#167 Worry or dream a thousand times

ByLukas

I can worry a thousand times until my worries come true.

I can envision my dreams a thousand times until my dreams come true.

Not because of the act of worrying or the dreaming itself.

But because my worries or dreams will incite different present actions taking me down different paths.

Whatever future I focus on a thousand times, I’ll be drawn towards.

Choose wisely.

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#24 Put your actions where your mouth is

ByLukas

Here’s a useful insight from James Clear, author of Atomic Habits:

Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.

https://jamesclear.com/3-2-1/june-4-2020

Writing every day reaffirms my “I’m a writer” identity.

Sitting on the couch every day reaffirms my “I’m a couch potato” identity.

As a consequence: when you change your actions and your identity starts shifting to align with those actions.

And that’s how we get out of a rut.

(The opposite isn’t always true: changing your thoughts without changing your actions will rarely shift your identity. I can think of being a writer as much as I want, if I never put any words on paper, I’m not a writer. That’s one of the principle of cognitive dissonance: Actions overrule Thoughts.)

Here’s how to change your actions and your identity:

  1. First, you decide who you want to be (and what your new identity looks like).
    “I want to be a yogi: someone who regularly practices yoga and takes care of his mind and body.”
  2. Second you get clear on what that would look like in your daily life: which actions you’ll take that are different from the ones you’re taking right now.
    “Instead of watching TV before, my “yogi identity” would do a daily yoga session.
  3. Third, you gain enough leverage over yourself to go against your current habits, and take those different action for a prolonged period of time.
    This is where most resistance comes up, because my old “couch potato identity” is fighting my “yogi” identity — and through my past actions, the couch potato has received WAY more votes than the yogi.
    So you need perseverance at this stage. Remember, every time you take those new actions, you’re voting for your new identity and new habits are taking roots.
  4. At some point, you reach a tipping point productivity experts call “habit escape velocity“: you now have so much momentum that you’re out of the sphere of influence of your old habits, and your new habits (and new identity) can take root.

Which begs the question…

Where are you saying you want to be a certain way, but you’re voting for something else through your daily actions?

Lukas Van Vyve

Put your money (or your actions) where your mouth is.

#14 Meeting myself where I am

ByLukas

When writing, the most hurtful words enter your head when no words leave your pen.

A blank page is a mirror of our own insecurities, frightening, judgmental…

I found the only way to get through is meeting myself where I am.

Inspired, afraid, angry, frustrated, fearful of poor work, poor words, or no words at all…

This is where the journey starts.

The moment I accept that, I am free again.

This is why I love Stream-Of-Consciousness writing. Whatever state I am in, I transfer the stream of thoughts, the inner dialogue to the page, and see where the flow takes me.

Here’s what I’ve learned: it always takes me somewhere.

And that’s enough to get started.

Because a blank page is also a promise of all my creative potential, waiting to materialize.

And when the words finally emerge
everything flows
and my self-trust grows.

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#86 Practice daily, measure progress on average

ByLukas

The article I publish today may be worse than one I wrote 2 months ago.

I may struggle today with a guitar piece I played effortlessly last week.

And when I meditate today, my mind may be all over the place, even though last week it was calm as water.

On any given day, I may feel that I’m making progress, that I’ve reached a plateau, or even that I’m going backwards.

But it doesn’t matter.

Progress isn’t always visible in daily practice. But without daily practice, there is no progress.

If I stick to daily practice, on average, I’ll get better. I’ll start having more good days than bad. And slowly but surely, my ‘bad days’ will start being better than what I consider a ‘good day’ right now.

Progress, averaged out is what it’s all about.

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#150 AI can write like us – but why do we write?

ByLukas

AI may write like us – but why do we write in the first place?

AI may translate what we say – but why do we say what we say in the first place?

AI may do what we do – but why do we do what we do in the first place?

Does AI merely regurgitate and build upon what we’ve already said and done?

Do we merely regurgitate and build upon what others have already said and done?

What drives our words and actions?

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#181 You’re never done

ByLukas

You can labor for years on a business with little results until suddenly it blows up.

Then after enjoying your breakthrough, you continue your journey until the next big jump.

You’re never done building your business.

You can practice a yoga pose for months with little results until suddenly your body understands, and you’re able to perform it.

Then after enjoying your breakthrough, you continue your journey of discovery.

You’re never done practicing yoga.

You can practice a language for months without being able to string together any sentences until suddenly, your brain understands, and you’re able to speak with ease.

Then after enjoying your breakthrough, you’ll continue your language-learning journey.

You’re never done learning a language.

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