How to Make Technical Studying Addictive

Read this if you keep falling off your self-study plan.

Author

Marina Wyss
October 30, 2025

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How to Make Self-Studying Technical Things Addictive

I often hear from folks who have an ambitious self-study plan. They know exactly what they need to do, but struggle to actually do it.

If that sounds like you, this week’s video is for you!

As usual, if you prefer to read, the blog is here.

Using Your Limitations to Your Advantage

We all face constraints in life—caring for a loved one, managing a medical condition, financial pressures, or simply not having enough hours in the day. And too often, we let these limitations become excuses.

We tell ourselves: "Once things settle down, then I'll pursue my goals. Then I'll finally make progress."

But what if we flipped this around? What if our constraints weren't obstacles to success, but actually catalysts for it?

Three weeks ago, my free time essentially vanished. I adopted a difficult puppy who needs constant attention, training, and my energy. Suddenly all the things I took for granted disappeared: my gym routine, focused work sessions, and especially my content creation schedule.

At first, it was just frustrating. But then I noticed something.

With no time to waste, I have had to prioritize, which is something I've struggled with for years. I can’t afford to get distracted or take on everything at once. Instead I need to figure out:

  • How can I pick the most important exercises and drop the rest?

  • What is the highest impact thing I can create right now?

  • What can I delegate, wait on, or cut entirely?

Not only that, but during the time I do have, how can I work as effectively as possible? I can’t waste time doing seven sets of walking lunges at RPE 6. I need to do two sets of leg press to failure, and maybe even a drop set to increase the intensity as quickly as possible (hats off to my fellow gym bros who followed that).

I hate working this way, but ultimately I would never have been forced to improve in these ways without this constraint.

Hopefully when this puppy phase passes and I have my time back, I won't just return to my old habits. I'll have learned the skills of prioritization and intensity that will stick with me, and it will accelerate my business growth in ways that having more time never could have.

So, think about the constraints in your life right now that you feel are holding you back.

What if they're actually pushing you forward? What skills are they forcing you to develop? What inefficiencies are they exposing?

Your limitations might be the best thing that ever happened to your goals—if you choose to see them that way.

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