How Monk Mode changed my life and why you should try It.

The life-changing benefits of temporarily unplugging from our noisy digital world.

Hello there beautiful people, I’m back! My name is Ash Lamb, and this is The Visual Growth Letter. An illustrated newsletter about creativity and life.

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Last December I got quite sick.

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Whilst I was skiing with some friends I caught a strong throat infection which forced me to take a step back from work and recover in bed for a month.

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During my recovery, I felt so low on energy I couldn't even get myself to read a few pages, so my only option was to think and ponder.

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At first, I got quite frustrated with my situation as I'm a naturally active person, but then I realized that being at the gates of the new year, this was the perfect occasion to reflect and analyze the decisions I had taken, consciously and unconsciously, in that same year.

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I discovered a number of things about myself I wasn't aware of due to my lack of daily reflection.

1. I was running away from the hard truth by filling up my days with shallow tasks and activities. When you're busy being busy you don't have time to sit still with your own thoughts and face your inner demons.

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2. I became overly fixated on vanity metrics and allowed them to dictate the intrinsic value of my work. This frame of mind led me to rush the creative process which then resulted in only creating for the sake of creating as opposed to creating meaningful work.

   

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3. I was continually comparing myself to everyone I saw online and offline. Unfortunately, this turned into a harmful cycle of toxic competition I only knew about, causing my personal growth to become monotonous and exhausting, rather than inspiring and invigorating as it once was.

   

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4. I had become enslaved to my smartphone, devoting an excessive amount of time to it. With all the "social" apps loaded on my device, I justified my behavior as a content creator for work. However, the truth was that I had developed an addiction to my phone, using it constantly whether inside or out. Even during walks, I felt compelled to occupy myself with music or a podcast simply to distract myself

   

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5. I was trying to launch an e-commerce store with illustrated bespoke products, but I hit this major conflict. On one hand, I was excited about the idea of expanding my brand into physical products, but on the other hand, I made a promise to myself a while back that I wouldn't do anything that didn't align with my values or desired lifestyle, just for the potential outcome. And honestly, the thought of personally managing inventory and shipping products worldwide just didn't seem like my jam.

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6. I grappled with existential questions related to my work and couldn't find a definitive answer. I wondered, if all my accounts were to be hacked tomorrow and irretrievably lost, would I still be motivated to create the same art and content that I have been producing until now?

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Introducing Monk Mode

Once I fully recovered from my throat infection, I set out to put my life together again.

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To try and fix all the issues I listed above I decided to step away from the chaos and focus on the fundamentals.

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I needed to zoom out by stepping out of my delusional little internet bubble in order to gain new perspectives.

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An almost insignificant change of direction can make a big difference over time.

Through research and conversations with friends, I stumbled upon a fascinating personal challenge known as Monk Mode.

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This practice involves eliminating all distractions, bad habits, and vices for a few months to re-establish a connection with oneself, uncover the truth, and accomplish critical tasks. It serves as a potent remedy for those leading busy, superficial lives.

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The underlying principle of Monk Mode is to view life as a series of seasons, where instead of remaining in a state of constant maintenance and drifting along, you force yourself to be highly focused and efficient for a specific period of time.

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This concentrated effort enables you to achieve in a matter of months what most people take a year to accomplish.

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Following this, you can return to maintenance mode and relax a bit, secure in the knowledge that you gave it your all.

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In case you’re interested these were my Monk Mode personal requirements:

• A strict sleep schedule: Getting up at 6 AM, and going to bed at 10 PM.

• Intermittent fasting: Eating only one big meal at the end of each day

• One full-body one-hour workout every day.

• No unnecessary content consumption. No videos, no podcasts, no music. Just me, my work, and my thoughts.

• One hour of reading before bed.

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Although I obviously did not adhere to this list flawlessly, it did help me tons in raising my standards.

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How Monk Mode has helped me set my life straight

1. To reconnect with my inner self, I purchased an inexpensive analog timer from my local utility store. The purpose was to time my breath-work meditation and "doing nothing" sessions, allowing me to gradually increase their duration by a few minutes each day until I reached the one-hour mark. Initially, I started with just two minutes, focusing on building a habit before extending the time. Additionally, I committed to limiting my technology usage on certain days, which provided me with more time to reflect on my decisions. I also resumed journaling to record my thoughts and revisit them in the future.

   

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2. Taking a real break from social media allowed me to break free from the "content treadmill." Once I stopped creating content just for the sake of posting on social media, I began to create with intention and sincerity, which required a significant shift in mindset. I was no longer driven by ego or the need for growth hacks and engagement farming. Instead, I poured my heart and soul into each task and created work that I was genuinely proud of. Interestingly, this approach attracted more people than when I was creating solely for the likes. Moreover, experimenting with long-form content helped me slow down and produce art that was more thoughtful and refined.

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3. To conquer my tendency to compare myself with others, I broadened my horizons and ventured beyond my narrow online echo chamber, gaining exposure to diverse perspectives. Through this, I discovered a mindset that allowed me to view others as a source of inspiration rather than competition. By adopting this approach, I became more open-minded and receptive, learning something new from every encounter. Embracing an abundant mentality was crucial to realizing that life is not a zero-sum game. Just because someone else is winning doesn’t mean that you can’t win too.

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4. To overcome my phone addiction, I ditched my big, modern phone for a small, basic 3-inch phone with limited functionality. Although I was initially skeptical, I realized that my simple lifestyle did not require constant access to numerous apps, and thus, my decision proved to be wise. As a result, my phone usage decreased significantly, and I now feel liberated. Additionally, I am now making an effort to refrain from listening to music or podcasts every time I go outside, giving my mind some much-needed breathing room to think clearly!

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5. To reorient myself toward my values and reignite my sense of purpose, I decided to refresh my Personal Compass - a simple one-page document outlining my long-term mission and specifying what I am willing to compromise versus what I am not. In addition to revising it, I set a reminder to check it daily so I wouldn’t forget why I’m doing what I’m doing. I soon started to spot and correct certain patterns in my behavior that weren’t aligned with my goals. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. When facing important decisions with momentous decisions, it is crucial to consider all relevant factors, as money is just one aspect. Other factors such as time, energy, enjoyment, impact, and longevity must also be weighed. Also, I figured out that if I like a certain idea but hate doing some of the necessary work to make it happen, I could collaborate with folks who actually enjoy that kind of work.

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6. In order to determine if Visual Growth (this very project) was my true passion, I decided to temporarily step away from it and focus on acquiring new skills such as video editing, basic front-end development, and product design. While I truly enjoyed exploring these new areas, it became apparent that my true fulfillment came from the art of visual storytelling. Sometimes, a change of pace is necessary to appreciate the blessings of being in one's current position.

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After immersing myself in Monk Mode and confronting my inner demons, I'm feeling a remarkable improvement. My dopamine levels have been replenished, and even a walk around the park on a beautiful day feels like an enlightening experience.

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I'm now more attuned to my values and am crafting a mindful, authentic long-term plan to develop my brand. I'm eager to experiment with longer-form or unhurried content that requires time and reflection to produce.

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Thank you so much for reading!

I truly appreciate your readership and support. Without you, this project wouldn't be the same. :)

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Don’t take anything I share too seriously.

I’m just a young curious individual sharing my learnings through visual storytelling, that’s all. Everything I share is a reminder to myself. I’m essentially just learning out loud.

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Great love and respect,

P.S. Your turn! I would love to know what are your priorities for 2023 and how this year is going so far! Feel free to reply to this email with your answer. I’ll reply to everyone!