> I have a hard time sleeping, I constantly feel the need to keep up or fall behind

I felt this way very recently about the one projects I am focusing on. I kept seeing others explore the same space already ahead of me. I thought I'll never make it here because why use my thing when you can already use those things?

There was this extreme sense of urgency, as if I needed to do nothing else in my life but finish this project and get it out there. One day it hit me, and then over the course of a few weeks it settled in, that I was thinking of this from a place of extrinsic motivation. Basically, I was not doing what I wanted, I was doing what I thought others would want from me.

The project now has only two goals.

1. Build the project I want to use for myself, but in a way that will benefit others who happen to want the same thing.

2. The outcome of the project is not the code/app, it's a "changed Me", having learned everything I needed to to build the project.

Eventually I want the project to have a hosted paid platform version. I am not making this platform because I want to make money (I do, but that's besides the point). I am making this platform because I want experience in doing the types of things that can make money.

The whole thing now has become internally oriented in a way that allows me to no longer feel time pressure or be outcome oriented.

I went from feeling burned out spending all my time on this (I shed all other hobbies and activities), to having a great time spending all my time on this. The same amount of time/effort now feels indefinitely sustainable.

Framing is really one of the most powerful methods of emotional regulation. Whatever you are doing, make it relaxed and fun!

What does falling behind mean for you? What happens if you’re not keeping up? In my personal experience, nothing actually bad happen when you take your time to do your work without feeling the need to always follow the latest trends