Do the hard work, especially when you don't feel like it

If you're on your self improvement journey, you know how it goes...

You watch or read some new content and get super hype to try something new:

"Aw man I can't wait, this seems like it's finally going to be the habit that makes it all click for me!"

The new activity (cold showers, nofap, meditation, journaling, morning routine etc) seems like that shiny object you're so excited for.

And it works!

You follow the advice, perform the activity and feel great about yourself. It's all looking up from here, you can't wait to teach this new habit to everyo-

"What the fuck?"

"It's been 4 days since I last did that activity!"

Before you know it, you've already stopped doing that new self improvement activity just a few days in.

You feel like shit, you having an awful few days.

And then, you get shiny object syndrome for another activity.

And you repeat this cycle again and again.

This is how you get out of that cycle...

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Do the hard work, especially when you don't feel like it.

You skip the self improvement activities when you don't feel like it.

Of course they are easy and feel fantastic when you want to do them... But when you don't want to do them? Sure, you could force yourself and deplete all your willpower to do it for that one day.

But after that, it all goes downhill.

Why does this happen?

Because we are little bitches.

We listen to our feelings.

Really take a moment to think about that...

When you skip your workout, you're listening to your feelings like a little bitch.

When you eat the junk food, you're listening to your feelings like a little bitch.

Why allow your feelings to direct your life?

It took me most of my adult life to realise this, I hope you realise it sooner than I did...

You don't have to listen to your weak mind.

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You can do the hard work even when you don't feel like it.

Your mind starts making excuses before it's time to workout?

Force your body to move and put on your workout clothes.

Then put one foot in front of the other and get out of your house.

Start the workout and the moment you've done 1 set, the weak mind has been silenced and you're already feeling so happy for this choice.

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The most interesting part:

With this new mindset (Do the hard work, especially when you don't feel like it) you'll actually begin to look forward to those moments when your mind is being a little bitch.

Those moments are now opportunities to practice your new mindset.

These moments will occur just before you plan to do a delayed gratification activity. Look out for the weak mind and repeat the words (Do the hard work, especially when you don't feel like it) and immediately take action in the first task.

It's important at that point that you do not sit around arguing with the weak mind. Even if you win, you'll feel fatigued mentally and physically as your willpower is limited and you drain it with these internal battles.

One of the best pieces of advice I could give you at this point: Frame the activity you are about to do with it's separate tasks. We often feel too tired (or whatever bullshit excuse the weak mind wants to give) when we think about going to the gym because we're visualizing the height of the workout and thinking "Nope I couldn't be in my 3rd set of squats right now". Well no shit. What you must do is to start thinking of the small tasks that lead to that big moment of discomfort. You couldn't hit the 3rd set of squats right now, but you could get out of bed, then you could put on your workout clothes, then you could get your earphones...

Thinking of it this way reduces the weak minds input in the first place.

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As soon as you hear the weak mind, say the words: Do the hard work, especially when you don't feel like it.

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Now you don't need motivation

Doesn't this seem like a superpower?

If you build a habit of doing the hard work even when you don't feel like it, you can then be productive at all times, even when you're not motivated.

That's when you feel like you have full control over your life and your creations, and your self improvement starts to feel like it has direction, instead of just hoping that "this new strategy works".

How does anyone get consistent in weightlifting? If you only go to the gym when you're motivated to do so, you are going to miss a whole lot of your workouts.

Eventually, you start getting into the habit of going to the gym whether or not you feel like it.

Use that same mindset with all forms of work.