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1-2-3 Inner Game

  • Writer: Dhiren P. Harchandani
    Dhiren P. Harchandani
  • May 1
  • 4 min read

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


  • Lessons from the Top of the World (Sort Of)

  • 1-2-3 Inner-Game

  • From Zero to $1 Million: The Playbook No One Talks About

  • Win the Game by Redefining How You Play

  • Brain Candy

  • Rundown of Cool Stuff This Week



Listen to the audio format of this issue




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Hi,


Before we begin, I'd like to quickly invite you to an upcoming 3-day workshop, hosted by me, designed to rewire how you think, act, and lead.



This isn’t just mindset fluff. It’s science-backed strategies for lasting change. Whether you’re looking to sharpen your leadership, crush personal goals, or unlock that next-level version of yourself, this is your moment. Your future self will thank you!




And now, back to your 1-2-3 Inner Game for the week.


So I’m in Athens. Second time, first time was for my 40th, not so long ago. Hot, crowded, ancient.


I decide to hike up to the Acropolis — you know, that Acropolis — the birthplace of democracy, drama, and probably bad sandals.


And as I’m walking up this hill that billions of people have walked for thousands of years, I’m thinking…


“Dhiren, this is the same spot where Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle used to hang out and argue about truth and virtue.” 📚


Meanwhile, I’m here checking Google Maps.


But then — I hit this moment.


I reach the top. Wind's blowing. Sun’s beaming. I look out over the city and think: “Everything I stress about — emails, KPI's, my impact — none of it matters up here.”


This place has seen empires rise and fall. It’s survived wars, earthquakes, and yet, it just stands there — cracked but unbothered.


So yeah, the Acropolis? It humbled me. 🧎

Not with silence, but with scale. Not with power, but with presence.


It’s not screaming for attention. It just is. Unshaken. Unrushed. Unimpressed by urgency.


And in that stillness, I heard it loud and clear: You don’t leave a legacy by doing more. You leave a legacy by becoming more.


So now — back down the hill. Back to the noise. But a little lighter, a little clearer… and a lot more grounded.



What’s your go-to move when you catch yourself in a bad mood but still need to show up strong?

  • 🧘 Take a quick reset (breathwork, walk, etc.)

  • 🗣️ Talk it out with someone I trust

  • 📝 Journal or reflect to process it

  • 🚀 Push through — deal with it later



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? (Click to Tweet)


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. (Click to Tweet)


  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. (Click to Tweet)


3 insights from me


  1. Until you knock out your #1 priority, everything else is a distraction. (Click to Tweet)


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


  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. (Click to Tweet)



What's new with the Pod - Emergence Now

From Zero to $1M: The Playbook No One Talks About










Win the Game by Redefining How You Play


"🎮 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. ❤️



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.




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


Dhiren



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