Change doesn't come easy to us as human beings. We like being comfortable, finding ways to cruise and even when we're doing a lot, we want to do a lot in the same way we have for a while. Some like to call it "muscle memory". David Perell explained it well when ( in one of his Twitter threads he said)
"Human nature doesn't change. Even if history is an unceasing sprint toward the future, human nature doesn't change. Only the laws of physics are more predictable. What's happened in the past will happen in the future — again, again, and again. "
But, change is necessary. Not just to ensure we evolve and adapt to the world around us but to also find ways to define who we are inside. This very need drives many of us to reflect on how we can push back against this resistance to change that we all have. Often we have to action ourselves to change. Stuff we can add into the mix that doesn't just move us physically but mentally. Not just through habits like James Clear mentions in his book "Atomic habits" but also like Seth Godin puts down in his book "The Practice"-
"If you want to change your story, change your actions first. When we choose to act a certain way, our mind can't help but rework our narrative to make those actions become coherent. We become what we do."
Our reluctance to change also comes from our worry of being perceived differently by those around us. What will people say if I quit alcohol? Will they call me a recluse for switching off my phone?
Will I be judged because I've changed?
A great tool to beat this is to label them as finite challenges. We need to act ourselves to rewire our narrative in our minds and accept challenges we can speak about to the outer world to help soften the judgement we fear. ( This is an insight I got from a great podcast episode on the Rich Roll podcast, which I've dropped in the recommendations this week). In this episode, Andy Ramage the founder of "One year no beer", talks in-depth about how failing at a public challenge might be a more accessible gateway to change than terming it a lifelong change in the way we are.
I'm turning 39 today, and I've decided to challenge myself to be the fittest version of me, "Mind-body-soul", before I turn 40. And it already made it easier to kick off some long-pending lifestyle changes into my life.
So, what will you challenge yourself to change? And in challenging yourself, push aside your muscle memory to find a new way to move.
Weekly recommendations
➡️ Check out the full episode of Andy Ramage on The Rich Roll Podcast. Its a great deep dive into a nuance we often ignore on alcohol consumption.
➡️ Jay Shetty dropped a great episode on saying NO! ( something I’ve struggled with for a long time)
➡️ Then Scott Galloway talks to Adam Alter about Phone addiction ( Seems to be a theme this week)
➡️ One of my favourite recent discoveries Mari Andrew writes about Certainty in a time of uncertainty in her newsletter.
👉🏽 https://mariandrew.bulletin.com/994299754668608
➡️ And in a shameless Self-Plug, I dropped a video to kick off a new series I’m doing on my YouTube channel focussed on things I’ve highlighted in books I’ve read. Give it a watch.
✌🏽
Change needs Challenges + Weekly recommendations