Daniel Clough

One dude. Seven foundational health habits.

I Think I’m Ready for Habit #8 (Maybe)

I’ve had an idea for an eighth foundational health habit for a long time now — but I’ve been quietly sitting on it.

Not because I’m lazy. But because I’m genuinely torn.

I have a really high bar for what makes the cut into my foundational health habits. And I’m not 100% sure this one meets the standard for being foundational.

It goes without saying that any habit I add to the list becomes a non-negotiable — something I will commit to hitting 80% of the time, probably for the rest of my life.

Habits like alcohol, sleep, steps — they clearly make the cut. But this one? I’ve been on the fence.

I don’t want to water things down with “so-so” habits, and I don’t want a bloated list of 20. I want a small, gold-standard set of habits that actually rewire you as a human. That’s what foundational means to me.

There’s another reason I’ve hesitated to add another habit: I’m still on the journey with the seven I already have. I’m not yet hitting 80% consistency on all of them. So part of me thought: why add another before I’ve nailed the first seven?

But here’s what’s changed:

Lately, I’ve realised this journey will never be “done.” There won’t be a magical moment where all seven habits are perfectly dialled in and I’m finally ready for the next one. That’s not how this works. It’s actually a messy, nonlinear journey.

So, I think I’m ready. I think this eighth habit might actually be foundational. And there’s only one way to really find out: commit to it.

Let me walk you through what this eighth habit is — and why I want to add it.

The Eighth Foundational Health Habit: Meditation

Yep, it’s meditation.

Here’s why meditation has been quietly tugging at me in the background for a while now:

I want a stiller, more peaceful mind.

I tend to ruminate and overthink. And when that ramps up, it can spiral into overwhelm and negativity. And, honestly? It can be exhausting.

I’d love to quiet all of that down — not just during meditation, but throughout the whole day. I want more calm. More stillness. More peace.

I want to think more clearly.

I’m drawn to people who can cut through the noise and make consistently excellent decisions. We’ve all seen them. They seem to operate with this crystal-clear clarity.

I have moments like that too — where I spot something others miss or make a decision that turns out really well. But they feel too fleeting right now. And I want more of them.

I think meditation might help me clear the fog and live more in that zone.

I want to act more consciously.

Even though I consider myself fairly self-aware — I still act on impulse more than I’d like.

That’s where I think meditation comes in: it could build awareness of the inner dialogue that’s constantly running in the background. With that awareness, I can better choose how I respond instead of reacting automatically.

I want more input-free experiences.

There’s a lot of noise in modern life — phones, music, podcasts, screens, stimulation everywhere. I’ve realised I want less of it. I want more silence.

Meditation feels like the purest form of that. Just me. No inputs, no noise.

Honestly, I can feel myself looking forward to that. I want more peace and stillness in my day. And right now, I’m struggling to get that.

I want more emotional agility.

I want to notice emotions without being hijacked by them. I want to respond, not react.

That ties into everything I’ve already mentioned above — the overthinking, the impulsivity, the fog. I just want to feel steadier, no matter what’s going on.

I want to deepen my presence and identity.

I get it, this one’s a bit deep. But, let me explain.

You know those people who just seem stoic as hell? Calm. Clear. They appear super in control.

I’ve had moments like that too — but I want more of them. I want to live in that mode more often. I really want a life where I am calm, consistent, and in control of what I can control.

Meditation feels like a path to that. A way to bring more presence in my everyday life. This could have a big impact on myself, my work, and the people I care about.

And this isn’t about being all zen for the sake of it.

Everything I’ve talked about so far are real gaps I’ve noticed in how I think, feel, and act day to day. And I’m starting to feel genuinely excited about how much I could level up by filling those gaps.

So, that’s already a bunch of strong reasons to lean into building meditation as a foundational health habit.

But There’s One More Reason

It seems like nearly every smart, successful person I admire swears by it.

Here’s just a short list of people who’ve spoken openly about how meditation has helped them:

Let’s dig a bit further into why some of these are fans of mediation:

  • Naval calls it the practice that helped him decouple from his ego and find more lasting peace.
  • Ryan Holiday links it to Stoic discipline and self-mastery — both crucial to his work.
  • Lex Fridman uses it to handle complex conversations and ideas with calm and clarity.
  • Chris Williamson says it helps him stay focused and clear in a noisy world — something I’ve been feeling too.
  • Ray Dalio credits it with helping him stay grounded through volatile financial markets.

See what I mean? All of this is just becoming too consistent to ignore.

All of that said, I’ll admit, I’m still a little skeptical at times.

Many of these people describe meditation as a first principles habit — something that made them more capable, not just something they picked up after becoming successful.

And while I don’t think they’re lying, I’ve wondered if there’s a bit of a halo effect at play. Meditation, like journaling or cold plunges, sometimes takes on a cult-like status in high-performance circles.

But even if there is some of that at play. Even if it wasn’t a breakthrough habit for all of them.
My gut tells me, it’s almost certainly been a force multiplier for them. And I think at this point, that’s enough for me.

So where have I landed?

I don’t think meditation is why these people became who they are. But when some of the clearest, calmest, most effective thinkers in the world point to it as a key part of their life — I think I need to pay attention.

So I think I’ve made my decision: meditation is probably going to become my eighth foundational health habit. I’ll make the official call in the next few days.

If I do lock it in, I’ll share exactly how I plan to build it into my life — and what my goals will be for the first month.

If you’ve already built meditation into your life, I’d love to hear from you.

I’d love to learn what’s worked for you? What hasn’t?

Please do get in touch — I’m genuinely curious!

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