“Work like a lion, not like a grazing cow.” - Naval Ravikant

When I tell people I routinely work 14-hour days while maintaining excellent mental and physical health, they often react with disbelief. The common wisdom suggests that such intensive work schedules inevitably lead to burnout. But here’s the truth: those who claim you can’t be productive for more than 12 hours per day are approaching it wrong.

Why This Matters

The key to sustained high productivity isn’t about grinding through endless hours - it’s about strategic intensity.

Like a lion hunting its prey, success comes from powerful sprints followed by deliberate rest, not from grazing continuously like cattle. 🐄

This approach has transformed my work as a data consultant and digital product creator, allowing me to maintain both high output and personal well-being.

The Two Lion Modes 🦁

I’ve developed two distinct working patterns that leverage this sprint-and-rest philosophy:

Lion Mode 1:

This is my current working mode and the one I’m planning to use in the future.

• Five to Six weeks in work mode (six days per week)
• Two to three weeks in travel mode
• Perfect for balancing client projects with digital product development

Lion Mode 2:

This was my previous mode. It also works really well but is not as sustainable as Lion Mode 1.

• Two to three days per week in work mode
• Four to five days per week in travel mode
• Ideal for long-term consulting arrangements

Anatomy of a Day in work mode

My work days follow a strict structure that maximizes deep work and client interaction:

6:30 - 7:15 AM

• Morning routine (preparation of my home and work environment, home gym workout)
• No breakfast (intermittent fasting)

7:15 AM - 3:00 PM

• Deep, uninterrupted work
• 45-minute lunch break

3:00 - 6:30 PM

• Client meetings and collaborations
• Concentrated in one block to maintain focus
• Leverages time zone differences with European clients

6:30 - 7:30 PM

• Dinner break

7:30 - 11:00 PM

• Second work sprint
• Additional client collaboration when needed

11:00 PM

• Strict bedtime
• Ensures 7.5-8 hours of quality sleep

If you add everything up, that’s about 14 hours of productive work.

I stick to that routine religiously and even have blocks in my calendar for lunch and dinner breaks (the blocks are a bit longer than the actual breaks to allow for a little flexibility).

The Power of Complete Off Days

My off days are truly off - no work, no exceptions.

I’m either 200% switched on or 0% switched on.

A 4-8 hour workday is a wasted day for me.

The key is meticulous planning that prevents work from bleeding into rest periods. Here’s how I structure my off days and travel:

• I never schedule hotel changes or major transitions on work days
• Choose accommodations that support work mode requirements (stable internet, quiet workspace, good desk)
• Plan travel in alignment with client time zones to maintain meeting schedules
• I also work incredibly hard to prevent any "urgent situations" to pop up unexpectedly by having systems and SOPs (standard operating procedures) for almost everything (yes, structure buys freedom, even if it sounds counterintuitive).

This is how I traveled up to 9 months per year during Lion Mode 1 and every 5-6 weeks during Lion Mode 2.

The Evolution of My Work Style

My journey to creating this lifestyle wasn’t linear - it was a series of experiments, failures, and breakthrough moments that shaped my current approach.

I started like many other data freelancers: working endless hours, saying yes to (almost) every client request, and billing by the hour. The money was good, but the lifestyle was unsustainable.

The first major shift came when I landed a two-year gig with a client who agreed to fixed working days - Mondays and Wednesdays only.

This setup turned into Lion Mode 2, and it taught me three crucial lessons:

→ Clients respect clear boundaries when you deliver exceptional work

→ Fixed schedules force efficiency and better project management

→ Time-zone differences can be leveraged as an advantage

This arrangement allowed me to travel full-time while maintaining an exceptional income, but I knew there was room for optimization.

I began experimenting with productizing my services, starting with standardized data infrastructure solutions for VC/PE-backed companies. Instead of charging by the hour, I shifted to outcome-based pricing, which freed me to work on my own terms.

The transition to my current Lion Mode 1 came from realizing that true freedom requires multiple income streams. I focused on creating leverage and optionality through strategic product development:

• Self-paced masterclasses that generate semi-passive income (instead of cohort-based courses that generate higher revenues but are also less passive)
• A paid community that generates semi-passive subscription revenues
• Templated consulting solutions that scale because of repeatable blueprints, outsourcing opportunities and fixed pricing
• A subscription based software product is also in the works

The most surprising discovery was that working in focused six-week sprints actually improved my work quality.

Without the pressure to be “always on,” I could dive deeper into complex problems and emerge with better solutions. My productivity is through the roof and my business grows despite working fewer total hours.

Today, my consulting work remains a joy rather than a burden because I’ve built systems that allow me to operate on my own terms. Each six-week sprint is an opportunity to create value while knowing that adventure awaits on the other side.

The Future

My goal is to maximize the “Optionality Coefficient” with Lion Mode 1.

This Optionality Coefficient KPI has two components:

1. Percentage of Maximum Awesome Lifestyle costs earned
2. Percentage of Awesome Hours

The first number tells me if my earnings cover the costs of my ideal lifestyle.

The second number tells me if I mostly do things I love doing.

I optimize for the first number to be above 100% and the second number above 80% (there will always be shitty work, so 100% is a dream).

Bottom Line

Don’t let conventional wisdom limit your potential. The key to sustained high productivity isn’t working less - it’s working differently.

By adopting the lion’s mindset of intense focus followed by genuine rest, you can achieve remarkable output while maintaining your health and happiness.

Remember: A lion doesn’t graze all day, but when it hunts, it hunts with purpose. 🦁

Cheers,

Sebastian