Vol.1, Ed. 42 March 1, 2026 ✨When You Slow Down on Purpose

“Focus is a matter of deciding what things you’re not going to do.” 

— John Carmack

Dear Brilliant Community,

During Ramadan, the above quote becomes unavoidable.

Ramadan began ten days ago.

And every year, I’m reminded of something simple but powerful:

When you limit your intake, you become more aware of your output.

Your words.

Your energy.

Your time.

You don’t speak as quickly.

You don’t move as impulsively.

You don’t waste effort where it doesn’t belong.

Fasting forces intention.

And this year, that intention has shown up in both my business and my personal life.

I’ve been asking myself:

Does this actually matter?

Is this aligned?

Is this worth the energy it requires?

If I only have a limited reserve today, where should it go?

When you’re not eating or drinking all day, you don’t have the luxury of scattering yourself. You become careful. You conserve. You prioritize.

And oddly enough, that constraint creates clarity.

Last week I wrote about orientation — about getting centered before getting loud. About not just being “out there,” but being grounded first.

That’s what this sacred month is reinforcing for me.

Yes, I’m reaching out.

Yes, I’m networking.

Yes, I’m positioning myself in rooms I want to be in.

There’s a larger networking circle I’m hoping to join. It hasn’t materialized yet.

But I trust timing.

God is the Best Knower.

So I show up where I can. I connect with who is in front of me. I move with intention, not desperation.

Because here’s what fasting reveals:

Not everything deserves your energy.

Some things feel urgent because you have excess capacity.

But when capacity shrinks, truth rises.

What truly matters?

The relationships that feel reciprocal.

The work that feels aligned.

The conversations that spark something real.

The ideas that won’t let you sleep.

Ramadan slows me down enough to notice that.

And in a world that rewards constant motion, slowing down can feel countercultural.

But clarity doesn’t come from speed.

It comes from reflection.

From gratitude.

From restraint.

From remembering that energy is a gift, not an entitlement.

So this week, I’m less long-winded.

More observant.

More thankful.

Not for everything.

But for what actually matters.

And maybe that’s the invitation for you, whether you’re fasting or not:

If your energy were limited today, where would you spend it?

What would you stop doing?

What would you protect?

Clarity often arrives when we remove excess.

And sometimes the fastest way forward… is restraint.

Be Well,

Soyini