Milos Moda

Category: growth

  • Always Be Willing to Challenge Your Beliefs

    For me, some of the biggest questions in life revolve around our views on morality, ethics, politics, and philosophy—and how we adopt identities based on what we believe in. As someone who has long identified as a left-leaning liberal, I’ve had my fair share of ups and downs supporting partisan views that didn’t fully align with who I am. But because I saw myself through that lens, defending those views felt natural—almost necessary. Looking back, I believe that was a mistake.

    Don’t stop believing but regularly check what you believe in.

    Take Stoicism as another example. It resonated with me deeply at one point because it promoted values like bravery, resilience, and perseverance—traits I still admire. But it also encourages radical acceptance, even in situations where change is possible and necessary. That’s where I started to feel a disconnect. Some things shouldn’t just be accepted; they should be challenged and changed, especially when no real sacrifice is required for some abstract “greater good.”

    I still believe it’s important to hold strong opinions and have a clear worldview—but those views should be flexible and open to growth. If you never challenge your beliefs, you deny yourself the opportunity to evolve. You end up clinging to outdated ideas simply because you feel obligated to “stay true” to them.

    Freeing yourself from that burden gives you space to grow and to genuinely support what resonates with you today—not just what once did. It allows you to stand for things that truly reflect who you are now and who you want to become.

    Don’t be a slave to your beliefs. Question them, reshape them, and let them grow with you.

    Cheers!

  • Sometimes It’s Easier to Stop Than to Start

    Not long ago, I stumbled upon a realization that truly shifted the way I approach self-improvement. Many goals I had set for myself—whether related to fitness, productivity, or personal growth—seemed to require building new habits or starting something fresh. But what surprised me was that sometimes, I could get better results not by adding something new, but by simply stopping what I was already doing.

    Sometimes it’s easier not to do something to accomplish our goals.

    Take fitness, for example. I used to think the only path forward was to train hard, join multiple classes, and push myself every day. But the real turning point came when I simply stopped overeating. Cutting sugar from my diet made a bigger difference than hours spent at the gym. In other words, subtraction often worked better than addition.

    The same goes for procrastination. I tried every productivity method I could find—time-blocking, to-do lists, daily planning—but the biggest breakthrough came when I fixed my environment. I stopped playing music while working, removed distractions like my phone or TV, and even set up a separate computer user profile with none of my usual apps or notifications. Just removing the noise made my focus skyrocket.

    It reminded me of something often said in business: great CEOs don’t just focus on growth—they rigorously control cost. In our personal lives, maybe we should do the same. Before rushing to adopt something new, we should first remove the things that are silently standing in the way.

    For me, that shift in thinking made everything easier—and more effective.

    Godspeed!

  • A Good Workout Can’t Outrun a Bad Diet

    There’s no shortage of advice on how to stay fit and lead a healthy lifestyle, but most of it ultimately comes down to developing consistent eating habits and making mindful food choices. While exercise is often treated as the go-to solution for getting in shape, I’ve come to realize it’s just one part of the equation—not the entire answer.

    Fix your kitchen before you hit the gym.

    From my experience over the past few years, I’ve experimented with everything from the chrono diet to keto, and from daily gym sessions to training Brazilian jiu-jitsu almost every evening. What’s worked best for me—and continues to work—is keeping things simple: sticking to a set of around 20 meals I genuinely enjoy, maintaining a calorie deficit, and working out moderately three to four times a week.

    Personally, a mix of the chrono diet and intermittent fasting has been the most effective strategy for managing my calorie intake. As for exercise, I follow a straightforward routine: rotating between back, chest, and leg days, and incorporating arms and biceps on alternating days. This structure keeps me consistent and motivated, and the results speak for themselves.

    Of course, every body is different, so it’s important to try different things and see what works for you. More importantly, always consult a physician or nutritionist to design a plan that’s safe and aligned with your personal needs.

    In the end, having a realistic and enjoyable diet, paired with a structured workout routine, made all the difference for me—and it just might for you too.

    Cheers!

  • Give Yourself Space

    One of the most important lessons I’ve learned along the way is the need to set things straight with yourself—to face your fears and insecurities head-on. If you don’t, they will quietly hold you back, causing you to miss out on the very opportunities you’ve dreamed about. They’ll make you abandon your goals before you’ve even given yourself a fair shot.

    Allow yourself to fail—and you’ll gain an unlimited number of chances to try again.

    Shyness can do the same. It will rob you of chances before they fully form. The only way to move past these emotions is to understand them, accept them, and move forward with clarity and purpose. That means giving yourself space to try, to grow, and to evolve without the fear of failure, ridicule, or judgment from others.

