Why It's Easier to Keep Going Than to Stop and Restart

This seems like a quote we've all heard before, and I think most of us would agree. Yet, we still fall back into old patterns and find ourselves at the very beginning of our pursuit.

It refers to anything In life. Especially when it comes to habits, the good and the bad ones.

It might be hard to keep the good ones up, but it’s harder to live with the negative consequences and start over again.

This post isn't meant to be motivational. But it's just something I've learned again and again over the last few years.

The easiest example that I can think of is sports.

Running is an amazing activity that not only gives you various health benefits but also incredible inspiration.

For the last weeks, I’ve been running almost every day of the week and I don’t have any problem with it whatsoever. I enjoy it. I actually love it. I can't wait to go out for a run.

Even on the days when I don't feel like running, I still go because I established the habit.

It’s not nearly as dragging and energy-draining as it was at the beginning. It’s a different hard. A lighter version of it.

This was not possible at all in the first few days, let alone weeks and during that process, while I was showing up every day, I gathered incredible learnings.

I've established a routine and created a habit with it. It almost happens automatically. I have this inner voice that tells me I have to go. I trained that voice to tell me that.

You have it too. It's your buddy in there, reminding you of what you desire. And if you don't get moving, you won't get it.

Think about habits in your day that you're not even aware of anymore. You're just on autopilot. That came through repetition.

How can you constantly repeat an activity? By making it easy.

How can you make it easy and less resistant? By making whatever you do attractive.

What will be the outcome of making it easy and attractive? Repetition.

What will be the benefit of repetition? Making whatever you do easier and letting the autopilot take over.

Hmm...

Your Mind is Playing Games

Back to my running example.

If you haven’t done any running for a while, you will face your demons. I'm not talking about the physical challenges, but the mental ones. Mental challenges show up as soon as there is any kind of adversity.

Your mind starts playing games with you and it will give you countless reasons why you shouldn’t go on a run or why you could do it tomorrow instead of today.

It wants to dodge the uncomfortable and fill you up with all kinds of pleasures. Your mind pushes against adversity to make the least effort, better said, your brain is a couch potato.

Unfortunately, your mind, or more precisely your EGO, does not realize that you can benefit from facing adversity and that you will feel better afterward.

So the full responsibility is on you.

That’s just how we’re wired. Understand the game, accept it, and behave accordingly.

But if you're able to identify these destructive thoughts, and understand where they're coming from, you already mastered half of the problem.

Understanding the reason behind it reveals the truth. Truth is 100% reality bound and if you're able to find it, you have the answer. An answer that makes you adjust your actions to avoid living in an illusion and ending up back where you were before.

Look behind the wall your mind has built in your head and it will show you a new trail. A better one.

Pay now, with a discount, or later, with extra fees

I can push myself every day, do something hard and get profit from it, or I can stay in, eat my food, and don’t move at all.

I know that if I choose the second option, after a couple of days I will feel worse. When summer comes around I won't feel comfortable taking off my shirt. I will feel guilty looking in the mirror. I can’t easily walk up the stairs without being out of breath.

That’s the long-term struggles you might understand, but intentionally decide to not see. Been there done that. ‌‌

I can either get a discount on the price by pursuing hard things now, or I can pay the bill later with some extra charges.

‌‌I rather get a discount.

Choose actions that will bring you benefits in the long run, because short-term thinking is a quick dopamine rush, that doesn’t play in your favor.

This does not mean going from 0 to 100 all at once in pursuit of long-term profit activities, because that won't be sustainable.

Do it step by step, get better every day, and establish one small beneficial activity in your day until it becomes a habit. Then maintain it and move on to the next thing and our life that needs some work done.

Conclusion

‌‌Self-optimization is amazing.

Your life will be better, even if it doesn’t feel like it moments. The process is not easy, but that makes it worthwhile and valuable.

Your future self will thank you and continue what you are doing now.