Between HappyBoards, health, dating, running, salsa, reading, spirituality, learning, and investing — I have a lot on my plate. And honestly? It’s exhausting.

That constant feeling of having so much to do but nothing getting done? Frustrating.

Which leads to procrastination.

My go-to technique? “I’ll do it this weekend.”
Then the weekend comes, and I say, “I’ll do it during the week.”
Repeat. Endlessly.

And truthfully? I don’t want to “work” on weekends. I just want a few hours of deep focus on something I actually care about.

I carried all these frustrations with me on a recent trip to San Francisco, where I met up with David Shen, a longtime friend and now a life coach.

I needed something — a framework, validation, structure, ideas — ANYTHING to help me break this cycle and get out of my own head. And Dave shared something that stuck:

👉 Make decisions with your mind, heart, and gut.

So we ran through my dilemma: Too many interests. Too many priorities. And then? We talked out loud about what each part of me had to say. The conversation went something like this...

🧠 Mind: “You got this. Just put it on your calendar, AI to the rescue — we can totally do it.”
❤️ Heart: “Yes, I agree and believe in you.”
👋 Dave interrupts: Would your heart really say that?

💡 (Ah, my heart is lying to me. Let’s see what my gut says.)

💭 Gut: “There’s not enough time. Go deep instead of spreading yourself too thin.”
🧠 Mind: “That’s just time management. I can optimize. If I structure my days better, I can fit everything in.”
💭 Gut: “If that were true, wouldn’t you have done it already?”
❤️ Heart: “Yes, prioritize — really prioritize — so life doesn’t feel like a blur.”

🧠 Mind: “But I like variety. I want to keep exploring new things.”
💭 Gut: “Then stop feeling overwhelmed when you don’t make meaningful progress.”
🧠 Mind: “That’s not fair. I do make progress — just not as fast as I want.”
❤️ Heart: “For example, you love HappyBoards and its mission — it gives you joy. The other things on your list matter too, but what if you created more dedicated time instead of constantly context-switching?”
🧠 Mind: Fine. I care about the journey, too. Let’s go through the list and actually prioritize.

And just like that, I had clarity.

Well… sort of. Let’s be real, my mind is stubborn — it took a while to get there. But this 3-way conversation with myself turned out to be a helpful way to figure out situations. And, you can apply it to almost anything.

Interested in dating someone? Have a conversation with yourself:

Mind: “Do we align on values and long-term goals?”
Heart: “How do I feel when I’m with them?”
Gut: “Does this really feel right, or am I ignoring red flags?”

Thinking about moving?

Mind: “Is this a smart financial and career move?”
Heart: “Will I actually enjoy living there and feel at home?”
Gut: “Something feels off… am I moving toward something or just running away?”

Changing a habit (like waking up earlier)?

Mind: “This will make me more productive and improve my health.”
Heart: “I want to be that person who enjoys early mornings.”
Gut: “Hmm… will I actually stick with it, or am I forcing something that doesn’t work for me?”

When all three align, you know you’re on the right path. And when they don’t? That’s a sign you need to dig deeper.

Have a question or struggling with an open ended question? Have a chat with yourself. 

I Pebble You,
Ankit

​"I Pebble You" is a heartfelt collection of thoughtful moments — articles, memes, videos, and insights —that spark joy and connection. Inspired by how penguins gift pebbles to their loved ones, it’s a space to pause, reflect, and share. Subscribe to receive these meaningful pebbles in your inbox, and add your own to help build something bigger — because together, we create more thoughtful connections.

👉 Read the previous pebble "What Every Decade Reveals"
👉 Read the original pebble "I Pebble You"

Between HappyBoards, health, dating, running, salsa, reading, spirituality, learning, and investing — I have a lot on my plate. And honestly? It’s exhausting.

That constant feeling of having so much to do but nothing getting done? Frustrating.

Which leads to procrastination.

My go-to technique? “I’ll do it this weekend.”
Then the weekend comes, and I say, “I’ll do it during the week.”
Repeat. Endlessly.

And truthfully? I don’t want to “work” on weekends. I just want a few hours of deep focus on something I actually care about.

I carried all these frustrations with me on a recent trip to San Francisco, where I met up with David Shen, a longtime friend and now a life coach.

I needed something — a framework, validation, structure, ideas — ANYTHING to help me break this cycle and get out of my own head. And Dave shared something that stuck:

👉 Make decisions with your mind, heart, and gut.

So we ran through my dilemma: Too many interests. Too many priorities. And then? We talked out loud about what each part of me had to say. The conversation went something like this...

🧠 Mind: “You got this. Just put it on your calendar, AI to the rescue — we can totally do it.”
❤️ Heart: “Yes, I agree and believe in you.”
👋 Dave interrupts: Would your heart really say that?

💡 (Ah, my heart is lying to me. Let’s see what my gut says.)

💭 Gut: “There’s not enough time. Go deep instead of spreading yourself too thin.”
🧠 Mind: “That’s just time management. I can optimize. If I structure my days better, I can fit everything in.”
💭 Gut: “If that were true, wouldn’t you have done it already?”
❤️ Heart: “Yes, prioritize — really prioritize — so life doesn’t feel like a blur.”

🧠 Mind: “But I like variety. I want to keep exploring new things.”
💭 Gut: “Then stop feeling overwhelmed when you don’t make meaningful progress.”
🧠 Mind: “That’s not fair. I do make progress — just not as fast as I want.”
❤️ Heart: “For example, you love HappyBoards and its mission — it gives you joy. The other things on your list matter too, but what if you created more dedicated time instead of constantly context-switching?”
🧠 Mind: Fine. I care about the journey, too. Let’s go through the list and actually prioritize.

And just like that, I had clarity.

Well… sort of. Let’s be real, my mind is stubborn — it took a while to get there. But this 3-way conversation with myself turned out to be a helpful way to figure out situations. And, you can apply it to almost anything.

Interested in dating someone? Have a conversation with yourself:

Mind: “Do we align on values and long-term goals?”
Heart: “How do I feel when I’m with them?”
Gut: “Does this really feel right, or am I ignoring red flags?”

Thinking about moving?

Mind: “Is this a smart financial and career move?”
Heart: “Will I actually enjoy living there and feel at home?”
Gut: “Something feels off… am I moving toward something or just running away?”

Changing a habit (like waking up earlier)?

Mind: “This will make me more productive and improve my health.”
Heart: “I want to be that person who enjoys early mornings.”
Gut: “Hmm… will I actually stick with it, or am I forcing something that doesn’t work for me?”

When all three align, you know you’re on the right path. And when they don’t? That’s a sign you need to dig deeper.

Have a question or struggling with an open ended question? Have a chat with yourself. 

I Pebble You,
Ankit

​"I Pebble You" is a heartfelt collection of thoughtful moments — articles, memes, videos, and insights —that spark joy and connection. Inspired by how penguins gift pebbles to their loved ones, it’s a space to pause, reflect, and share. Subscribe to receive these meaningful pebbles in your inbox, and add your own to help build something bigger — because together, we create more thoughtful connections.

👉 Read the previous pebble "What Every Decade Reveals"
👉 Read the original pebble "I Pebble You"