🔥 Labor less: In Community #90

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“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe, pioneering tennis Grand Slam champion and former world #1

Have you spent most of this week just counting down until the weekend could begin? How do you keep going, without burning out, especially in the midst of so much going on at work and at home?

Last week, I wrote about what re-entering with intention looks like – and how to find clarity to guide your next move, instead of urgency. Now that you’ve taken that breath and re-engaged, how do you build momentum that lasts?

If you know me well, you probably know that growing up I wasn’t the biggest fan of the most traditionally popular sports nationally.

I was generally more interested in soccer (er, I mean fútbol), tennis, and the arts. (Artsy kids ftw!)

In fact, tennis is probably the only sport where you’ll see me yelling at the TV while watching at home – and I’ve made it a tradition to attend the annual US Open tennis tournament in New York, which ends this Labor Day weekend.

I mention all this, because this week, I’m reminded of Arthur Ashe’s words – and how they apply to our own labor and the momentum behind it.

It’s one thing to start fresh. It’s another to sustain that fresh start without slipping back into old habits, patterns, or burnout cycles.

Momentum isn’t just about doing more. It’s about creating a rhythm that supports the version of you you’re becoming – not the version you were.

In the spirit of that momentum, today I’m sharing my go-to 5-step process for what sustaining that actually looks like, in practice:

👉🏽 Make consistency lighter. You don’t have to do everything every day. What if “showing up” meant doing one thing well and letting that be enough? One action. One habit. One step. Momentum is built in small, repeatable wins that add up – without exhausting your energy reserves.

👉🏽 Create systems, not pressure. Instead of relying on motivation (which is fleeting), build simple systems that make it easier to do what matters (key word: simple) – even when you’re not feeling 100%. What routines, reminders, or supports can help you follow through? Systems reduce decision fatigue and protect your energy for what really matters.

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👉🏽 Check in more often. It’s not about perfection – it’s about feedback. Take time to pause and ask: “Is this working for me?” If the rhythm feels off, adjust it. Refinement is progress. And flexibility doesn’t mean you’re failing – it means you’re listening to what’s real.

👉🏽 Celebrate follow-through. Not outcomes. Not external validation. But the fact that you kept your word to yourself. That you honored your intention. That’s what matters more than how big the step was. Trust doesn’t grow from doing everything perfectly, but from proving you can keep going even when it’s imperfect.

👉🏽 Let the process be personal. What works for others might not work for you – and that’s not a flaw. It’s a signal. Give yourself permission to build momentum in a way that realistically recognizes your energy, values, and timing.

So this week, instead of asking “What didn’t I get done?” ask:

How can I make things easier to keep doing?

Because what you can sustain, you can grow. And what you grow, with care and consistency, turns into real, lasting progress.

If you needed this reminder – and know someone else building their own rhythm right now, then pass it on 🔁.

Remember: You’ve got this. Keep going.

In community,

Fahad