Achieved
• Housework (iron + wash + fold clothes)
• Achieved (less iron)
• Meditate for 10 min
• Not Achieved
• Read for 15 min
• Achieved

Today's Small Wins:

• Housework done (wash, fold clothes)
• Read for 15 min
• Did some financial accounting
• Purchased the air tickets for May overseas trip

Today's Small Losses:

• Didn't meditate
• Didn't draft out the structure of savings account calculators
• Didn't finish financial accounting

Things I'm Grateful for Today:

• Dinner cooked by Dearest
• Being able to come home safely

Day #649 - Talent and Skill

It's something different that I did from the rest, that I feel that that specific talent is special to me.
And from there on, I need to develop my skill.

Goals of the Day:

• Read for 30 min
• Achieved
• Complete Google sheet calculator for OCBC
• Achieved
• Have a good gathering session with friends
• Achieved
• Have quality time with Dearest
• Achieved

Today's Small Wins:

• Read 30 min on the book Grit (re-read)
• Completed the google sheet calculators for OCBC, Citibank, and DBS; attempt to consolidate all the individual calculators
• Had a good annual gathering with my JC friends at my teacher's house
• Had quality time with Dearest watching a new Netflix drama

Today's Small Losses:

• Didn't meditate
• Didn't exercise

Things I'm Grateful for Today:

• A healthy child who went around the house today brightening up our day
• A nice drama show for Dearest and me

Day #648 - Gritting on

I don't have a strong habit to push through challenges yet.
But I will strive to build that habit.

Goals of the Day:

• Read for 30 min
• Achieved
• Housework (Iron, Wash, Keep, Fold clothes, Vacuum)
• Achieved
• Review Sis's ROM pictures and videos
• Not Achieved
• Work on and finish up Google sheet calculator for OCBC
• Not Achieved
• Quality time with family
• Achieved

Re-reading the book on Grit.

Good motivational read.

Today's Small Wins:

• Read for 30 min
• Did housework
• Had quality time with family

Today's Small Losses:

• Didn't review Sis's ROM pictures and videos
• Haven't finish up the Google sheet calculator for OCBC
• Didn't meditate
• Spent quite a bit of time gaming

Things I'm Grateful for Today:

• Seeing my parents showing regards to each other
• Dearest spending time with my family

Day #647 - Creating Luck

All my life, I shall make myself lucky.

Today's Small Wins:

• Evening dinner date with Dearest
• Quality time with guys

Today's Small Losses:

• Slept late
• Didn't meditate
• toto failed

Things I'm Grateful for Today:

• The dinner date and conversation that never ceases to be interesting with Dearest
• Dearest's reminder for buying a gift for Sis's bday
• Having a bunch of friends to chill out with

Day #646 - Self Reflection

Yesterday's conversation with my colleagues over lunch prompted me to do some self-reflection over my work performance, and the way that I'm guiding my teammates.
Not that I feel like I'm doing a bad job, but I think a regular self-reflection will yield constructive feedback, so as to better myself in my work.

Goals of the Day:

• Be focused at work
• Achieved
• Plan my day well
• Achieved
• Meditate for 10 min
• Not Achieved
• Edit Google sheet calculators for the remaining banks (OCBC, DBS, and Citibank)
• Not Achieved

Today's Small Wins:

• Leisure time for myself
• Focused at work

Today's Small Losses:

• Didn't meditate
• Didn't complete the google sheet calculators

Things I'm Grateful for Today:

• Dearest gentle reminder on my leisure time control

Day #645 - Satisfaction

Today's Small Wins:

• Managed to have a good public tuition with 2 new kids
• Had a good work meeting to clarify work tasks with my team member

Today's Small Losses:

• Didn't meditate

Things I'm Grateful for Today:

• Dearest's support for my public tuition when she came by to see me downstairs
• Being able to fulfill some of the gap of knowledge-hungry learners

Day #642 - Be Open to Collaboration

Reminder to self - Be open to collaboration.
Or perhaps, actively seek collaboration.

Goals of the Day:

• Have a good gathering with my friends
• Achieved
• Have quality time with Dearest
• Achieved
• Extract media for sis's ROM
• Achieved
• Review google sheet for UOB One account
• Achieved

Not done for the UOB One calculator.

But probably halfway there!

Today's Small Wins:

• Quality time with friends
• Quality time with Dearest
• Extracted media for sis's ROM
• Did work on reviewing google sheet calculator
• Meditated for 10 min

Today's Small Losses:

• Didn't read
• Didn't exercise
• Lost $200+ at blackjack

Things I'm Grateful for Today:

• Spending time with friends
• A causal date shopping for household items with Dearest

Day #641 - Stop Being Afraid, Start Feeling Excited

Focus on what may happen.
The fear is nothing but a facade to keep one in its own comfort.
Like a beast that gatekeeps the avenue to another world.
So go slay it, me.