    It’s not always easy to grasp this idea. But think of how you treat your closest friends—with compassion, patience, and belief in their potential. That’s how we should treat ourselves too. Creating space means stepping back enough to separate our emotions, thoughts, and desires, allowing us to approach things with a clear and honest perspective.

    So give yourself space to fail and learn, to adjust and improve. All meaningful progress comes from these quiet iterations—especially when you’re working on something that truly matters to you.

  • Remember Who You Are

    Sometimes we forget.

    We forget who we really are, what we stand for, and where we came from.

    As time passes and I gain more perspective, this question of identity becomes more important. The deeper I understand my surroundings, the more I realize how much our roots, values, and character shape our experience of life.

    Stay true to yourself.

    I’ve never subscribed to the idea that we should shed our identities. On the contrary, I believe that without them, we lose something essential—something that makes each of us unique and irreplaceable. I also don’t believe in the popular notion of “finding yourself,” as if you’re lost somewhere out there. It never made much sense to me. You’re here, living your life—surely you know what you like, what you’re drawn to, what lights you up.

    What I do believe is that we can invent ourselves. We can align our desires with reality. We can choose how we show up. And in doing so, we shape an identity that is both honest and intentional.

    Lately, I’ve noticed more people returning to what feels authentic—leaning into their past, their passions, and the things that make them feel at home in their own skin. I think that’s a beautiful direction to take. Looking into what we love, where we come from, and how we live each day can help us see ourselves more clearly and accept ourselves more fully.

    Know who you are. Then live like it.

    God speed!

  • See the Things as They Are

    One of the most powerful shifts we can make in life is learning to see things as they truly are—not as we wish they were, not as we fear they might be, but simply as they are.

    It’s hard, but it helps us move forward.

    Our minds are constantly buzzing with thoughts—some from within, some triggered by the outside world, and all layered with filters we’ve built over time. These filters were often formed to keep us safe, comfortable, or happy during childhood, but they can end up distorting reality. Instead of experiencing life directly, we interpret it through a lens of past fears, assumptions, and unmet needs.

    Over time, I realized that our consciousness is like a quiet observer. It’s the part of us that watches, listens, and processes all these inputs. When we slow down and tune into this observer, we begin to notice patterns in how we react and what thoughts keep resurfacing. This is where the real work begins.

    By going to that base level of awareness, I started identifying the thoughts and feelings that show up in different situations—especially the ones that made me feel not good enough, unloved, or disconnected. I began writing them down, tracing them back to their roots, and questioning the assumptions beneath them.

    This process helped me understand which fears and insecurities were built on illusions, and which parts of my mindset I could gently let go of. It’s not always easy—but it is freeing. Seeing things clearly, without judgment or avoidance, allows us to address what truly matters and release what doesn’t.

    As the saying goes, “If you think you can do it, you probably can. If you think you can’t, you definitely won’t.”

    Don’t be afraid to face reality head-on. Don’t shy away from truth, even when it’s uncomfortable. Accept what is, without shame, blame, or fear. That’s how you begin to change your life—from a place of clarity, not illusion.

    Everything will fall into place when you stop resisting what is and start seeing things exactly as they are.

  • Leave the Past Behind

    There’s a quiet habit many of us share—we revisit the past in our thoughts, replaying moments over and over again. Some of those memories bring joy: a laugh with friends, a quiet moment with a pet, or a warm family gathering. But other times, the past can trap us, pulling us back into moments that felt painful, embarrassing, or unfair. And more often than not, we view them through the same emotional lens we had at the time they happened.

    Mindfulness can help you live more fully in the present.

    But here’s the truth: you don’t need to keep judging those moments. You don’t need to carry the weight of them as if they define who you are today.

    Time itself gives us something powerful—perspective. The space between then and now offers room for understanding, healing, and growth. Many of the things that used to bother us no longer hold real weight in the present. Maybe they were rooted in someone’s opinion about our character, appearance, or actions—things that latched onto our insecurities and never really let go. But you’re not the same person anymore. You’ve grown, you’ve learned, and you’ve survived.

    It’s important to question our fears and insecurities. So many of them stem from childhood stories or moments we didn’t know how to process. And even if some of those insecurities still ring true, you now have the tools to confront them—with action, reflection, wisdom, and therapy.

    Being mindful of our past doesn’t mean living in it. It means acknowledging it, learning from it, and using it as fuel to make better choices moving forward. When we accept the past for what it was and stop fighting it, we make space to be truly present. And in that presence, life becomes fuller, richer, and more beautiful.

    So yes—visit your past, but don’t get stuck there. Let go of the weight you no longer need. Stay curious, stay kind to yourself, and keep moving forward—with intention, with healing, and with hope.

  • How to Beat Procrastination at Her Own Game

    Procrastination is a sneaky one.

