Just need it
jasonleow • 19 Sept 2024 •
More about consistency today:
I realised, if I truly need the habit, or the thing I’m forming a habit on, I don’t need consistency. I don’t need a streak mechanism, I don’t need gamification to ‘force’ me to form the habit, I don’t need fancy, complicated tricks and hacks to do it.
Simply because, I need it!
True story:
I used to struggle committing to my morning walk and workout. Too busy. Too lazy.
But I would say to myself, let’s just walk for ten minutes. Anyone can spare ten, Atomic Habits style. So I did. Eventually it became a habit, but every now and then I would still struggle with it.
But recently I don’t struggle with that decision because I need it like I need food and water. Nobody needs to form a habit to eat 3 meals a day, or to drink water. They just do it. For me, the food equivalent for my morning exercise is being pain free.
My shoulders, neck, wrist are kinda wrecked from computer use. A techie’s chronic health problems. But I realised that everything feels better after I work out, do my pushups, pull-ups, walk. It’s like the exercise releases the tension. Building strength also helps with the repetitive strain from computer use.
So now I want to work out every morning. I can’t do without it. I’d feel uneasy if I don’t.
Tl;dr - You don’t need consistency if you truly need the thing you’re trying to be consistent with.
It’s not “just do it”, it’s “just need it”!
Comments
Yeah, that was still how I did it re: morning workout. Scaffolded my way till I need it. But maybe for some habits there’s a way to just start from needing it, I wonder…
I agree. It’s like life is reminding you to do it. You don’t need to set a reminder to do it.
But on the tension/pain front: I would recommend looking into the Alexander Technique. A lot of the pain we experience with an office job can be avoided with the right awareness and reduction of strain. I used to have intense lower back pain, but the Alexander Technique made me realize that I was bending my back when leaning forward, when I should’ve been rotating my hip joint (moving my hip with my back as though they’re a single entity, which reduces the strain on the lower back). The same is true of wrist pain (it’s likely you’re bending your wrist unnecessarily, which is causing the strain.
I’m not saying any of this to get you off exercising, though. 😜
@therealbrandonwilson I think a streak mechanism, in general, makes any habit more fun/exciting, especially when we can look back and appreciate what we’ve accomplished so far. Many ambitious folk only focus on the gap between where they are and where they want to be, even if they have a lot of accomplishments to celebrate.
@haideralmosawi Thanks Haider, will go check out the Alexander technique. It resembles mindfulness practices… right up my alley!
I’ll still take a streak mechanism to force it every day until it is firmly cemented.