Today I learned that time is zero-sum. Every hour spent is an hour you’ll never get back—a non-renewable resource. That truth can feel stark, but it doesn’t have to be grim. Instead, it’s a call to be intentional.

Every “yes” to one task is, by nature, a “no” to something else. In engineering, this principle shows up in scope creep—adding new features without cutting others risks quality or delivery. The same holds true in life. Overloading your plate means less time for rest, hobbies, or loved ones.

Today I learned about the ‘No Hello’ principle, courtesy of nohello.net. Here’s the deal: starting a conversation with just “Hi” or “Hello” might feel polite, but it’s actually a sneaky time thief. Why? Because it kicks off a game of asynchronous ping-pong. You say, “Hi.” They say, “Hello, how can I help?” And then, finally, you get to the point.

The result? A simple exchange that could’ve taken one message now takes three. That’s like introducing lag into your own communication pipeline-yikes. Instead, the idea is to skip the “hello” limbo and dive right in: “Hi! Could you review PR #123 by EOD?” or “Hello! Got a sec to debug this rogue API response?” Boom—polite, efficient, and straight to the point.

Trust only movement. Life happens at the level of events, not of words. Trust movement. – Alfred Adler

This quote landed like a natural 20 during my daily journaling session in Obsidian. The meaning behind the quote might be closer to the song “More Than Words” by Extreme… But today, it inspires me to focus on movement in my goals. As I prepare to wrap up 2024 and look ahead to 2025, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the past year’s Sagas, the monumental goals I set, and to start shaping new ones.

In the chaotic adventure of life, it’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of daily tasks and forget the epic story we’re trying to tell. That’s where daily notes come in. For me, taking daily notes isn’t just a productivity hack—it’s a way to capture the narrative, track my quests, and reflect on the journey. Think of it as the adventurer’s journal you wish you’d always kept.

Here’s why I think daily notes are essential, why I’ve chosen Obsidian as my tool of choice, and how my fantasy-inspired daily note template keeps me motivated and (mostly) organized.