Your 2024 Won’t be the same AFTER you Reading THIS.

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16 Jan 2024

Turning my biggest weakness into my greatest strength

The new year always brings a sense of optimism and possibility. This time, I told myself, things would be different. I was finally going to accomplish my goals and become the person I’ve always dreamed of being.
Of course, that’s what I say every year. And every year, by mid-January, my dreams have faded and my resolutions have been abandoned.
Why does this keep happening? Why do I continue to fail myself year after year?
As I reflected on this, I realized my problem wasn’t a lack of desire or discipline. The real issue was that I simply didn’t have enough time to follow through on my goals.
My time was being stolen from me, one digital dopamine hit after another. My phone had become my worst enemy, sabotaging my growth and chaining me to endless digital distraction.
If I was ever going to succeed, I needed to reclaim my time and attention. I had to turn my phone from a portal of procrastination into a tool for transformation.
This is the story of how I finally made 2024 my year. By breaking free of the attention economy and rewiring my brain, I was able to unlock my potential and achieve more than I ever imagined possible.
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The start of a new year

The turning of the calendar filled me with optimism. I decided 2024 would be different. It was time to finally accomplish my big goals.
I wanted to start an online business and make $100k. I planned to get in shape and develop ripped 6-pack abs. And I was determined to develop a consistent daily meditation practice.
This was it. This was going to be my year. Or so I thought…
By January 16th, my confidence was fading. Once again I had taken no real steps toward my resolutions. I was falling into the same trap, destined to fail like always.
That’s when I realized the gravity of my situation. According to studies, January 17th is known as “Quitter’s Day” — the day when nearly half of all resolution-makers have already abandoned their goals.
If I didn’t take action immediately, I would soon join the masses of quitters once again.

The vicious cycle of failure

Why did I fail to follow through year after year? On the surface, it seemed like a lack of motivation or discipline. But when I looked deeper, I realized there was a different root cause.
The real issue? A lack of time.
I simply didn’t have enough hours in the day to work on my goals. My time was being stolen from me, minute by minute. The culprit? My smartphone.
I already realized I spent too much time on my phone. But when I did the math, the truth was shocking.
The average person now spends 4 hours and 12 minutes per day on their phone. That’s over 17.5% of their waking life! For me, that translated to 63.87 days per year and over 7 years of my life by age 80.
Once I saw those numbers, it all made sense. No wonder I kept failing in my resolutions. With so much time lost to useless phone scrolling, I simply didn’t have enough left over to achieve my goals.
My phone wasn’t just a distraction — it had become a black hole, swallowing my productivity and sabotaging my growth. If I couldn’t break its hold over me, I was doomed to repeat this cycle indefinitely.

It’s not my fault — how technology steals our time

For years I blamed myself for my phone addiction. I thought it was simply a lack of self-control.
But the truth is, it’s not really my fault. There are powerful forces at play, deliberately designed to siphon away our attention.
Social media apps like Facebook and Instagram are built by multi-billion dollar companies to be intentionally addictive. Through AI and careful engineering, they’ve found ways to hijack our brains’ reward pathways, trapping us in compulsive habits.
They call them “users” for a reason — they are literally using our psychology against us to further their own profits.
From infinite scrolling to liking posts, everything about these apps is meticulously designed to exploit our human needs for social approval and stimulation. They turn our desire to connect into a weakness, using it to soak up as much of our time and attention as possible.
Once I understood this truth, I finally had empathy for myself. My phone addiction wasn’t a personal failing — it was the result of advanced technologies weaponizing my own mind against me.
I knew I needed to fight back. I couldn’t let these companies dictate my potential. It was time to rewrite the script and regain control of my time.

Turning the tables — how to reclaim your attention

I was determined to deactivate the hold social media had over me. But how?
I experimented relentlessly to figure out what worked. Here are the strategies that had the biggest impact for me:
Understand the brain science — I dove deep into the psychology and neuroscience behind habit formation. Understanding why we get hooked on phones unlocked key insights for changing my behavior.
Reveal the consequences — I calculated how much time I’d lose to my phone over months and years. The massive opportunity cost hit me like a gut punch, fueling my motivation.
Know your “why” — Staying focused on my core goals and values was grounding amidst digital distraction. My “why” is my compass, keeping me on track.
Implement “rewards” — I started rewarding myself with 5 pushups every time I caught myself mindlessly scrolling. Adding consequences helped weaken my phone habits.
Control cues — I became aware of the triggers that prompted my phone use — things like boredom, waiting in line, winding down at night. Removing those cues was hugely helpful.
Designate “phone free” zones — I banned my phone from key places like my bedroom and office. This let me immerse fully in life’s most essential activities.
Delete draining apps — Getting rid of infinite scroll apps like Instagram and TikTok freed up so much mental space. I’m still mindful of how I use essential apps like email and maps.
Out of sight, out of mind — Keeping my phone out of eye line as much as possible removed a lot of temptation.
With these tactics, I slowly tamed my smartphone addiction. For the first time in ages, I found I had stretches of time completely phone-free.
I could more easily stay present and focused on what mattered. By breaking the spell of constant notifications, I created space for meaningful priorities to emerge naturally.
But reclaiming my attention was only step one. Next, I had to take all my newfound time and energy and channel it effectively.

