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1-2-3 Inner Game

Writer's picture: Dhiren P. HarchandaniDhiren P. Harchandani

Welcome to 1-2-3 Inner Game, your weekly hit of actionable strategies to achieve a high-performing, healthy, and thriving life.


 

Today's Highlights


  • The Hidden Cost of Saying "Yes"

  • 1-2-3 Inner-Game

  • Comedy: The Final Frontier of Free Speech

  • Play to Win

  • Brain Candy

  • Rundown of Cool Stuff This Week


 

Listen to the audio format of this issue



 

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Hi,


Time isn’t just money—it’s life. Every “yes” comes with a hidden “no” to something else—your health, your family, your peace of mind. That hit me hard this morning: I’m burning an hour every day just driving to the pool. Five hours a week, 20 hours a month—gone. What could I do with that time instead—play with my kids, write, or maybe just breathe?


So now I filter every task through three questions:

  1. Can I automate it? If tech can handle it, let it rip.

  2. Can I drop it altogether? Not everything needs to get done.

  3. Can I delegate it? Focus on what only I can do.


Because time doesn’t just belong to me—it’s my family’s too. And I’d rather spend it living, not just filling my day.


How often do you consider the hidden cost of saying “yes” to new commitments?

  • Always

  • Sometimes

  • Rarely

  • Never


 

Here's some Inner Game wisdom to chew on this week


1 question


What’s the one story you keep telling yourself that, if you finally ditched it, would unlock everything you’ve been chasing?


2 questions (and answers from me)


  1. When everything feels urgent, how do you decide what really matters? I imagine hitting rewind in five years—what will I care about then? That’s my filter. If it won’t matter in the long game, it doesn’t get prime real estate now.


  2. What’s the biggest slip-up you see people making? They keep thinking happiness is somewhere “out there”—a new job, a fancy vacation, or that next big milestone. But here’s the truth: if you’re waiting on external stuff to make you happy, you’re gonna wait forever. Happiness is an inside job.


3 insights from me


  1. Until you knock out your #1 priority, everything else is a distraction.


  2. Nobody knows their true ceiling. The only way to find it? Take the shot.


  3. No one’s self-made. Success is a team sport—people, timing, and a hundred moving pieces all have to click. Build your squad: supporters, advisors, and the ones who’ll have your back when it matters most.


 

What's new with the Pod - Emergence Now

Comedy: The Final Frontier of Free Speech
















 

Win the Game by Redefining How you Play


person working on a laptop

"🎮 I don’t want to play games" is really just code for "I don’t want to lose."


Let’s be real—everyone loves playing games when they’re winning.


When you’re on a roll, you’re like, ‘Let’s keep this going all day.’ The trick? Play games where you win.


💡 And the easiest way to do that? Make sure other people win too. Nobody likes a win-lose setup. Win-win? That’s where the magic happens. It’s like the difference between a one-night deal and a long-term relationship—one fades fast, the other compounds.


📈 Take clients, for example. It’s not about squeezing out one sale. Build a relationship, and they’ll keep coming back—and they’ll bring their friends. Suddenly, you’ve got referrals stacking up without even running ads. That’s long-term thinking.


🔥 And here’s the kicker: you don’t need to be a marketing genius. You just need to be so damn good at what you do that people can’t ignore you. Forget gimmicks—if you’re delivering real value, people will notice.


🚫 But if you’re selling something that doesn’t help the person on the other side? Stop. Don’t push garbage. Build something you’re proud of—something you’d want to buy yourself. That’s the real win.


💪 At the end of the day, the game is yours to play. Sure, life throws curveballs, but sitting in victim mode gets you nowhere. The power lies in what you do about it.


📜 I’ve got a sign in my gym that says, ‘Effort is your responsibility.’ That’s the whole game. No one’s going to hand you the win. You’ve gotta show up, put in the work, and stack the odds in your favor.


🎯 Play smart. Play to win. And make sure others win too. That’s how you level up.


 

Brain Candy Tweets That Made Me Think, Laugh, or Go ‘Huh, Interesting!












Easy: the illusion that I have unlimited time. When you’re young, you think you’ve got forever. As you get older, you realize time’s the only thing you can’t get back. It makes you sharper about how you spend it—and who you spend it with.


 

This is the cheat sheet for life. Feeling off? There’s always a fix—just gotta match the void with the right move. Most people wait for inspiration to strike, but the truth is, action creates momentum, and momentum fuels everything else. Don’t overthink it—start small, pick one, and go.


 

Here’s a rundown of some cool stuff I’ve been diving into this week.


📽️ 📖 What ​books to try​ based on the movies you loved last year.


 


I'm rooting for you to continue crushing it! 💪🏼


Dhiren



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