Micro-optimization
How badasses become even more badass
It was a beautiful afternoon in Accra. The dress code was brunch, and my friend was driving us to have our first meal of 2023. Top-down, sunnies on, we reminisced about the past year and discussed our plans for the new year. Both committed to continuous growth, we shared life areas we want to improve on. Since we didn’t seem to have many massive growth plans, I introduced the concept of micro-optimization.
In software, micro-optimization is the process of tuning small sections of code to address a perceived minor deficiency in its operation.
In life, micro-optimization is the process of tuning small sections of daily life to address a perceived minor deficiency in its operation.
It is the refinement of existing habits. It is the reorganization of habit stacks. It is how badasses become even more badass.
In 2020, I started having a green smoothie followed by green tea for breakfast. Fast forward two years later, I found out that one of my mentors has three green drinks every morning. And I thought to myself, “ah! Does he have two heads? I can do that too, no?”
And so, I added celery juice to my stack of morning green drinks—a micro-optimization to my health regimen.
I recently read a book that recommended exercise as the very first thing to do in the morning. I’ve always been a morning exerciser, but I would [try] to meditate as the first thing. Some mornings, I’d find myself falling back asleep or finding an excuse to cut my meditation short.
Could reorganizing my morning routine help me become a better meditator? So far, yes. Exercising immediately after I’m awake is a micro-optimization that has made the rest of my morning rituals much more effective.
At this point, you get the gist.
Micro-optimizations make continuous growth attainable and fun in the I-wonder-what-will-happen-if-I-push-this-button kind of way.
🤓 Recent Reads
On Tik Tok, I’ve found that people LOVE book recommendations. Plus, books deliver perspective-changing ideas, which can prompt micro-optimizations, in a thoroughly researched and tightly edited form. So, I’m starting this new section to share concisely one recent read each week. I hope you love it too!
The 5 AM Club by Robin Sharma
I firmly believe that, as a society, we need to encourage more rest. And more being over doing. So I was initially resistant to this book that champions 5 am wake times. But out of curiosity for an opposing perspective, I read it, and it turns out that I really enjoyed the book. It does a fantastic job of inspiring a bias toward love-led action while encouraging reverence for rest and balance.
Thanks to my friend and fellow coach, CJ, for the recommendation.
What are two micro-optimizations you can make this week?
See you again next week 🤍
Loving you, Aniekeme.