Success Has A Spillover Effect?

It's day 86 of documenting 2025.

Yesterday was hard for me.
I was struggling with myself on a particular activity I wanted to stop.
Have you heard of pica?
If you haven't, look it up....I really don't want to do any explanations here.

So, there's this particular thing I like to nibble on.
It's readily available in the house where I live...but I have to knock it down before I can get it.
I won't say what it is....so you can keep guessing.
But what I can say is, it's crunchy.

It happened.
I knocked it down again.
I gathered the pieces that fell and started to chew on them.
Like I usually did for the past week.
But then I felt terrible.
It's not food-safe ....and I know that by taking it consistently, I'm harming my system in some way.

When I was done, it was time for me to make lunch....
Or was it study? 🤔
Anyways, some time passed after that and I started to prepare lunch.
As the pasta boiled, I busied myself with crochet.
I was finishing up the headband I was making for a girl at the tutorial center.
By the way, she loves it....and will pay for it tomorrow.
Okay, I'm digressing....

I decided to listen to the audiobook version of the book by Anthony Robbins, Awaken The Giant Within.
I have it on Spotify....
The lady narrator talked about pain and pleasure as well as the impact of the two forces on our lives.
Then she got to the next chapter.... about beliefs.

I was reminded of the fact that belief is a feeling of certainty about something.
I also remembered those parts I read....that highlighted how an idea you have about something can be turned into a belief.
It can be done through the use of reference experiences, real or imagined.

I was done with making lunch.
I was done with making the headband.
By then, I made a decision.
I'm going to stop feeling sorry for myself.
I faced a mirror and told myself,
"Whatever you have done is past...what matters is this present moment.
You've seen a wonderful glimpse of what the future looks like and the past doesn't determine the future
What matters is NOW"

Not really related to the pica habit, but it helped in some way.
I realized that I've been trying to fight off the temptation alone.
God is with me...and I admit I haven't been asking for Him to fight those forces.
I believe yesterday was a turning point for me.

My friend, what I'm telling you now has been kept a secret for a while.
It's no secret now....because it doesn't have to be.
I can overcome it...like many other times I've overcome old habits.
It's not really about resisting, I tell you.
It's about gaining control of myself and growing spiritually.

Why am I doing this?
You may wonder....
Why am I so open....why do I talk about everything happening in my life?
Wow....
I'm actually just thinking about it now 😅
Well, I'll say it's something most people never do.

Most people never show their struggles.
Most people never tell what they're going through.
And what most people don't realize is that what they think....how they feel about what happens to them is more important than what actually happens to them.
Good thing I'm not most people 😌

I'm just living...
There are moments I don't want to forget, because I can forget them easily.
Moments like this.
Lessons like this.
Realizations like this.
And this blog is a way to preserve all of it.
Maybe one day, all of this can be compiled into something that will help someone out there.

There's so much "fake" out there...I tell you.
I can say my core reason is to be the "real" among all the fake out there.
It's a blog, not social media.
It's a long post, not a tweet or hashtag.
It's a story to be read, not a post to be liked.

Don't get me wrong...I'm not condemning social media.
It's best for business these days...
I'm just saying the level of "show" is getting to a sickening level.
Praise the heavens I never opened a TikTok account! 🙌🏼
And I don't intend to....unless it can pay my bills.

That's how it went, my friend
I'm not alone...I know that.
I'm not that special either.
Just a regular girl....documenting her life in 2025.
I have God to guide me and see me through.
God in my friends and family 🥲

Let's do highlights now, before I get emotional....
It's from the usual read, my writing companion in form of a book by Martin Meadows.
The one...
And the only.....
You know the title?

365 Days With Self-discipline
📌 Day 86: On The Spillover Effect Of Success

"I’ve come to believe that success at anything has a spillover effect on other things.
You can take advantage of that effect by becoming good at things that require nothing but practice. Once you become good at a few unimportant things, such as hobbies or sports, the habit of success stays with you on more important quests."
Quote by Scott Adams

I totally agree with Scott.
Although I haven't fully applied the effect he talks about, I'm willing to try it out.
And a particular hobby stands out in mind 🧶

"If you don’t believe in your abilities to succeed, heed Scott Adams’ advice and pick something that requires nothing but practice to become good at it.
Invest several months of your life into it and when you notice progress; based entirely on your own efforts, not “luck” — I’m sure you’ll discover in yourself
the power to tackle other challenges."

I unknowingly started this 4 years ago.
My mum had passed on by then and I had to stay home for the sake of my siblings.
I didn't have a smartphone then, and I hated boredom.

So, I started to busy my mind and hands.
Had nothing but notebooks, materials and time to practice.
First, it was learning French.
After, it was poetry and stories.
Then, it was crochet.
I fell in love with all three and they have become part of me...as well as my goals.

I believe those years without a smartphone have shaped who I am and my ability to face challenges.
Those years also taught me very valuable lessons.
I'm grateful for those years.
But they're past...and I believe the years to come will be better.

"In addition to that, every goal you’re consistently working on will help you develop the proper habits and traits needed to achieve success.
Whether it’s learning how to play chess, dancing, learning Russian, setting up a backyard garden, or mastering table tennis, the real-world experience of going from a complete newbie to a person knowledgeable about the topic will transform you from the inside out."

That's the sole reason why I like to delve into interesting topics.
Like Psychology for example.
I'm willing to study it as a course.
It can help me with sales and marketing, a skill I want to master.
I believe learning something new transforms us in a way.

From the newbie stage to  knowledgeable stage....it's a wonderful experience.
That's why I sometimes laugh when people say I'm talented because of the crochet stuff I make.
"It's not talent....I practiced!", I have to urge to scream.
I just smile and show off my not-so-pearly whites 😁

My conclusion: I've been mostly alone for the past 5 years.
I'm the go-it-alone kind of person who doesn't want to bother those that care about her.
But now, I'm willing to ask for help.
Something I'm not so comfortable with.
Let's see what happens!

Thanks for reading, my friend 🎀
I'm staying true to myself as I document every day.
I appreciate you joining me on this journey.
We're all learning, we're all growing.
And I believe we will all succeed.

To catch up on my former posts , check out the main website, Documenting 2025.
I schedule my posts now....so you can expect each day's post by 7:30am (Nigerian Time).

Do you also know about my Whatsapp channel?
I post updates about content writing for those who want to learn, and those who want to support a fellow writer.
If you're in any of the two categories, could you follow my channel?
Pretty please.....🥺
If yes, tap this very sentence.
Thank you!

I'm Duon Ada aka "not-so-perfect Duon" 🌱
I'm documenting 2025.
And I'll see you tomorrow
Ciao 💕