I stumbled across the concept of higossis while scrolling through a fragmented online thread the other night, and it felt like a lightbulb finally clicked in my brain. It wasn't one of those high-pressure productivity hacks that tells you to wake up at 4:00 AM and drink a gallon of lemon water; instead, it felt much more grounded and, honestly, a lot more human. If you've been feeling like you're constantly running on a treadmill that's going just a little too fast, you might find that this is exactly what you've been missing.
For me, higossis is all about that specific intersection of comfort and momentum. It's that feeling you get when your desk is a little messy, but you know exactly where everything is, and the coffee is just the right temperature, and you're actually doing the thing instead of just thinking about doing it. It's a messy, beautiful state of being that rejects the idea that we have to be perfect to be effective.
Finding the rhythm in the mess
We spend so much time trying to curate our lives to look like a stock photo. We want the clean lines, the empty surfaces, and the perfectly scheduled blocks of time. But real life—at least my real life—rarely works that way. Embracing higossis means realizing that the friction of a real, lived-in environment is actually where the best ideas come from.
I used to think I couldn't start writing until my kitchen was spotless and my inbox was at zero. It was a trap. I was using "preparation" as a sophisticated form of procrastination. Once I started leaning into the higossis mindset, I realized I could work perfectly well with a pile of laundry on the chair next to me and three half-finished notebooks scattered across the table. In fact, that slight chaos actually made me feel more creative. It took the pressure off.
It's about lowering the barrier to entry. When we stop demanding total order, we give ourselves permission to just start. And starting is usually the hardest part of any day.
The difference between busy and higossis
There's a massive difference between being "busy" and being in a state of higossis. Busy is loud, frantic, and usually involves a lot of performative multitasking. It's that frantic feeling of checking your phone while you're trying to talk to someone, or having twenty tabs open and not actually reading any of them. It's exhausting, and it doesn't actually produce much of value.
On the other hand, higossis feels a lot more like a flow state, but with a bit more "soul." It's a focused kind of energy that allows for distractions without letting them derail you. If the cat jumps on your lap while you're in this state, you don't get annoyed; you just keep typing around the cat. You're plugged into your work, but you're still aware of the world around you.
It's less about excluding the world and more about integrating your work into it.
When you stop fighting against the natural interruptions of life, you stop wasting energy on frustration. That saved energy goes directly into whatever you're creating or solving. It's a much more sustainable way to live, especially if you're working from home or trying to balance a side project with a full-time job.
Why we need more of this right now
Let's be real: the last few years have been a lot. Everyone is a little bit burnt out, and the "hustle culture" of the mid-2010s feels increasingly out of touch. We're tired of being told we need to optimize every second of our existence. That's why higossis feels so refreshing. It doesn't ask you to be a machine. It actually encourages you to be a person.
I think we're seeing a shift toward these more "unfiltered" ways of living. People are tired of the filtered Instagram aesthetic and the "rise and grind" mentality. We want something that feels authentic. Higossis is basically the permission slip we all need to say, "Yeah, things are a little bit of a disaster, but I'm still doing great work and I'm actually enjoying myself."
Letting go of the "Ideal Self"
The biggest hurdle to achieving this state is usually our own ego. We have this image of our "ideal self"—the version of us that works out every day, eats perfectly balanced meals, and never loses their car keys. But that person doesn't exist. Trying to be that person is what causes all the stress.
When you embrace higossis, you're basically making peace with your "actual self." The version of you that forgets to change out of pajama pants until 2:00 PM but still manages to crush a presentation. The version that needs a specific playlist to get anything done. Once you stop fighting who you actually are, you can start working with your quirks instead of against them.
Creating your own environment
You don't need a fancy office to make this work. In fact, some of the best higossis moments happen in the weirdest places. I've found that I get some of my best thinking done on long train rides or in noisy coffee shops where I don't know anyone. The key isn't the location; it's the internal shift.
- Lower the stakes. Tell yourself you're just going to "mess around" with a project for twenty minutes.
- Keep what you need close. Don't worry about the aesthetic; just make sure your tools are within reach.
- Acknowledge the distractions. If you're worried about something, write it down and get back to what you're doing.
Moving past the guilt
One of the weirdest things about adopting this approach is the guilt that sometimes creeps in. We've been conditioned to think that if we aren't struggling or if things don't look "professional," then we aren't working hard enough. But that's just not true. Hard work doesn't have to be miserable, and productivity doesn't have to look like a sterile laboratory.
I had to learn to stop apologizing for my process. If I need to pace around my living room for ten minutes to figure out a sentence, that's part of the work. If I need to have a bowl of cereal at my desk because I forgot to eat lunch, that's fine. Higossis is about the result, sure, but it's also about making the process bearable—and maybe even a little bit fun.
It's funny how much more you can get done when you aren't spending half your time judging yourself for how you're doing it. The mental clarity that comes from just accepting the mess is honestly better than any "productivity app" I've ever downloaded.
The long-term impact of a higossis mindset
So, where does this lead? For me, it's led to a lot less Sunday-night anxiety. I don't feel that crushing weight of "I have to be perfect tomorrow" because I know I don't have to be. I just have to show up and let the higossis happen. It's made me more patient with myself and, weirdly enough, more patient with other people too.
When you realize that everyone else is also just trying to figure it out amidst their own personal chaos, you become a lot more empathetic. We're all just trying to find that sweet spot where things feel right.
At the end of the day, higossis is a reminder that we are human beings, not human doings. We're allowed to have lives that are a bit tangled and work that is a bit experimental. We're allowed to find joy in the middle of a busy Tuesday without waiting for the "perfect" moment to arrive. Because, let's be honest, the perfect moment is a myth—but a good, messy, productive afternoon? That's something we can actually achieve.
If you're feeling stuck today, maybe stop trying to fix everything. Leave the dishes in the sink, put on your favorite worn-out sweater, and just dive into whatever you've been putting off. You might find that the higossis vibe was all you needed to finally get moving again. It's not about doing it right; it's just about doing it. And honestly, that's more than enough.