#168 Purposeful pursuits

ByLukas
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I made an account on Instagram to stay in touch with friends abroad. Now I habitually spend hours a day scrolling through Instagram feeds. Is this a purposeful pursuit?

I started journaling to clear my head. Now I habitually write and publish insights every day. Is this a purposeful pursuit?

Good intentions and purposeful actions inevitably turn into a habit, and that can be a good or a bad thing.

Constantly questioning our actions leads to paralysis.

But once in a while, gaining presence and reaffirming your intentions can be enough to put you back on track.

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    #160 Flipping limiting beliefs

    ByLukas

    The same beliefs that tell you “I could never write consistently. I could never run consistently. I could never meditate consistently. That’s just not me.” can be flipped on its head.

    “I can’t not write consistently – that’s just not me.”

    “I can’t not eat healthily consistently – that’s just not me.”

    “I can’t not meditate consistently – that’s just not me.”

    All it takes is overruling your thoughts through consistent actions.

    Consistent votes for your new identity.

    Consistent Tiny Trust Builders.

    Soon, the scale will tip.

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    #77 Do, Then Believe

    ByLukas

    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 couldn’t imagine finding time or willpower for 5 yoga sessions a week – until I started doing them. 2 years later, I can’t imagine not doing them anymore.

    Sometimes it’s hard to see how you could have time or energy for something before you just start doing it. Then it becomes the new normal.

    It’s your mind playing tricks on you.

    Start doing (and start small). Keep doing. Then start believing.

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    #208 How to get out of your self-improvement prison

    ByLukas

    You feel bad because you don’t write.

    And when you write, you feel bad because you’re scared of the inevitable day you stop writing.

    That’s how you create a self-improvement prison.

    And that prison has only one way out.

    Intend to do what’s good for you.

    Then realize that even if you don’t live up to that standard all the time, you’re still worthy of self-love and self-trust.

    Focus on intention, not outcome.

    Focus on cultivating elastic discipline rather than on becoming a habit hardliner.

    Focus on the general direction of your life, not a day-by-day judgment of your every action.

    Maintain a majority vote for who you want to be.

    Realize you’re not going to be perfect today – and being perfect isn’t the goal anyway.

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    #186 The hour of misery

    ByLukas

    Not all tasks and activities we must do feel fulfilling or rewarding. There’s no way out of busy work.

    But we can avoid prioritizing and attracting it to the expense of work that matters.

    Enter the hour of misery.

    One hour of busy work and chores a day.

    60 minutes. Not more. But also not less.

    If, after 60 minutes of misery, you feel like you should do much more, it’s time to realign priorities.

    Delegate.

    OR come to terms with the fact that you’ll never finish the pile of busy work tasks – then carry on with the important stuff anyway.

    After all, tomorrow’s another day.

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