Hi, my name is Jack, I’m from Plano, Texas and I work as a student. I have experience with being AuDHD. You can ask me questions about: - long term behavior change - Ikigai - Personal Development I want to get these things from ADHD Harmony: - Further clarify my purpose - have a week as productive as the one I had the first time I did the challenge - socialize a bit more! For fun, I like to: - play Minecraft - meditate - work with AI (Currently, I’m working with the Codex App and ChatGPT) - watch UFC events with my Dad

I’m putting the business challenge on hold until the summer. Why? I got a D+ in one of my classes for the midterm grade, So I really need to pick up the pace on that class. And I can’t be starting a new business when my academics are at stake. So I’m starting a new self-directed challenge in its place, lasting until the end of the current semester- An Academic Recovery Challenge. I’ll be using the 3-2-1 method of studying for classes: 3 hours of textbook reading, 2 hours of out of class homework, 1 hour of active learning. And for now, I’ll be focusing on the class I have a D+ in. I’ll let you guys know if that changes.

While I was doing the challenge, I had a realization: Ikigai isn’t just the sum total of what you like doing, what you’re good at doing, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. It isn’t all of those things individually either. What Ikigai actually is, in western terms, is the common thread in your life that runs between all of those things. Think of getting a table at a family-owned restaurant: It’s where different groups and generations of people have gathered for years, decades, even centuries. And they’ve eaten and drank many different things over the years- some recipes went unchanged for decades or centuries, some created within the last year. But regardless of the details, they all went there to have a bite to eat and a drink to hydrate themselves. *That* is Ikigai in the sense of what people from Japan *actually* mean by it.

Edit (3/14/26): After yesterday, I have an addendum to what I wrote yesterday on step 3- Instead of calling or texting just anyone, call or text the person that is most closely linked to your goal, like a professor, freelance client, or supervisor. That will ensure you build one or even several small wins in the domain of life you’re working toward improving. (Original Post) So, I was having a low energy period for a couple days this week. But, here’s a system that helped me get back on track for today: 1. Rest- Resting- actually resting- for 2-4 days is the most important part of this protocol. Even with the identity shift from the challenge, you’ll still need rest on your low and/or emotionally/mentally heavy days 2. Reflect and integrate- reflect on what worked during the previous high period, and integrate the feeling it gave you in your body. the integrate part helped me keep the memory alive, and it also helps this step in general if you meditate frequently- particularly with body scans. It also helps if you use ChatGPT- particularly a custom GPT like ScholarGPT- not as a validator to your thoughts, but as a debate partner, or a partner in a Socratic dialogue 3. Text, call, or quickly email someone you care about or work with- This is one of the best open loops to start out with closing when you’re coming out of a low period, as it proves to your brain that, yes, you *can* still close open loops, and undoing your previous identity even further. 4. (Optional, but highly recommended if possible) Take an extended break- 1.5-3 weeks long- after 2-3 high-low period cycles: If you’re in a place where this is possible for you, you must take that opportunity by the horns. It’s for your own mental health and burnout prevention- because even a fish in its element needs to sleep.

Okay, I feel a lot more energized after exercising. Here’s the plan: 1. work on what I can of the context for my AI databank (branding + visual identity guidelines, product offerings, business documents, strategic + energetic documents, client and market research) 2. get ready for school 3. go to 1st class 4. have lunch 5. go to second class 6. go home 7. do public speaking homework at dining room table 8. turn on the hot tub when finished and turned in 9. do civics homework while it’s heating up 10. meditate in the hot tub + get out, dry off, get dressed 11. have dinner + scroll 12. scroll or listen to an audiobook until 9:00 PM 13. take PM meds 14. take a hot shower, screen free with calming guitar music 15. 4-7-8 breathing (5 min) 16. go to bed