I’ve come to the realization that I’m an amateur. Letting this thought sink in took two years and a good number of books. I bring up reading because it was all I did as a child. My parents had to once wrestle The Goblet of Fire from my hands as we were walking into a movie theater.
This is the first example. In the past year, I’ve started over a dozen books and have finished only one. Reading is activity that I value, but haven’t been able to prioritize and just do.
I’m also a hypocrite, telling others to find pace in their own lives and stick to it while I fail to do so myself. So the following is my commitment to change and the structure I need to get there.
I’ll start with my fears, which double as motivation.
If I don’t improve, my life will be mediocre.
I’m running out of time to do what I want.
I’m wasting brainpower for other people.
I haven’t traveled enough.
I haven’t built anything for myself.
I will never find what I want.
Setting Routine
Finding that method, that practice for yourself is what defines success. It’s the consistent, disciplined approach to get what you want. Establishing routine takes time and iteration.
Here is the process:
- Establish your routine
- Plateau
- Get bored
- Change your routine
Getting through Step 1 can feel like climbing up Mt. Fuji. If you choose to climb the Yoshida path, you can get up the mountain in jeans and a wind breaker. Picking the Gotemba path, on the other hand, requires much more preparation and the right equipment. At the end of the day, it’s still the same mountain. So let’s make a comparison.
In finding routine, the Yoshida path is letting the forces around you dictate your day. The Gotemba path forces you to take control. It creates intention around your process and provides an opportunity to schedule in randomization.
This is where it gets fun. Fitting randomization into your schedule is telling yourself that you will be spontaneous at the same time every day, letting your work will you into productivity.
“I only write when inspiration strikes. Fortunately it strikes at nine every morning.” - William Faulkner
The concept is very similar. If you set a schedule where you plan to exceed or plan to embrace unpredictability, you’ll build bandwidth to respond to fluctuating situations, projects, and people.
The Plateau
The second phase is understanding when you’ve flatlined. Recognizing you’ve hit a plateau is often a difficult reflection. Admitting that your routine has limited growth or accepting problems in your routine causing you to stop learning is part of plateauing.
Identify the root problem in your routine. Is there a habit that leads to time wasted? Can you automate any of your activities. Do you struggle through any part of your day?
This is a good list of questions to begin asking yourself about your routine.
Don’t make the change just yet! Keep it in your mind or write it down. What comes next is the most important piece of this process.
Boredom
Give yourself time to get bored.
Quite literally, do nothing. I accomplish much doing nothing. It gives me time to let the actions of what I’m doing and about to do sink in. Boredom gives you the freedom to voice your own opinions to yourself.
I won’t elaborate here. These experiences are very well articulated in this book.
Mix it up
Finally, make the change and commit. Successful changes are made in a phased approach, much like the ladder you see below. Making the smallest incremental shift to your routine keeps the metric for success easy to accomplish on a daily basis and keeps the barrier to entry low. You’ll find that even the smallest change has beneficial effects on your wellbeing, life, and career.
Keep snowballing. Build momentum and rise.
