Edward's Journal

[Zakaex]

Hi Edward, 

I just read through a lot of your journal and I just thought I'd let you know that you're doing great! I started with just a couple of habits that I would do consistently like meditation and a quick morning run, but over time the positive effects from these habits have compounded. My comfort zone has been extended vastly and now I also visualise, do a work-out run, workout in the morning, take a cold shower, am improving my guitar skills, and a few other habits I have built up. If you continue working on the small things you'll improve heaps over time.

You're definitely on the right track and I look forward to seeing where you'll end up in the future!

Thank you, Alex!

It is very encouraging and motivating to hear from another GQ war hero! I do hope I share the same work ethic as you do in the future!

[Zakaex]

Day 10   (January 22, 2016)

Onto Module #5 on Respawn now, after completing the practical steps outlined in both the video and the worksheet, it was another one of those shocking realizations again; the hours I have spent every day on video games. If only the time were invested in other aspects of my life instead of sitting in my room facing a computer screen, how different would my life be like right now. Maybe I could have been on the varsity basketball team, learned how to win friends and influence enemies and became some top student. With that said,  I try my best not be so pessimistic, as Stephen Hawking once said: "The past, like the future, is indefinite and exists only as a spectrum of possibilities." I am the youngest that I will ever be now and should be focusing on the years that I have ahead instead.

Today's GQ video is "How To Improve Your Willpower", Cam provided some valuable insights onto how we can have a six pack of the brain. One of the first key steps was to "Be aware of your energy levels", it then came to me that unfortunately, unlike video games, we do not have a UI to show how much willpower we have remaining for the day (and sadly for mana too  ). But that is just one of the beauties of life, technological limitations are not there to constrain us! One study has shown that "Willpower can be an unlimited resource", by believing that we have unlimited willpower we can actually extend the mental limits in our mind, which I find is amazing.

 

[Cam Adair]

Day 10   (January 22, 2016)

Onto Module #5 on Respawn now, after completing the practical steps outlined in both the video and the worksheet, it was another one of those shocking realizations again; the hours I have spent every day on video games. If only the time were invested in other aspects of my life instead of sitting in my room facing a computer screen, how different would my life be like right now. Maybe I could have been on the varsity basketball team, learned how to win friends and influence enemies and became some top student. With that said,  I try my best not be so pessimistic, as Stephen Hawking once said: "The past, like the future, is indefinite and exists only as a spectrum of possibilities." I am the youngest that I will ever be now and should be focusing on the years that I have ahead instead.

Today's GQ video is "How To Improve Your Willpower", Cam provided some valuable insights onto how we can have a six pack of the brain. One of the first key steps was to "Be aware of your energy levels", it then came to me that unfortunately, unlike video games, we do not have a UI to show how much willpower we have remaining for the day (and sadly for mana too  ). But that is just one of the beauties of life, technological limitations are not there to constrain us! One study has shown that "Willpower can be an unlimited resource", by believing that we have unlimited willpower we can actually extend the mental limits in our mind, which I find is amazing.

You're learning and taking away all of the key lessons. Keep going man, this will continue to compound over time into big results.

[Zakaex]

Day 11   (January 23, 2016)

Just finished Module #6 (1/2) on "How to Increase Your Energy and Improve Your Mood". Despite many activities listed in the worksheet has already been a part of my daily routine, I cannot be any more confident than I am now, knowing that these are THE scientifically proven steps to overwrite the joy and happiness that had once been replaced by gaming for me. 

One thing to note, however, is that I am still experiencing trouble to rewire my brain in replacing substitutive intoxicants such as watching movies (and other similar activities) to healthier ones like reading. Perhaps I should start small again and build them up over time while limiting the time I spend on Netflix.

Today's GQ Video is "Why You Game Your Need for Accomplishment", another very insightful video. Cam talks about how video games trap us in a never ending cycle, a phenomenon which I can relate to - in many cases I played video games just to alleviate stress when in reality it doesn't do much help at all. Instead, after every gaming session, I tend to get overwhelmed by life's responsibilities and lists of to-do's that have accumulated for over a week (overdue assignments, homework due tomorrow, etc.). Which, by merely thinking about it, grows so much mental pain that I would just click on the "Rematch" button. Primarily, the key takeaway for me is to prepare for the rainy day, for it will come for every one of us. Do not procrastinate and I will start organizing my time so that any 'scary' assignments can be broken down into small, day-by-day chunks.