    For as long as I can remember, I’ve had trouble starting tasks that didn’t spark joy—especially the kind that would eventually lead to an exam, a presentation, or any situation where I’d have to “prove” what I’ve learned. For years, I blamed laziness. I’d sit down, stare at the task, and wait for some miracle to get me moving. Sometimes it worked—sort of—but the results never matched my expectations.

    Going from dreamer to doer starts with a clear strategy.

    Only recently did I realize that procrastination isn’t just about laziness. It’s a layered problem, made up of several hidden factors. Some tasks feel heavier because they carry emotional weight—perfectionism, fear of failure, or performance pressure. The more important the task felt, the harder it became to start. Once I began unpacking those layers and addressing each of them individually, things started to shift.

    So here’s the simple strategy I now use to outsmart procrastination and move forward, even when a task feels too big or unclear.

    First, I set realistic goals. Then, I do a bit of research to get clarity on what actually needs to be done. I break the work into smaller pieces and use time-boxing—usually 25-minute work sessions—to keep my focus tight. I also schedule my work on a calendar, but here’s the key: I don’t fill it up. Instead, I apply the “slow productivity” idea and choose one main thing to focus on each day.

    And finally, I manage my emotions. Mindfulness helps me reduce mental clutter, while visualization or the occasional therapy session helps me process anything that feels too heavy. These tools are not just about getting things done—they’re about creating space for clarity and peace of mind.

    In short: Set realistic goals. Break things down. Schedule wisely. Focus on one thing. And don’t forget to take care of your emotional landscape. You don’t need a million productivity hacks—just a few practices that work for you.

    Start simple. Adjust as you go.

    Cheers.

  • Just Go and Do Things

    Life often feels like a sea of choices, yet strangely, most of them seem invisible. We drift, letting things happen to us, swept along by the current—sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. But every once in a while, we need to stop drifting and start choosing, consciously and purposefully. After all, don’t we all want some sense of control over our lives?

    Because, Why Not? 🙂

    Years ago, I watched a movie called Yes Man, a comedy with my childhood favorite, Jim Carrey. He plays a man who’s stuck in a loop—doing only what’s necessary, saying no to everything else, and slowly losing his spark. Then, after attending a seminar, he’s challenged to say “yes” to every opportunity life throws at him. That decision changes everything. From the moment he opens himself up, life takes him on an unexpected, extraordinary ride.

    That movie stuck with me. Not because we should all blindly say yes to everything, but because it holds a deeper truth: most opportunities won’t reveal themselves until we lean into them. Action creates momentum. Possibility follows movement.

    You don’t need to be a “Yes Man” to live more boldly, but you do need to engage. As Naval Ravikant put it so simply—what you do, where you do it, and with whom—those are the big questions worth answering.

    My personal motto this year? Buy the ticket, take the ride. If something feels aligned with who I am and where I want to go, I try not to overthink it. I just go. Try. Do.

    So, if you’re feeling stuck—start. Move. Say yes to the right things. Sometimes, that’s all it takes to shift everything.

  • Make Happiness a Choice

    There are countless definitions of happiness, and each of us carries our own idea of what it means to feel truly happy. For most, happiness is a fleeting sense of bliss—precious, hard to attain, and easy to lose. It’s often tied to our desires, how we see ourselves and others, and how we interpret the events around us.

    Choose to be a little happier, day by day.

    In recent years, I’ve started to question what happiness really means to me. What would it take to raise my baseline, to feel more at peace on a regular day? I came to a simple but powerful realization: being at peace with myself and feeling satisfied with how I spend my time is what makes me happiest. So I began making changes to align with that feeling.

    First, I started peeling back my desires—examining which ones still held meaning, and which were just leftover ideas I picked up along the way. Some of them weren’t even mine to begin with. Letting go of outdated or unrealistic wants helped me feel lighter and more focused.

    Next, I accepted that I can’t do everything at once. When I try, I spread myself thin and end up disappointed with half-finished efforts. So I stopped chasing productivity for its own sake and embraced a slower, more intentional pace. Now, I pick one meaningful task each day—just one—that I know will bring me joy or satisfaction. That simple shift changed everything.

    Lastly, I chose movement—literally. I started walking more, whether to work or just to clear my head. I go to the gym when I can, and I’ve found ways to handle more from my phone so I’m not chained to a desk. These small changes made a huge difference to how I feel day to day.

    At the end of the day, happiness is a choice. For me, that choice includes simplifying what happiness means, being genuinely grateful for where I am right now, and leaning on the tools that help—supplements, therapy, mindfulness, gratitude, and writing.

    Choose to help yourself. Choose to be a little happier, day by day.

    Cheers!