Turning wasted time into impact

With less time being swallowed by my phone, I suddenly had hours of free time each day. But free time alone means nothing — it’s what you do with it that counts.
I had to put systems in place to use my newfound freedom purposefully. Here are some of the habits and mindsets I implemented:
Wake up focused — I instituted a stimulating morning routine: meditation, exercise, reading, journaling. Starting the day intentionally prevented wasted hours later on.
Schedule in depth — I used my calendar religiously, planning out key tasks and priorities for each day and week. This helped me stay strategic and consistent.
Master the fundamentals — Instead of looking for quick fixes, I focused on building strong foundations — things like proper sleep, nutrition, activity. Slow and steady habits compounded over time.
Create accountability — I joined online communities and found a mentor for my business. Sharing my goals kept me motivated and on track when things got hard.
Track time wisely — I got obsessive about understanding exactly where my time was going each day. The data revealed opportunities to optimize my schedule for impact.
Limit low-value activities — I cut way back on passive entertainment like TV binges, social media, and news. These were huge time drains offering little fulfillment.
Embrace deep work — With fewer shallow distractions, I was able to really zero in on big priorities. The intensity led to tremendous progress.
Trust the process — Building lasting habits doesn’t happen overnight. But incremental progress begins to compound. I focused on consistency over speed.
Reclaiming my attention was just the beginning. Developing rituals to make the most of my time and energy changed everything.
Suddenly, I could feel momentum building. Small wins accumulated, and before long, massive change had occurred.

My results — how I finally made 2023 my year

It’s now November, and I’m blown away looking back at how much I’ve grown and accomplished this year. For the first time ever, I can proudly say I followed through on my resolutions — and then some.
By breaking my smartphone addiction and then channeling my energy into what matters most, my life has totally transformed. Here are some of my proudest results from 2023 so far:

Launched a profitable online business — My side hustle now earns me an extra $4k per month. Well on my way to exceeding $100k income this year.
Got ripped — I’m fully addicted to daily workouts now. Through nutrition and consistent training, I achieved that elusive 6-pack.
Found inner peace — A regular meditation practice has worked wonders for my mental health and emotional resilience. I feel centered and grounded.
Strengthened relationships — With less time wasted on my phone, I’ve deepened bonds with friends and family. My social life feels fuller than ever.
Discovered new passions — Without constant digital noise, I’ve picked up hobbies like learning guitar and painting. It feels amazing to express my creativity.
Boosted productivity — I get more accomplished by 10am now than I used to in a whole day. The habit gains have snowballed.
Increased mindfulness — My days feel slower, richer, more intentional. I find joy and gratitude in small moments.
Unlocked the future — For the first time, I feel like I’m the author of my own story. I control where my time and attention go.

I still have more to accomplish of course. But the progress I’ve made by reclaiming ownership over my attention feels incredibly empowering.
This one change — valuing my time and focusing it meaningfully — has set off a chain reaction of growth in my whole life.
I no longer see my phone as an enemy, but rather as a tool I can leverage selectively. When used purposefully, technology can amplify the impact I want to have on the world.
But that’s the key — “purposefully”. Too often, we end up serving technology when it should be the other way around.
My system isn’t perfect — I still catch myself falling into distraction and waste. But I’ve proven that real, lasting change is possible.
If I can overhaul my relationship with technology and turn 2024 into my best year yet, then you can absolutely do the same.
It all starts by making a decision — a commitment to value your time and use it with intentionality each day.
When you do that, you’ll quickly realize just how abundant your best self already is. You have the power to filter out the noise and unlock your full potential.
The clock’s ticking — what do you want to create with the remainder of this year? How will you make 2024 your defining year?
The choice is yours. Your time starts now.
We strongly recommend that you check out our guide on how to take advantage of AI in today’s passive income economy.

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