Hey,

Last time I told you how I was disappointed not achieving all my goals this year, and that I'm going to focus on just one goal in 2026.

I've already started.

Yesterday, I published my first YouTube video while showing my face.

Here it is: Watch on YouTube

I'm planning to drop more in the future—Notion tips and tricks, template builds, client builds and the process behind them.

I also have an idea: you send me your template, and I'll make a video rating it and showing how to make it better.

Like a Notion template review series.

Let me know what you want to see.

But here's why I'm telling you this.

If you have big goals, forget the idea of balancing your life.

You can't go all-in on your business (especially if you're just starting), hit the gym every single day while training effectively, spend quality time with your family, and do your weekend hobbies.

It just doesn't work.

And if you try, you'll end up achieving nothing.

But you'll feel productive.

Or in another sense, busy.

Because you're juggling multiple tasks in different life areas, your day feels so full, you don't have time, so you feel good about yourself.

But look back after a year, and you didn't move toward the big goals and dreams you actually have.

And that's why productive people count hours, but effective people count impact.

There are three levels here: input, output, and outcome.

Chris Williamson explained this concept brilliantly, and it changed how I see work entirely.

Input is the amount of work you've done.

You went to the gym 6 times this week.

You sat at your desk for 8 hours.

You drafted 10 emails.

Input feels good because it shows you worked hard.

But input needs direction.

Without direction, it's just pouring water on sand.

Plus, it shows people you're working hard, which builds this instant satisfaction—look at me grinding!

Output is the work done.

You completed your gym workout program.

You published 10 emails.

You sent 10 cold outreach messages to clients.

Output is great because these are actions you can take with focus, without wasting time.

But output doesn't guarantee success.

You can send 10 email outreach messages and get zero responses.

That's where outcome comes in.

Outcome is the part you can't control, but it's the part that actually counts.

You closed 3 clients today.

You gained 7kg of muscle.

You passed the exam.

That's the outcome.

But it's not guaranteed at all.

It's not like "I'm doing the work, so I'm guaranteed results on the other side."

And that's the hardest part.

Most people stop at input or output and wonder why nothing changes.

They say, "I'm working so hard, why am I not seeing results?"

Because effort without direction just burns calories.

Because work done without impact is just motion, not momentum.

So start counting results of the work you're doing.

If what you're doing right now doesn't get you closer to your goal, leave it.

Find a new thing that could.

And that's important to know this year.

You can focus on one goal—whether it's starting a business, building a YouTube channel, whatever.

Not as a side hustle.

If you're going for something, go all in or don't even start.

I'm not saying leave your job.

But you should take the side hustle or business as seriously as your job, or even more.

You're not going to control whether you make $10K or $50K this month.

The real-world result is out of your hands.

But you can control improving your landing page, your marketing, your CTA, publishing content, refining your offer.

You should also focus on the destination so you can adjust along the way—the things that work and the things that don't.

Input, output, outcome.

Busy people count hours.

Effective people count impact.

Stop measuring time and activity. Start asking one question after everything you do:

"Did this actually move me closer to my goal?"

If it didn't, it doesn't matter how long it took or how much you got done.

It wasn't progress.

Thanks for reading.

Watch my first YouTube video—it's shit, by the way, I'll say it clearly—but I'd love to see you there.

Second Brain 6.0 is still 30% off for the last 6 days of this year.

It's built to help you track the outcomes that matter, not just the inputs that feel good.

→ Get Second Brain 6.0 🧠

See you tomorrow, insha'Allah.

Osama (OLS)

P.S. - If you're juggling 5 different life areas and wondering why you're not progressing on your big goal, this is why. You can't balance everything and win. Pick one. Go all in. Let everything else be maintenance mode.