004. Force (Consistency)

Why is it so hard to to stay consistent? The common thoughts on this is that we're too focused on outcomes rather than process, meaning that the delta between the daily exercise (e.g. 30 minute run) and the final goal (perfect body) becomes too wide, resulting in a disconnect and lost motivation. I'm not sure that it's that simple, but if true, we have to get ourselves much more enamoured with the process.

My gut feeling is that there are two paths to go down here: forcing yourself to do something by setting up structures that makes not doing it more painful than committing to the habit, or submitting to the process by switching the executive side of your brain off, and just doing.

I'm wondering if some people are more inclined to always question everything than others, and that in reverse, some people have an easier time forming habits that rely on you not running through an entire decision tree of options before getting on with it? Either way, it feels like I've understood that the process is the right area of focus. I write because I want to write, not to gain a readership or accolades, and I run because I want to run, not to reach that 20 min 5k.

The only enforcement I found works for me is external. Having someone else to let down by not showing up almost always gets me going, but I don't like this, I want to be able to internalise this process.

When a habit has been established the motivation can switch from "I'm doing this because I want to achieve this goal" to "I'm doing this because this is who I am".

This is a great milestone, and where you need to end up if you don't want every thing you do regularly to be a struggle. What I have found however, is that it's all to easy to get to the point of, let's say, running several times a week, where you assertively can say "I'm a runner, this is who I am" to missing a day, then two, and then realising that this is not who I am anymore.