The Strongest Variable

I went searching for what my best stretches had in common; here's what I found

I’ve tracked everything I can obsessively for five years.

That includes sleep, daily steps, writing, journal entries, revenue, goals I’ve hit, and even the ones I didn’t.

Part of this diligent tracking and marginal gains obsession stuck with me once I fell head first into productivity world. I picked up a new habit (most of which I shared on Twitter back then), became obsessively consistent, and that mentality became a core part of how I function today.

So last week after a walk by the Malmö canal (the feature of this week’s photo), I went back through my health app and some old journals to do a bit of digging. I was searching for patterns that reflected the “good times” and went in expecting to find something about deep work or some practice I’d let go of.

However, the common thread I kept finding was all about movement.

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In almost every positive stretch I could point to — where I felt I was able to think clearly, had low anxiety, and was doing work I truly felt proud to share — I’d written something about movement in my journal. This February and May for instance (some of my best months), I averaged 9552 steps and 1 hour of daily activity.

On the other hand, the months I remember as the toughest, I’d locked myself in a room and tried not to think about anything apart from work. Movement had naturally dropped out, and as a result, so did the way I felt in that given period. I could see it in my journal entries as well my health data. Last November for example, a particular tough month, I averaged just 5487 steps and 45 minutes of daily activity.

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For me, movement has always looked a little different. I’ve been consistent with three to four strength training sessions a week, and that’s been the baseline for years. I’ve known that as soon as that number drops, it’s going to affect me in one way or another. But what I’m starting to realize is that movement goes far beyond what I just do in the gym.

One new habit I’m building is a daily thirty minute walk. No music, no podcast, no phone. Just straight sunlight and fresh air.

Malmö in early summer makes that easy, but I know it won’t always be. I’ve been through med school exam periods, moving countries, and many months where even the idea of a going for a walk before the sun goes down felt impossible. I know what those stretches feel like from the inside. And I know the version of me that comes out the other side of them.

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Movement isn’t the sole factor to all the good, but it’s clear to me now that it’s been one of the staples that’s held everything together.

Maybe there’s a pattern that explains when you felt your best and worst. Take a look back at your notes, apps, and data. Chances are you might find something that surprises you just as much as I did.

Talk soon,

Pranav

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