[Zakaex]

Day 12   (January 24, 2016)

Made it all the way to second half of Module #6 in Respawn today, it just came to me that all these techniques and mindset tricks work not only for video game addiction but for any substitutive intoxicants that we have going on in our lives. What I need is not any more diversions from reality, but instead, like many others here pursue a more social and happier life. It seems to be that during this 90-day detox, not only am I battling the temptations to play video games but all the other mindless activities I have been doing up to now (Watching Netflix for 4-5 hours straight). And the methods Cam teaches in Respawn helps immensely.

Today's GQ video is "How to Stay Friends With Your Gamer Friends", Cam goes over strategies to help us cope with (some) losses we will make during our 90-day detox. Losing people in my life is probably one of the hardest phases I am going through right now during these three months, especially when almost all of my closest friends are gamers. I have never realized real loneliness until treading down this path, but nevertheless, I am thankful for this forum here and the many like-minded people who are supporting each other including me. 

 

[WorkInProgress]

Hi Edward,

came back to your journal this morning. good to see you still going strong. I'm in the process of letting many bad habbits like porn mass browsing and procrastinating go. I never decided explicity to stop doing them( my fokus was on stop gaming and start living) but it seemed so natural, that i got them down to nothing. I just watch some series together with my wife. But i dont feel bad, because we talk over them and it is kind of a social aspect of my life i really enjoy. Seems like a good plan to reduce netflix time though. It helps me a lot that i got so much work and studying to do. Don't have to worry too much about freetime and surprisingly im not annoyed or stressed out. I really think that schedules helped me alot in this progress and im curious how your experience is with them( I found it very hard at first to make good schedules and are still improving in this aspect).

soon 2 weeks done! We rock

 

[Cam Adair]

Great job Edward! Really proud of your progress. Keep going, you have many things to look forward to in the future based on the efforts you're putting in now, trust me.

[Zakaex]

Hi Edward,

came back to your journal this morning. good to see you still going strong. I'm in the process of letting many bad habbits like porn mass browsing and procrastinating go. I never decided explicity to stop doing them( my fokus was on stop gaming and start living) but it seemed so natural, that i got them down to nothing. I just watch some series together with my wife. But i dont feel bad, because we talk over them and it is kind of a social aspect of my life i really enjoy. Seems like a good plan to reduce netflix time though. It helps me a lot that i got so much work and studying to do. Don't have to worry too much about freetime and surprisingly im not annoyed or stressed out. I really think that schedules helped me alot in this progress and im curious how your experience is with them( I found it very hard at first to make good schedules and are still improving in this aspect).

soon 2 weeks done! We rock

 

Nice job, Mario! It's great to see you making a small gratitude entry in every journal posts, I have recently started one as well and must say that it is by far one of the most helpful things to keep me away from the mindless activities. 

As far as watching TV series goes, you really should start putting your wife down on your gratitude list every day, you lucky bastard. I wish I had someone to watch my favorite series together as well. But for now, sitting in my room spending almost half the day staring at my computer screen will not get me any closer to that goal, unfortunately. So I figured I should give that a 90-day detox as well, following the tips and tricks from the Respawn guide. Stay strong bro, we got this!

 

Great job Edward! Really proud of your progress. Keep going, you have many things to look forward to in the future based on the efforts you're putting in now, trust me.

Thank you, Cam. One of the reasons I chose to purchase your guide and follow your teachings was mainly due to your hard work and dedication in putting everything together in GQ, I find that very inspiring and motivating. It is a great honor to have you as one of my first (virtual) mentors! Keep it up!

[Zakaex]

Day 13   (January 25, 2016)

One more module to go! Today's module #7 goes over tools and techniques to help us get through this 90-day detox. Like many journals in this forum, I also enjoy the idea of starting a gratitude journal, it helps to keep my mind focused on the big picture of things and not just my needs. Take for example, after class today I had big urges just to go back home and go on Netflix, but by mentally jotting down a small gratitude list of the things I have (Warm shelter, good friends, high-end laptop, etc. ), I immediately felt at ease and was less stressed. 

