#65 The Secret to Sticking to Your Habits

ByLukas
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I don’t wake up every day in love with the prospect of writing a blog post.

But I do love that part of my identity is that I publish something every day.

By not publishing, I would lose that part of my identity and end up frustrated because I gave up something I enjoy. And that’s painful.

So I write.

The secret to sticking to your habits: make the pain of quitting bigger than the pain of getting over the resistance against doing what you know is good for you.

Because the pain of discipline is always easier to bear than the pain of regret.

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    #176 Cling and let go

    ByLukas

    We cling the most, not to our prized possessions we worked hard to obtain, but to the painful patterns that both hurt us AND keep us comfortable.

    Some questions to ask yourself today:

    Who do I want to be?

    Which actions will turn me into the person I want to be?

    Which actions STOP me from turning into that person I want to be?

    Which of my actions, habits, and tendencies am I frustrated about, but simultaneously perpetuating?

    Which painful patterns am I scared to let go of because they have been instrumental in making me who I am today?

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    #100 There are by-products. And then there’s what matters.

    ByLukas

    The moment you stop doing things for what they can give you, and start doing things for who you become through doing them, is the moment you get everything you ever wanted.

    Lukas Van Vyve

    I don’t write a blog post every day just to have a pile of posts on the blog.

    I write because writing is what makes me a writer. And I enjoy being a writer very much.

    The blog posts are but a byproduct. Pleasant. But a byproduct.

    I don’t practice Stream Of Consciousness journaling every day to write beautiful prose, poems or have amazing insights.

    I do it because it calms the mind. Because my life is better with it than without.

    And because doing something for 700 days straight shows me that I, too, am becoming a disciplined person. And I enjoy being a disciplined person very much.

    The occasional insights are but a byproduct. Pleasant. But a byproduct.

    I don’t practice the guitar so I can show the world how well I play.

    I play because it’s fun to practice something hard and feel a sense of improvement.

    And because practicing the guitar makes me a musician. And I enjoy being a musician very much.

    Being able to play a beautiful piece is just a by-product. Pleasant. But a byproduct.

    There are by-products. And then there’s what matters.

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    #280 Sway with the day-to-day

    ByLukas

    Can’t write at your usual time? Sway, and write later in the day anyway.

    A work project doesn’t go your way? Sway, remember your ultimate goal, and keep going anyway.

    Can’t go for your usual run because your knee hurts when you woke up? Sway, realize there are more ways to prepare for a marathon than just running, then do a prep session anyway.

    If you don’t want to let the day-to-day sway you in your purpose, you must sway with the day-to-day.

    When things don’t go your way, sway – but find a way to make progress anyway.

  • #174 How to turn faith into trust

    ByLukas

    You build self-trust by taking actions – Tiny Trust Builders – in alignment with who you want to be.

    I want to be a writer, and build self-trust by writing every day, even if it’s just one line.

    I want to learn Portuguese, and build self-trust by practicing every day, even if it’s just 2 minutes.

    But often, what stops you from taking these actions in the first place is a lack of trust in yourself.

    I don’t trust myself to write every day – I’ll give up anyway.

    I don’t trust myself to learn Portuguese every day – I’ll probably get busy and skip a day.

    There’s only one way out of this vicious cycle:

    When you don’t trust yourself to take the actions, you take a leap of faith instead.

    Because with every leap, fear turns into faith, and faith into trust.

    Trust you must.

  • |

    #120 A lifetime of practice ahead of you

    ByLukas

    If you knew you’d write more words tomorrow anyway…

    If you knew you’d put your body in a yoga pose every day…

    If you knew you’d write the same song over and over again either way…

    If you knew there’d be no pressure to nail the guitar piece because tomorrow there’s another chance to play…

    If you knew you’d have a lifetime of practice ahead of you – what would you focus on today?

  • #291 Beliefs follow actions

    ByLukas

    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.

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