habits
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Streaks
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1 min read
The artist never stops, continuing a streak of a thousand days. Each day, rain or shine, they either pop with energy or force it. Discipline is freedom; fulfillment is worth every penny. Consistency is not neutral. Bowing down to habit ensures the only possible outcome. The brevity of life requires a sense of urgency and…
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Writing through sheets of ice
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2 min read
You bought the new notebook, snagged a new pen, and listened to a motivational podcast. You’re ready to do the work! But two things happen as you start: 1 – You freeze. The thoughts in your head never make it to the tip of the pen. Your brain trips up on its wiring of ideas. Warning!…
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Trust the routine
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1 min read
The writer, blogger, or boxer must always keep in training. The artist or athlete can’t wait for the muse to inject them with productivity serum. Routine is much more compelling than inspiration, which is fickle, comes in flashes, and rarely sticks. On the flipside of consistency, is also imperfection. The practician not only faces the…
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There is a time for everything
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2 min read
The time you spend away from your task still qualifies as work. That includes doing the dishes, running errands, and taking care of the kids—whatever responsibilities you think to impede your central occupation contribute to its success. British novelist Jon McGregor gives a good example of how he manages his writing despite making time for…
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Triggering and cementing habits
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2 min read
The weakness of will drives our worst habits. Remove the cookies, and we’re less likely to snack on them. Refuse the cafe down the street and drink the Starbucks office Keurig pods instead. That’s $3 saved! Surroundings dictate our behavior. They are unconscious triggers for experiences. So the reverse is also true. Pack your gym…
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How to practice effectively
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1 min read
Everything is practice. Practice is everything. “Practice is the repetition of an action with the goal of improvement.” Biologically speaking, practice strengthens the neural tissue, specifically the fatty substance myelin which enhances the runway for brains to communicate effectively with the muscles. The 10,000-hour rule of deliberate practice doesn’t necessarily guarantee improvement. The training needs…
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You can’t schedule joy
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2 min read
“We make lists because we don’t want to die,” said Italian novelist and philosopher Umberto Eco. The problem with lists though is that we tend to include things we enjoy doing like writing, reading, meditating, along with other habits we should do, like exercise or our grocery shopping. When we fail to cross an item…
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In search of a writing process
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2 min read
That blank page screams at you with all its anxiety for you to fill it in. But starting from scratch can be intimidating, especially when anything goes. It’s not surprising that so many aspiring writers quit their canvass–it’s so much easier to avoid the pain of inconsistency. That’s where a productive writing system comes in.…
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Leave the phone behind
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1 min read
I have a simple rule: every time I take the dog outside for a walk I leave my phone behind. I used to take the phone with me wherever I went — even the bathroom. Now when I abandon it, I can literary feel my mind rebuilding itself. I have a similar approach for my…
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Why sitting is bad for you, animated
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1 min read
Sitting is the new smoking. While that claim may be a bit exaggerated, it is an effective reminder to remind ourselves to take our body for a walk. The more than 360 joints inside our bodies are also ample evidence that we are built to stand up and move. And while more offices are including…