don’t lock in.
I bought into the “lock in” culture
Wake up at 5 AM, grind nonstop, no excuses. At first, I would feel unstoppable. But soon enough, I would burnout, and return to my comfortable routines that I tried to escape in the first place. I thought discipline was something you had to force upon yourself. But recently I've come to realize: discipline isn't built - its revealed.
What does 'locking in' really mean?
At its core its just admitting: "I'm not enough". Hustle culture is telling us, "Grind now, Enjoy later". We’re sold the story that you’re nothing unless you work harder than everyone else - that rest is for the weak, that you’ll sleep when you’re dead. Who is selling us this story? Entrepreneurs and marketers - masters at inventing problems and selling solutions. In this case, the ‘problem’ is you. Your supposed inadequacy, their promise of “the way.” The result? A constant state of stress and self-judgment. Rest starts to feel like guilt. Taking time off feels like weakness. You start to believe your worth is the same as your productivity. ‘Locking in’ can win you achievements - but it costs you the very life you’re working for.
Working hard isn't the problem.
The way 'locking in' frames it is. It creates a distance between who you are, and who you want to be. Chasing a new identity is like hanging from a pull-up bar—the harder you grip, the faster you burn out. What if you simply let go? Work from a place of freedom, not pressure. Your value should not be up for vote. It comes from doing, not from approval. The paradox: the less you grip, the more discipline - and life - opens up.
"Give yourself permission to be yourself. Your uniqueness has no competition."—Vadim Zeland, Reality Transurfing: Steps I–V
There are no hacks.
Its about testing what actually works for you. This is what has helped me attain a more flow state.
Space
Give yourself space to veer off course and return. Success is not a straight line, it comes from a continual process of error, feedback, and correction.
Willfully Suck
Not everything needs a return. Do something you allow yourself to be bad at. For me, it’s surfing. I paddle out with no expectation - if I catch a wave, great. If not, I’m still stoked just being in the water.
Gratitude
If you’re anything like me, its easy to be your own worst enemy: constant pressure, never enough. Simply expressing gratitude reverses that. Seeing everyday as a gift and an opportunity to grow makes you unstoppable.
With that said, freedom doesn’t come from escaping discipline. It comes from redefining it on your own terms.
So give yourself the permission to let go. The less you try, the more you do.
If you made it here, thank you - I hope you carry a little of that freedom into your day.
Until next time.
