Life is Discrete

I used to walk myself to school in 6th grade.

My grandpa used to take me fishing.

I used to ride bikes with my friends around the neighbourhood.

I think we talk about things we “used to do” as if they happened an unlimited number of times.

The truth is, you walked to school in 6th grade 76 times (or whatever number is correct). Your grandpa took you fishing 6 times. You rode your bike with your friends 156 times.

Everything we do or did, we do for a discrete, limited number of times. First we didn’t do the thing, then we did it, and then we didn’t do it anymore.

All we do have a beginning, a middle, and an end.

Most of the frustrations I’ve had in life regarding things I wanted to accomplish, can be traced to my unwillingness to admit that the goals were discrete, finite. As soon as I made a plan based on a goal being finite and discrete, I was able to make progress. My brain was able to wrap around the idea and get me into action.

The latest example has been exercising.

We often think of exercising as something we “need to start doing.” And we don’t.

We don’t because it’s not something we “need to start doing.” It’s something that if we do, we’ll do a certain number of times.

I’d been struggling to getting back to exercising since stopping CrossFit, and when I saw my friend Leslie finishing a 100-day workout challenge, that spoke to me. So I decided to do the same.

At the end of January, I decided I’d work out every day for 100 days. And boy, have I stuck with it. It’s now day 17 and I’m so pumped.

Are you trying to start something? Are you stuck? Are you overwhelmed? Turn it into a finite project. You will make progress, and your brain and your body will thank you.