#387 We all need to be saved from ourselves

ByLukas

We all have the ability to decide what’s good for us when we take the time to reflect on it.

But we also overestimate our ability to decide what’s good for us in the moment.

Which means that we all need to be saved from ourselves.

How?

By deciding in advance.

I’m going to write, because I decided in advance that that’s good for me – even if in the moment, I’d rather do something else.

I’m going to eat those vegetables, because I decided in advance that that’s good for me – even if in the moment, I’d rather eat those fries.

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#117 The quest for (average) ideas

ByLukas

Talking about “good and bad ideas” implies a ranking. Good, compared to what? Bad, compared to what?

The truth is that most ideas you produce will be average – because there is no other way.

Not all ideas can be your best idea – and if they are, they will soon be replaced by a better idea. Your previous best idea has now become average.

Not all ideas can be your worst idea either. And if they are, they will soon be replaced by an even worse idea. Your worst idea has now become average.

This dynamic matters. Because if you produce an idea a day, compared to someone producing one idea a month, your chances of replacing your current best idea with something better are much higher.

You’ll also likely replace your current worst idea with something even worse – and that’s fine. You’re increasing amplitude in both directions. It’s all part of the practice.

The more ideas you have, the bigger your sample size. The more elaborate the ranking. The better the good ideas. The worse the bad ideas.

All this to say: bad, average, and good ideas ALL stack the odds of striking gold in your favor. What matters is that you show up and generate ideas.

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#295 When dreaming is enough

ByLukas

Do you really want to write a book? Or do you actually want to dream about writing a book?

Do you really want to drop everything and move to a sea-side town? Or do you want to dream about dropping everything and move to a sea-side town?

Both are fine. Both can be fulfilling, because often, having a dream is enough.

But both are not the same.

Only you will know if it’s the dream that makes you happy, or the action you want to take.

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#123 Never again

ByLukas

What gets you going – and what keeps you going?

Pain. Pleasure. Usually, a combination of both.

I like being disciplined – it gives me pleasure.

I also know very well that I don’t want to go back to jumping from one project to another, giving up before reaching any meaningful level of skill or results, and ending up frustrated with myself – the thought alone is painful.

The pain often gets you going, later to be joined by pleasure in a cocktail of motivation, discipline, and persistence.

And in this case, strong emotions, passion, and yes, also pain, often lead to more leverage – if you allow yourself to see the lessons it can teach you.

I never want to be that person again – which helped me figure out that I really want to be this person.

Living your never again might well help you figure out your yes, for as long as I shall live.

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#107 Making the same decisions over and over again

ByLukas

First I decide to write every day.

That one decision liberates me of the burden of a daily decision: should I write or not?

After all, the decision has already been made, and now is not the time to negotiate.

True freedom is freedom from the burden of making the same decisions over and over again.

Because a decision turns into a constraint.

A constraint turns into the freedom to do what matters.

And when you do what matters, you become who you want to be.

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