Today's GQ video is "How to Get out of the House More Often", from an introvert to another, I find these tips very useful. Healthy habits create positive momentum, and this will eventually snowball into an incredible life. The only issue I find is that home is almost way more convenient than any other outside areas for studying (Pretty annoying to pack up all your papers just to go to use the bathroom and come back having your seat taken in the library). But thank God I don't have a gym in my house.

 

 

[wookieshark88]

I just wanted to stop by and say that your journal is awesome!  It never ceases to amaze me when I read stories like yours!  As you continue to learn and grow in your journey, you'll find that other bad bad habits will start to naturally fall away,  The best thing is to stay positive, do something to grow every single day (doesn't have to be a huge thing), and keep doing what you're doing!

[Zakaex]

I just wanted to stop by and say that your journal is awesome!  It never ceases to amaze me when I read stories like yours!  As you continue to learn and grow in your journey, you'll find that other bad bad habits will start to naturally fall away,  The best thing is to stay positive, do something to grow every single day (doesn't have to be a huge thing), and keep doing what you're doing!

Thank you, bro. It means a lot to me, knowing that we always have each others backs! 

[WorkInProgress]

Hi Edward, yeah  she is always one of my first thoughts, at the gratitude list. But i try to put down new things every day. Especially small things i like to shift my fokus on more appreciation od the small things.

[Zakaex]

Day 14   (January 26, 2016)

I did it! Through persistence and a little self-discipline, I finally managed to complete the entire Respawn guide. An extremely insightful crash course now archived in my library; despite hoping that I would not need to go over it again in the future, I am glad to have the program shelved at my convenience so that this valuable resource can be re-visited when a little reminder is in need for my 90-day challenge. Small achievements like these motivate me to keep on going, through a sense of accomplishment which provides momentum - not to mention I have made it two weeks clean of video games!

Today's GQ video is "NO EXCUSES: YOU HAVE TIME",simple yet important lesson. Ever since I started my detox journey, it was pretty shocking how much spare time I have throughout the day, thinking back to the past if all those hours had been invested in something else - working out, learning, socializing, how much different would I be? The very thought of it sometimes pains me, and I notice that regret is an ongoing theme here in my journal. But at the same time, I feel a sense of redemption (or in other words, 'Respawning'). As the book "The Magic of Thinking Big" by Dr. David J, Schwartz says, we should focus on the years we have ahead of us and not the ones we already went through. Having this mindset in my thinking really shines light into the future.

[Cam Adair]

So awesome! Way to go man

[Zakaex]

Day 15   (January 27, 2016)

The changes I have gone through in this two weeks have already been remarkable. Trying to get out of the house more, I finally revisited the gym after taking almost a months break from it. Although it pains me to know how much weight I have gained and how tiring it is now for me to play thirty minutes of basketball, I am all the more motivated through the momentum I have built for myself after quitting video games. I believe that just by the act of simply dragging my butt off the chair and into the gym, there is already some neurological rewiring going on in my brain. Since I could only workout for thirty minutes today, my goal is to increase my overall athleticism and push myself to increase that by 5 minutes each day. As Charlie Munger says, "Step by step you get ahead but not necessarily in fast spurts."

Today's GQ video is "How To Deal With Gaming Nostalgia". Again, just demonstrating how important having a gratitude journal is, simple yet effective, I personally get very motivated and driven dwelling on things that I do have as to the ones that I do not. Another practical step that got me thinking is the "Always create new experiences." one. As an introvert, I am always fearful in social situations, and if humans have a hive mind, then I will have to work on my interactions with one another slowly. Might start by reading a few books on similar topics.