Goals of the Day:

• Have a good morning with Mum and go get some answers on CPF with her
• Achieved
• Have a good evening with C's relatives
• Achieved
• Extract photos/videos out for Sis's ROM
• Not Achieved
• Revise google sheet for UOB One account
• Not Achieved

Today's Small Wins:

• Managed to get answers on how to push forward with my mum's retirement plans
• Managed to organize a game to be engaging with all C's cousins

Today's Small Losses:

• Didn't extract photos/videos for Sis's ROM
• Didn't revise google sheet for UOB One account
• Didn't meditate
• Didn't sleep early
• Didn't manage to keep my agreement with Dearest on the sugary drinks limitation

Things I'm Grateful for Today:

• Being able to be inclusive with C's cousins
• Being able to clarify CPF queries
• Mum being cooperative with me in planning for the future

Day #640 - Tenacity

Step by step.
Quietly.
But Certainly.

Goals of the Day:

• Finish up O D3 Report Draft
• Almost Achieved
• Do up the Slides draft for Monday discussion
• Not Achieved
• Have a good badminton session
• Achieved
• Rest early
• Not Achieved
• Plan for the weekend
• Not Achieved

Had a long work meeting towards the end of the work day.

But I felt that I was contributing quite a bit by asking the right questions, and critically evaluate the various suggestions and also suggesting the way forward.

Hmm.. competence does breeds interest to certain extent.

Today's Small Wins:

• Almost done with report draft
• Had a good badminton session and a mini-lohei with the badminton folks

Today's Small Losses:

• Didn't meditate (i'm straying further away from 正念 everyday, haha)
• Didn't rest early

Things I'm Grateful for Today:

• Dearest's being alright after the fishbone incident
• A good meeting where I was able to contribute

Day #639 - Day of Celebration

Celebrate the little things in life.
Celebrate the big things in life.
Celebrate all the good things in life.
Because, that's what life is about.

Goals of the Day:

• Do my best at work
• Achieved
• Be prepared and do my best to create memories for my sis's ROM
• Achieved

Though Dearest said my pictures were not well taken, and I agreed.

But I did my best. haha..

Today's Small Wins:

• Had a good celebration and did my best to take memories of the evening
• Made the right decision with Dearest to check things out for ease of mind

Today's Small Losses:

• Not that well versed with photography to take pictures

Things I'm Grateful for Today:

• A good and smooth ceremony for Sis's ROM
• Dearest well-being after she swallowed a fish bone

Day #638 - Get Up

For 2 weeks running there hasn't been anyone coming to the public tuition.
But I'm hopeful.
Maybe it's the holiday season.
Let's soldier on and see how this goes today.

Goals of the Day:

• Finish my deliverable report draft
• Not Achieved
• Prepare well and have a good tuition session
• Achieved
• Finish the remaining lessons on Udemy on Canon DSLR
• Achieved

Today's Small Wins:

• Managed to post 10 Maths solutions online
• Finished all the lessons on Udemy on Canon DSLR (probably the 1st course I completed)
• Quality time with Dearest

Today's Small Losses:

• Didn't finish my deliverable report draft
• Didn't meditate

Things I'm Grateful for Today:

• Dearest's support for me in this journey to JMaths
• Starting something incredible with Dearest

Day #637 - Courage

Courage, dear Heart.
March forward with Faith.

Goals of the Day:

• Be very focused in my and practice pomodoro
• Somewhat Achieved
• Complete half the lessons in Udemy for Canon DSLR
• Achieved

Today's Small Wins:

• Read for at least 15 min
• Did around half my report
• Completed 8/15 lessons on Udemy on Canon DSLR

Today's Small Losses:

• Didn't meditate
• Slept slightly late

Things I'm Grateful for Today:

• Being able to sit down and focus on the things that I want to do
• Dearest's support for me to be overseas

Day #636 - Hiatus

It's been a long 12 days hiatus since I have updated the blog to set daily goals.
This CNY period has been quite hectic with housecleaning, deconflicting events, and hosting gatherings for our friends.
But it felt good and enjoyable =)

Time to start my daily grind.

Goals of the Day:

• [Work] Less distraction; More efficiency
• Achieved
• Udemy course on Canon DSLR
• Not Achieved

Today's Small Wins:

• Had an enjoyable late evening playing VR game with Dearest

Today's Small Losses:

• Didn't meditate
• Didn't do the udemy course on canon DSLR

Things I'm Grateful for Today:

• Dearest is willing to make time for my family
• Holding a financially secured job