Originally posted on https://blog.ambronite.com/post/190873240595.
Painfully often, I catch myself wasting time and attention with details that would be much better invested in the 20% (2-3 basic things) that brings 80% of the results.
Our brains love to overcomplicate things.
Even when we know we’d be better off with just getting a few basic moves right…
Nowhere is this more true than in the world of keto and low carb.
When trying to adopt a new habit or lifestyle change, there’s virtually no limit to the amount of attention it can consume, and somehow still crash into the ditch of failed attempts (for me, it’s getting mighty full down there…)
When I observe people with habits and skills I’d like to cultivate in myself, it seems that consistency is rarely found without daily simplicity and a generous measure of self-love.
This is hardly a coincidence.
Making anything a part of your daily life, from learning a new instrument or starting a new movement habit or keto requires overcoming these 3 habit killer pitfalls.
Ahh.. this one’s a time honored favorite: Starting with too high standards that aren’t sustainable in the long run.
This is literally how most people start (and fail) keto for the first time.
Actually, feel free to replace the word “keto” with “playing guitar”, “new training plan” or basically anything we’d like to start doing consistently.
Guilty as charged.
Fueled by high expectations and a transient love affair with the new thing, we spend way more attention on it than reasonably justified.
It takes courage to admit that the key to any sustainable practice is starting with standards low enough to patiently accommodate them into our days.
The most successful coaches and music teachers know that five minutes of dedication a day over time is better than attempting a two-hour routine that only lasts a while before the wheels of the habit wagon fall off.
I learned the basics of guitar (enough to sing and play classic songs for hours!) about two years ago with around 5 minutes a day for a few months. The total play time was ridiculously low, probably around 20 hours or so. Consistency and simplicity beats high sporadic volume every time. The tiny time commitment allowed me to stay on track, even on the days when I didn’t have time and was tempted to skip a day…