What gives you energy

Anthony Alcantara

09 Dec 2025

It took Atul Gawande 22 rewrites for his first article in the New Yorker, a 4,000 word piece that launched his writing career.

It was painful, for sure. But for him, writing and the arduous process of rewriting gave him energy. This pursuit of what gives him energy became his mantra, his operating system.

Not joy or happiness, although that’s a good goal, too. Maybe it’s not all about passion and feeling good. Maybe you should look for the pain, too. Pursue what gives you this energy, this pain that leads to something meaningful for you.

So, what gives you energy in your life right now? Can you do more of it?

What you value

You are what you eat. You are what you think. You are what you do. You are what you spend your time on. You are what excites you. You are what gives you energy. These are reflections of what is important to you. You are what you value.

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What you value

Big muscles or athletic endurance?

Using strength in martial arts

Who is truly radical?