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191 points pabs3 | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0.202s | source
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triyambakam ◴[] No.41876072[source]
I think this sounds good but is ultimately not good advice.

Finishing, as in will power, focus, and vision, is like a muscle that you can take to the gym.

This advice is the equivalent of going for a run one day and never picking up the habit. I don't think it will lead to fitness.

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1. safety1st ◴[] No.41876322[source]
I think a better alternative is the concept of the minimum viable habit from James Clear's Atomic Habits.

SOFA gets one thing right which is it reduces the pressure and the expectations. But it doesn't seem like an approach to life which results in anything permanent. This post literally says "nothing is permanent, nothing lasts" which is a nihilistic and self-defeating view of life - perhaps technically true but not useful. Contrast with "play long term games" which is the idea that good things compound over years and even decades and this compounding is how you can lead a truly extraordinary life.

So with Clear's concept of minimum viable habits the focus is on building something permanent (the habit) but the expectations are removed, which makes it feel easy. If you want to be a runner, you start by setting an alarm and putting on your running shoes every day. That's it, once the shoes are on, you declare victory and you may take them right back off again and go on with your day, running is strictly optional (and even discouraged at the start).

After doing this for a while it's going to be second nature. It will become an unconscious habit to put on those shoes at the same time every day, and it will also feel a little ridiculous that you're not even stepping out the door. It will then feel completely natural to take the next step and walk outside and enjoy the fresh air as part of the habit. Once you're doing that regularly, it's almost inevitable that you'll start taking a small walk or something and one day boom you've made it a jog. Three years later if it's really what you want you've become a serious runner and practicing for your first marathon.

It really works in my experience (it got me going to the gym, improved my work productivity and improved my diet). The key is your perspective: you want to build an extensive new, permanent habit that will improve your life for many years to come. But this is hard to do so you're layering on one easy piece at a time, removing the friction.

It doesn't require manning up and being superhuman. Just the desire for the change, some patience and the willingness to take the first step.