🎉 Milestones, Mindset, and Momentum: 50 Subscriber Special🎉
By Mind & Muscle Academy. Newsletter nᵒ9, 08/11/2024.
Hey Everyone,
We’ve hit 50 subscribers!
It’s more than just a number - it’s proof that you’re committed to this journey of growth as much as I am.
And to celebrate, this edition is packed with insight and practical advice you can apply right away.
Let’s look at the importance of milestones, how to level up in ways that make a difference, and what you can achieve in just a few minutes a day.
If you’re looking for motivation, this is for you!
🚀 What’s Inside This Special Edition?
Milestone Moments: Reflect on why milestones matter—and how to use them in your journey.
Mindset Shifts That Matter: Small shifts, big results; actionable mindsets to build resilience and focus.
Quick Tips & Practical Tools: Methods that make a difference in your progress.
Sneak Peek & Challenge: What’s next, and a challenge to set your own milestone.
1. Milestone Moments: Why Milestones Matter in Growth
When I started this newsletter, I wasn’t just aiming for a number. Each subscriber is part of a community striving for betterment - in academics, sports, and self-discipline.
Why does hitting a milestone feel so significant?
Because it’s a checkpoint in your journey.
Milestones keep you aware of your progress and show you how far you've come.
The Takeaway: Break down your big goals into smaller, trackable steps, and take the time to celebrate when you reach them.
Research from How to Track Progress (2022) found that people who track progress toward goals are more likely to succeed and stay motivated.1
Actionable Tip: Choose one “check-in” goal for the next month. Whether it’s reading a book, hitting a workout goal, or learning something new, write it down and mark your progress.
By setting these milestones, you’re creating a reward system that builds momentum.
2. Mindset Shifts That Matter
In my journey, the biggest changes didn’t come from massive actions but from small mindset shifts.
Here’s a breakdown of some powerful mindsets you can start adopting today:
Celebrate Every Win, Big or Small
Progress isn’t about perfection. Every little win builds confidence, and every step forward reinforces the habit of consistency.
Psychologists call this the “progress principle” - small, incremental achievements increase long-term motivation.
Real-Life Example: Think of elite athletes. They don’t always hit a personal best every workout; they just make sure to show up and give what they can.
The result? Consistent progress over time. So even if your study session felt “meh,” or your workout wasn’t groundbreaking, it still matters.
Shift from “Have To” to “Get To”
Language shapes reality. Studies in psychology have shown that rephrasing a task from “I have to” to “I get to” increases motivation and positive feelings around it.
Example: Instead of “I have to study,” try “I get to learn something new.” It’s a small change, but it shifts the experience from a chore to a privilege.
Think of Progress as a Journey, Not a Destination
Instead of focusing on “arriving,” value each step.
Neuroscience studies reveal that consistent, positive reinforcement on the journey rewires the brain to seek growth, not just outcomes.
3. Quick Tips & Practical Tools
Here are tips that you can apply to daily life, no matter how busy things get:
Feynman Technique for Mastering Concepts
When studying, teach it back to yourself. Explain it in simple terms, even if it’s just to a pet or in the mirror.
Studies show that teaching forces your brain to reorganise information, revealing any gaps in understanding.
How to Do It: Choose a topic and try to explain it as if you were teaching a 10-year-old. Anywhere you get stuck? Go back and review.
This simple technique has been shown to improve retention by 20%.
Consistency Over Intensity in Workouts
Research on training consistency shows that people who work out moderately, but consistently, see more improvement over time than those who train sporadically with high intensity.
Simply put: show up, even if it’s at 50%.
Try This: For the next two weeks, focus on getting 10–15 minutes of exercise daily. Whether it’s stretching, strength training, or cardio, the goal is consistency, not intensity.
The Five-Minute Rule for Overcoming Procrastination
Psychologists suggest that committing to just five minutes of a task reduces mental resistance. Once you start, you’ll often keep going.
Challenge: Set a five-minute timer for something you’ve been putting off - whether it’s an assignment, reading, or a quick workout. Those five minutes might just turn into 30.
4. Sneak Peek: What’s Next for Us?
Here’s a preview of what’s coming up and how you can get even more involved:
New Series on Overcoming Mental Blocks
Expect deeper dives into common challenges like procrastination, self-doubt, and balancing priorities. These aren’t just articles; they’ll be filled with practical steps and exercises to help you take control.
So stay tuned for the next 5 newsletters, and don’t forget to subscribe!
More Interactive Content
I want this community to be a true space for shared growth. Soon, I’ll be introducing polls, questions, and maybe even a few challenges where you can share your wins (and lessons learned) with the rest of us.
Wrapping Up: Here’s to the Next Milestone
Reaching 50 subscribers means so much to me, and I hope this edition has given you something valuable.
Remember, growth isn’t about one big leap. It’s about showing up, pushing a little further, and finding lessons in each step.
This Week’s Challenge
Choose one milestone goal for yourself and write it down somewhere you’ll see it every day. Whether it’s hitting a new grade, completing a certain number of workouts, or learning something new, keep track, and celebrate when you reach it.
Let’s keep moving forward, and here’s to our next big milestone!
Stay tuned for more tips, stories, and advice in our upcoming newsletters, and feel free to check out last week’s edition!
As always, I’m open to new ideas or suggestions you may have, so feel free to leave a comment!
Thank you all for joining me today, and I wish you a pleasant rest of your day.
Quote of the Day:
“Remember to celebrate milestones as you prepare for the road ahead.”
-Nelson Mandela
Best regards,
Ruben
Founder, Mind & Muscle Academy
(2022). How to Track Progress. 633-643. doi: 10.4018/978-1-6684-7589-8.ch031