17.01.08 what the snake’s pelvis can teach you about habit forming
I once heard someone say, upon learning that snakes have pelvic bones, that “it might be because they’re in the process of evolving legs”. I didn’t go into it at the time, but that’s wrong. Evolution doesn’t start with a specific result in mind, thinking “I’d better put in a pelvis so I can pop out some legs in a couple of generations”. Evolution just tries things at random, and if one of those random trials happens to be more useful at promoting survival and reproduction, then that mutation can spread through the population. The essential part is that generally, every little change has to provide an advantage of its own, in order to spread and become established in the population. So if the snake doesn’t get an advantage from having a pelvis, then the latter is more likely to be vestigial than a transition to eventual legs.
I like to think about that process when it comes to changing habits in my life. I watch Million Dollar Baby and think I’d kill for Hillary Swank’s buff shoulders. Sure, I could tape inspiring pictures of her on my fridge as an incentive to go to the gym, but that’s focusing on the end goal. And when it comes to doing something day in, day out, like pumping iron, it’s not going to work for long if it’s not fun every step of the way.
Now, making something feel good the whole way through doesn’t mean you should never do something good for you if it’s not a party. God knows, most mornings I’d rather stay in bed than go for a run in the cold - but the idea is to focus on the way you’ll feel once you’re out there, and the energized (and pleasantly stiff) feeling you’ll get throughout your day, rather than the long-term goal of 22% body fat. This is something that may happen, way down the road, if you keep up a healthy lifestyle on a regular basis. The key point is to focus on the near-immediate small payoff rather than the long-term large benefit.
That, to me, is how you make something rewarding the whole time, and how you make a good new habit sticky, and even addictive.
“The key point is to focus on the near-immediate small payoff rather than the long-term large benefit.” I cannot agree more.
For me, the short-term payoff in going to the gym is that it gives me 90 min to listen to a TWiT/BOL/Diggnation podcast in relative peace.
One approach I find effective in leading the proverbial horse to drink, is reducing things to the lowest acceptable quota.
Example: cajole myself into reading just ONEpage of some dry-but-necessary text. To refuse myself that and I’m racked with self-reproach (”oh, c’mon… are you THAT frickin’ lazy” etc.,) - so I do it.
Of course, once there, momentum takes over, and you end up doing more than the initial bite-sized bit, but the point is to “trick” the daunted part of you into starting. And, lord knows, it’s the starting that’s usually the sticking point to “un-sticky” habits.
Absolutely, Unslaked. In fact, when tidying up I set the timer on my stove for 18 minutes and promise myself to tidy up until the bell rings. By the time it does, I’ve usually hit a stride.
I work very well on the reward system: a sumptuous cafe au lait at my favourite cafe guarantees my attendance at early morning yoga class, even in -20 degree weather. I know it tastes best when I’ve worked for it and I’m all about flavours.
Self-bribes with films and a cup of chai on the sofa are also good in getting housework done.
Great system with the stove timer, MJ. 18 minutes is no time at all, hardly a sacrifice, but one is amazed by just how much can be accomplished in that short span of time.
This is an interesting link a friend once gave me. All about how once can find wealth and peace of mind in simply polishing the kitchen sink. Great tips on how to tackle the domestic chores.
Damn, the link didn’t go through: http://www.flylady.net
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