Insights
#85 Habit Containers
If I start learning a new language, I don’t aim to be good. My only goal: integrate a daily language learning habit into my day, as a habit container, without much regard for progress. Only when the habit container is in place, and I have built trust of completion (“Now I am the person who
#84 Long-term Side Effects of Procrastinating
I can choose to procrastinate on a project for weeks – then finish it all in one go, right before the deadline. In absolute terms, I might have been very efficient with my time – but the time I saved, I spent frustrated with myself. The long-term effect on my self-image: I’m a procrastinator. What
#83 Want vs Choose
When I don’t want to want anymore, and choose to act instead, I start becoming who I’ve always wanted to be. Not right away. But day by day. Lukas Van Vyve
#82 Choice Inflection and New Defaults
Once upon a time, I consciously chose to brush my teeth every day, until brushing my teeth became my new default. Now the conscious choice I have to make is NOT brushing my teeth. Once upon a time, during a pandemic, we consciously chose to wear face masks, until wearing face masks became the new
#81 Am I willing?
I can say I want to publish a new book. Double my income. Get in shape. Learn another language. But hidden beneath the surface of lofty goals are daily actions. Publishing a book… What does that really mean? Who is that person who has published the book? (Not just written… actually published?) What do they
#80 Replacing sensations with words
First I feel. Then I learn to categorize those feelings with words – until at some point, I don’t feel sensations anymore. I feel words. I say I’m angry – but what does being angry feel like again? I say I’m happy – but which sensations rush through my body? I say I’m sad –
#79 Emotion, not identity
Sometimes I’m sad. Which doesn’t make me a sad person. Unless it becomes the one emotion that eclipses all the others – and I become sadness. Sometimes I’m mad. Which doesn’t make me an angry person. Unless it becomes the one emotion that overpowers the others – and I become anger. Sometimes I’m scared. Which
#78 Unconscious categorization
Within a split second, I’ve categorized an object as an apple. Now I don’t pay attention to the dimensions, color, smell, and texture anymore. Within a split second, I’ve categorized an emotion as anger, fear, frustration, love. So I don’t pay attention to the physiological changes in my body anymore. I’m always categorizing – but
#77 Do, Then Believe
I couldn’t imagine finding time for 3 pages of stream-of-consciousness journaling a day – until I started writing them. 700 days later, I haven’t missed a day. I couldn’t imagine finding time or energy to publish a daily blog post – until I started publishing them. 70 days later, I haven’t missed a day. I
#76 Build Discipline by Starting Small
The trick to building discipline: stick to your projects more often than you quit, so your actions start overruling self-defeating thoughts. So how make sure you stick to more of your projects and habits Make them feasible. Start small. Write a couple of sentences in your journal every day. Write short articles. Walk for 5
#75 2 Questions to Ask Before Starting a Project
Habits are hard to build. But there’s one that’s easy to get used to: starting a new project, then giving up. Sometimes it’s better not to start at all, so you avoid reinforcing a quitter’s identity: I’ve given up so many times in the past, I’ll probaby give up again. So how do you know
#74 How to Go From Quitter to Go-Getter
Becoming disciplined is simple: persevere more often than you quit. You don’t always have to persevere. That’s an impossibly high standard. Just stick to your habits and projects more often than you quit. Then let cognitive dissonance do its work: your beliefs will start shifting to align with your actions. You’re a go-getter now.