It Ends FINALLY!

Stop Here, Traveller. You Deserve Some Rest.

This was the playlist that stopped it all… in a good way.

I’ve been on a rampage since Jan 1st, grinding non-stop (shared that story in my first newsletter). But on Feb 17th, I stumbled upon this playlist—Stop Here, Traveller. You Deserve Some Rest.

And for the first time, I thought to myself:

"I think I’ve pushed enough. I should stop."

And just so you know, I could see the compounded effect of exhaustion and I ACTUALLY needed mental rest to come back stronger.

But you know what? My ego is too damn big to stop.

It’s ingrained in me that if I slow down, everything I’ve built will go to waste. That others are outworking me, that if I don’t hit my goal on time, I’m a failure.

So I kept going.

Even though I was waking up late, feeling sluggish, mentally foggy—I still pushed through for a few more days. Until I finally… finally put a stop to it.

Feb 20th – The Breaking Point

I decided to pull an all-nighter because I had a YouTube video to finish before Saturday, plus other work to do.

I did it. I finished everything. And while editing that night, I made a decision:

This would be my final day of self-harming grind.

Yes, self-harming grind.

At first, the grind was fun. I wasn’t forcing myself, even pulled some all-nighters but balanced them with proper rest.

But as time went on, I felt like I was fighting against the tide, trying to cram as much work as possible with fake urgent deadlines.

And don’t get me wrong, I will still do more grinding sessions but without self-harm.

That final night, after finishing the edit, I went for a morning run—I just needed to move my body.

And that run was actually needed.

While running, I finally had time to think.

I realized that the world will keep going with or without me. I will achieve my goals—I believe that.

So why hurt myself trying to speed-run life?

Grinding is fine. Working hard is necessary. But not at the cost of my own well-being.

Balance isn’t always possible, but some things should be non-negotiable—like working out and spending time with family. Just like brushing your teeth.

No Solid Conclusion Here… You Decide.

I’m still in a mentally exhausted state while writing this. I’ve recovered a bit, but I don’t have some grand conclusion to give you.

So, you tell me—what’s your takeaway from this?

Reply to this email. I’d love to hear how this story hits you at whatever stage you’re in.

Cheers from my mancave,

Mradul