Edited January 28, 2016 by Zakaex

[Zakaex]

Day 16   (January 28, 2016)

Went to the gym today again for a lighter exercise routine, surprisingly, after a good night's rest, a cold shower and 5 minutes of meditation I was able to complete the same workout as yesterday without any rest. Almost felt as if my body had tune itself back when I was a month ago. Ever since going cold turkey I have also noticed that going out was a lot more fun than it used to be. Back then, whenever I head out to somewhere with my family, I would dread and be very looking forward to getting back home; visualizing how my next dungeon run would look like in World Of Warcraft or how I will dominate my next match in League Of Legends. Now, heading out to the gym or going to a bookstore, in my opinion, not only has way more value to me. But I also get a sense of accomplishment for going out, which does seem almost equivalent to winning a match in video games, the only difference is that the latter would not take me anywhere in life nor build any positive momentum.

Today, I have decided to go through one of GQ's recommended YouTube Channel, Tai Lopez. After going through a couple of his videos, it is shocking on how much insight he has on life. Not only does Tai prove his points through his personal experience (Journey from parent's couch to making eight figures a year), but they are also backed up by people who has been just as successful as he is. For sure be subscribing to his channel and continuing to double down on me through the knowledge and wisdom of the people who made it.

[Cam Adair]

For sure be subscribing to his channel and continuing to double down on me through the knowledge and wisdom of the people who made it.

Exposing yourself to people like this is huge. Next, make sure you implement what you learn as quickly as possible. That's where the magic happens.

[Zakaex]

For sure be subscribing to his channel and continuing to double down on me through the knowledge and wisdom of the people who made it.

Exposing yourself to people like this is huge. Next, make sure you implement what you learn as quickly as possible. That's where the magic happens.

Agreed, like what Dr. David J. Schwartz says in his book, "the thinking that guides your intelligence is much more important than how much intelligence you may have." I believe just plain book knowledge will not get you anywhere in life until you implement them with action.

[Zakaex]

Day 17   (January 29, 2016)

Pulled my butt off the house again today, and managed to hit the gym in the afternoon. Though, at such peak hours, it is just packed with people everywhere. Often this would be rather annoying to me, and would have just gone home. Today, however, I have decided to think about it in a different angle again, instead of dreading over how many people there are in the gym, I would use it as motivation to get up earlier, rise and grind it out where I would have complete access to all equipment's. Also, after managing to check off all I had to do for my workout that day I felt accomplished again, knowing that I have won by the hour and now the rest of the day to myself.

[Zakaex]

Day 18   (January 30, 2016)

Today I managed to meditate and read as usual for my daily routine. However, as of late I am once again bombarded by urges and cravings to watch TV shows again whenever boredom struck. Netflix is becoming more of a serious issue for me than it is for video games all of a sudden (That or it is something just another replacement to fill the void in my life). Flipping through the Respawn manual again, I have decided from tomorrow on I will begin to select from a wide variety of healthy activities as a replacement, in addition to going out more despite the cold weather.

[Cam Adair]

The question you want to ask is how you manage to be bored so often. It most likely has to down with a lack of intentionality around your schedule.

[Zakaex]

The question you want to ask is how you manage to be bored so often. It most likely has to down with a lack of intentionality around your schedule.

Yes, that could very well be the case. As an ISFP person, I am never much of a planning type. I should start by making a habit of planning out what I am going to do the night before tomorrow. 

[Zakaex]

Day 19   (January 31, 2016)

Today I managed to cut down my Netflix time by around a half, by occupying myself and focusing on reading instead. A significant influence was from watching a couple of videos from Tai Lopez, and he has a good point on always doubling down on ourselves; this is a universally agreed path to success by ones who made it to the top (No billionaire would say no to investing in yourself). However, with the vast majority of books out there it is rather overwhelming to know which would be a good read. Just like going out on a date with someone you just met, you wouldn't ask for he/she to marry you right away - that would be the right question at the wrong time. I am therefore on a search right now for good self-development reads that will benefit me in the long run.

[Cam Adair]

Today I managed to cut down my Netflix time by around a half, by occupying myself and focusing on reading instead.

Amazing how easy this was hey?

[Zakaex]

Today I managed to cut down my Netflix time by around a half, by occupying myself and focusing on reading instead.

Amazing how easy this was hey?

Well, the initial had always been the more appealing choice to make. But in the attempt to strive for a more stoic lifestyle approach during the 90-day detox, I tried visualizing what each option will benefit me in the long run, and that eventually gave me an edge to flip open a book!