#424 No rush, less haste, more space

Wanting to improve certain areas in your life is powerful.

But that improvement gap comes with a pressure trap.

Because if you believe you’re in control of your actions, the moments you accidentally fall back into old patterns become extra frustrating.

When your self-worth becomes attached to your behavior, every action becomes a judgment of character.

And so the pressure mounts.

Missing one workout means you’re not worthy of running a marathon.

Missing one day of writing means you’ll never be a writer.

Making one communication mistake, making someone angry, means you’re a terrible person.

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To make that pressure bearable, build self-trust (for example, through Tiny Trust Builders).

Trust that you can run a marathon, even if you miss a workout.

Trust that you can be a writer, even if you miss one day of writing.

Trust that you can be a good person, even if you’ve made mistakes or upset some people.

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Notice the improvement gap between where you are and where you want to go.

Let the majority of your actions be a vote for the person you want to be.

Focus on elastic discipline, not hardliner habits.

Do all that, and you’ll feel more fulfilled and free.

When you write every day, you believe you can write every day.

When you don’t write every day, you believe you can’t every day.

And so it goes for running, working out, eating healthy, playing the guitar, or anything else you’re frustrated or satisfied with.

Beliefs follow actions.

Actions confirm beliefs.

So follow your actions to uncover your beliefs.

Then change your actions to change your beliefs.

Am I doing this because of who I want to be? Or in spite of who I want to be?

Do I act a certain way automatically?

Who or what made me believe it’s a necessity?

Do I even know who I want to be?

Questions that lead to intentional living.