Overcoming Resistance
As humans, we are constantly doing something, anything. A lot of the time, we're doing multiple somethings. On paper, you might conclude that humans are great at doing, that we should be able to do anything and everything.
A lot of our doing, and our accomplishments are all around us. We can look at the cities and technology around us, things that those who built the pyramids couldn't have dreamt of. Almost 700 human beings have been to outer space, which is something I can't even imagine the first step of. As humans, our accomplishments literally extend out of this world.
Despite of everything that we have done, are doing, and are going to do, it seems so illogical that often the thing we know that we should do the most, is the thing that's hardest to do.
In The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield, this force is called Resistance (capital 'R'), and is the antagonist in all of our lives. It's the anti-discipline, the anti-motivation, the anti-efficient. It's not just a feeling, or mood, but is an integral character that we all must face regularly.
He also suggests that the more strongly we feel the presence of Resistance, the more important the thing is. Resistance is strongest when something matters most to us, when doing it will have the most benefit for us. Like going to the gym, eating healthy, studying, or any other big positive change. We will all feel Resistance, often quite regularly, but it doesn't have to get in the way of our success, we can overcome it.
Key Takeaways:
Use momentum to make the work towards something feel easier.
Instead of focusing on the cost to take action, focus on the cost of not taking action.
There is never a perfect time, the perfect time is a result of when you take action.
Capitalize on momentum
If you've ever had to push a car, then you know that the hardest part is to get it moving. But once it's moving, as long as you keep it moving, it's not so bad. By using the car's momentum, we can make the process of moving it so much easier.
The same principle is true with so many things in life. Identifying momentum, and taking advantage of it can make some of the hardest things in life, a lot easier.
Once we put something off, it becomes easier to put it off again, and harder to get ourselves to actually do it. Think back to a difficult conversation, or something around the house that you just didn't want to deal with. We have countless conversations in our lives, so much that a single conversation will likely have little to no impact. But in the moment, it can feel like the weight of the universe is on our shoulders.
On the other hand, when it capitalize on momentum, it can make an overwhelming task feel effortless. Have you ever just had the mood to go through your closet, do a deep spring clean, tackle that big project, or write that article? Tasks that otherwise would have been easy to put off and become larger than life, are completed in what feels like no time at all.
When you feel the urgency to do something, don't put it on tomorrow's to-do list. By the time tomorrow comes, there will be new things added to that list, making it impossible to do it all. One of the easiest ways to overcome Resistance is to let momentum guide you through the process. When you feel the motivation to do something, use it, don't waste it.
Realize the cost of doing nothing
There is probably nothing as good at showcasing the cost of waiting to take action, than investing. If we look at two fictional investors who each contribute the same amount, and earn the same return, but start at different times, the results can be astonishing.
$200 Invested Biweekly Earning 8% Annually - Starting at Age 20 vs 30
At age 65, the investor who started contributing at age 20 ends up with about $2.3m, whereas the investor who starts at 30 ends up with about $1.0m. Sure the investor who started earlier contributed $52,000 more. But I'd take trading $52,000 for $1,300,000 every day of the week.
Maybe you're avoiding something because of the work it'll cost you up front. It might be time, energy, or actual money. A better way is to look past the up front cost, and examine the long-term benefit. It'll change your thinking from "it'll cost me x now." to "by not acting now, I'll be giving up x". Again, this applies to more than just finance, because in life everything can compound – if we let it.
We often feel like we know that we should do something, but a lot of times, that feeling simply isn't enough to provide the motivation or urgency that we need to overcome Resistance. But just looking at that chart, seeing the difference, and understanding that taking action early can result in an insane amount of money, well that should do it.
If not now, then when?
The longer we put something off, the harder it becomes to do. All while we realize the benefit that we missed out on, and the fact that we could have done it a thousand times by now. Instead of looking at something like it's not the right time, look at it like it's always the right time.
We have a false sense for whatever reason, that when it comes to something we don't want to do now, our future self will be overjoyed to do it. That's never really been true for me, I doubt it has for you. My future self dislikes the stuff that I procrastinate on, just as much as my present self.
Often the first step towards something is the toughest. It's a psychological hurdle. By taking the first step, you're saying that something is important to you and you want to pursue it, even if the result is uncertain. That can be scary. But as the saying goes, there's no time like the present.
If you've been putting something off for sometime, you may be able to look back and identify at least a moment where it was the right time. But that time has come and gone. The same is true moving forward, we're likely to look past the perfect time in search for something better. To get past this, think long-term. Prioritize what you want most and take action towards it, rather than taking action towards what you want now.
If you've been putting something off that you know you should do, and are waiting for the right time or a sign, let this be what you've been waiting for.
Keep doing things your future self will thank you for.
