Sitting across the table was a powerful management consulting partner.

We were out to lunch with a few other colleagues celebrating the holidays. Inevitably, our conversation turned to New Year’s resolutions.

Going around the table, each person started sharing theirs.

I almost choked on my delicious ramen when the partner revealed his most transformative resolution from a previous year.

Here was a guy making millions, and his answer was so simple:

Drink more water.

Sometimes, it’s easy to overlook the fundamentals. But they’re called that for a reason: They’re fundamental to our success.

Approximately 75% of the population is dehydrated (Source). As it turns out, being dehydrated by as little as 2% can significantly limit cognitive ability (Source).

The trouble is, most of us don’t actually know how much water we drank today (let alone, how much we‘re supposed to drink). 

INTRODUCING HIDRATESPARK

HidrateSpark ($69.99), a smart water bottle, has built-in sensors that automatically measure water intake. Its accompanying mobile app gamifies hydration, displaying a dial of current intake vs. recommended pace. (And, like with Google Maps, you better believe I’m trying to beat that ETA!)

Sidenote: I’m not monetizing this newsletter. It doesn’t matter to me whether you purchase HidrateSpark or not. What DOES matter to me is you staying hydrated. In my experience, tracking your water intake (via HidrateSpark) is the best way to do that.

Learn the principles of a data-driven lifestyle in my Ultimate Guide to Self-Tracking (it’s free).

SUPERHUMAN SCORING

In every edition of All Systems Go, I assess the featured product across four superhuman dimensions: impact (50%), setup (20%), maintenance (20%), and aesthetics (10%).

Unlike your typical product review, I focus on factors that influence personal growth. Get to know the evaluation system.

Impact (9.0/10)

I used to be terrible at drinking water: constantly dehydrated, with a seemingly never-ending migraine.

At first, I didn’t know the cause. I had no idea I wasn’t hydrating enough.

But now that I’ve swallowed the proverbial “red pill,” learned about systems and finally see the true nature of reality, I no longer have to swallow the Advil pill.

One feature I love about this hydration machine? Its real-time feedback. The bottom of the HidrateSpark occasionally glows when I’m behind pace (I set my light to white). This subtle reminder gets me back on track.

Overnight, HidrateSpark helped me close a critical performance gap, earning a remarkable 9.5/10 for Impact.

Setup (9.0/10)

Download the HidrateSpark App (Apple | Android) and pair it with your HidrateSpark bottle.

The bottle calculates your optimal intake with a proprietary equation that considers personal parameters, fitness activity, and local weather (if you allow it to).

Overall, the Institute of Medicine recommends that men drink 13 cups (101 fl oz) and women drink 9 cups (72 fl oz) of water per day. HidrateSpark is 21 fl oz, equating to a target goal of roughly 5 or 3.5 bottles per day, respectively.

Again, the bottle’s glow feature (when you’re behind pace) is an effective habit prompt. Keep this on.

Another cool feature? You can add friends within the app to compete and keep each other accountable. Exactly—friends, don’t let friends drink alone!

Maintenance (7.5/10)

Set up a cadence for charging the bottle to ensure it’s always ready to track when you need it (the battery typically takes 2.5 hours to charge and lasts 10 to 14 days)

Now, for some pro tips:

• Purify water with a filtered device
• Clean and air-dry bottle overnight to avoid mold
• Take the water bottle with you everywhere. You’ll drink more water by default and save money on buying bottled water (in addition to the environmental benefits)
• Watch (or read) Dune to value water more deeply

Aesthetics (9.5/10)

Many exterior color options are available. I like the black steel—less of a random hydration machine and more of a personal statement.

I set the bottle’s glow feature to white. You can also pay an additional $4.99 to get any color you want.

BRINGING IT HOME

Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady claims to be the most hydrated person on the planet (Source).

Before experiencing elite hydration, I thought that was a weird flex. But now: I’m coming for that title, Tom!

All systems go,

P.S. If you’re enjoying the free newsletter, it’d mean the world to me if you share it with others. System Sunday just launched, and every single referral helps. Thank you!

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Resources

• Newsletter Archive: Read past issues of All Systems Go
• Energy Dashboard: Get an under-the-hood look at my self-tracking metrics for energy management (updated weekly)
• [Quick Win] Phone Charger Challenge: Save 60 hours every year with this simple morning hack