#206 How to always bounce back

All in on getting fluent in a foreign language?
That’s a 6-12 month game, at the minimum.

All in on learning an instrument?
Count on a multi-year (or multi-decade) game.

All-in on getting in shape?
That’s a life-long game.

This is not a poker game. You’re not trying to impress anyone. There are no opponents to deter. Not everything hinges on one big moment where you can win or lose it all.

You’re not only all in the moment you decide you’re all-in. You’re all in for the entire journey. That means: making your efforts, resources, and motivation last.

All in means preparing for the long game.

Choosing small daily habits over grand gestures.

Choosing consistency over completion.

Accepting that whatever you go all in on will inevitably change your identity.

Now you’re all in on life, and who you aspire to be.

Who you are and what you do consistently always coincide. After all, your repeated actions create your identity.

But who you want to be and what you consistently do don’t usually coincide. Otherwise, you would already have become who you want to be.

You want to be a writer, but you’re not consistently writing? Writing consistently will bridge the gap between your current and desired identity.

You want to be a guitar player, but you’re not consistently playing the guitar? Practicing daily will bridge the gap between your current and desired identity.

Could you make your actions coincide with your desired identity?

One question to make distractions fall away and make the mind turn quiet:

What’s most important right this very second?

Not today. Not this week. Right this very second.