Rarely do I read something and have my mind blown (of course not literally). Today it happened. To summarize this amazing blog post by Farnam Street, if you want to make a change, like eating healthier foods, you actually have to do it. At some point, you have to eat that broccoli, whether you like it or not, whether it’s convenient or not, whether you have actually purchased the broccoli or not.
When I think about the many times I’ve tried and failed to create a new discipline – like summarizing the other person’s point before sharing my own – it’s because I try to make it more palatable by doing it infrequently at first. Then I never really build up to any acceptable level, because I fall back into my comfortable routine. That’s true of all living beings – homeostasis is the tendency of a system, especially the physiological system of higher animals, to maintain internal stability. And our bodies and minds crave stability.
Forming any mental or physical habit is hard. Ultimately, doing it with discipline and frequency is the only way to reset your habit. “And the real and comforting truth is that you might really start liking, and even get used to eating, broccoli. Eating potato chips and candy will eventually feel like the uncomfortable and unnatural thing.”
What’s your broccoli – that new habit you really need to acquire? How are you creating a new type of homeostasis? Comment below or message us.
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