3128: When Resistance Smacks You in the Face by Leo Babauta of Zen Habits on Pursuit of Productivity

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[00:00:30] This is Optimal Living Daily Episode 31-28.

[00:00:34] When Resistance smacks you in the face by Leo Bavada of Zenhabits.net

[00:00:39] and I'm Justin Malik, your personal narrator, reading to you every single day of the year

[00:00:44] dear daily dose of positivity.

[00:00:46] So let's get right to it as we optimize your life.

[00:00:52] When Resistance smacks you in the face by Leo Bavada of Zenhabits.net

[00:00:59] As a writer, one of the most frightening sights I face is the blank page.

[00:01:06] It fills me with doubt, uncertainty, dread.

[00:01:10] Sometimes a bit of panic man creates an urge to run for any distraction and I face this

[00:01:15] terror every day.

[00:01:18] Whether I'm writing an article or a book chapter, creating something new is not easy.

[00:01:24] I open up a new document and instantly want to go answer some emails or clean my kitchen

[00:01:31] or read that long article on Magician Ricky J.

[00:01:36] This is a question we all have to answer for ourselves.

[00:01:39] When you're faced with the Resistance what will keep you from running to distraction?

[00:01:45] There's no easy answer.

[00:01:47] Like many of you, I've tried just about everything.

[00:01:50] Nothing works every time because the best plans crumble when you're hit in the face by resistance.

[00:01:56] I'll share what helps me.

[00:01:58] Number one, sit there and look inside yourself.

[00:02:03] Just because an urge arises to run doesn't mean you have to follow it.

[00:02:07] I'll feel the urge and then sit back and try not to take any action.

[00:02:12] I'll look inside and feel the urge, then I'll try to see what I'm afraid of.

[00:02:17] When I shine a light on it, it's not so bad.

[00:02:21] Number two, think about who you're helping.

[00:02:25] While resistance is scary, it's often not nearly as bad as the pain that someone else

[00:02:29] is facing.

[00:02:30] If you're creating something that will positively affect someone's life, then that's more

[00:02:35] important than the amount of fear you're facing.

[00:02:38] But think of that person and put their pain above yours.

[00:02:43] Number three, think about the gift of time.

[00:02:47] Time seems like such an endless commodity because we never see a gauge that's showing how

[00:02:52] much we have left.

[00:02:53] But it's like reaching into a huge vat of cookies and pretending you'll never run out.

[00:02:58] One day you'll feel around inside the vat and the cookies will be gone.

[00:03:03] Cookies in this clumsy metaphor are days in your life.

[00:03:07] As you appreciate the limitedness of these cookies, you realize that we have to save

[00:03:12] them and not waste them.

[00:03:14] Each one is precious.

[00:03:17] So make the most of it.

[00:03:18] Do you want to create something new or spend your remaining time doing email and social

[00:03:23] media?

[00:03:25] Number four, just get started.

[00:03:28] Usually all I need to do is get the ball rolling.

[00:03:31] I tell myself, we're just right one sentence.

[00:03:35] Usually that's something that's so easy.

[00:03:36] I can't say no to it.

[00:03:38] So I do that and things often flow a lot easier.

[00:03:42] Number five, remove options.

[00:03:45] Cut off escape routes.

[00:03:47] Where do you like to run to?

[00:03:49] If it's email, put up a site blocker so you can't check email.

[00:03:53] Disconnect your router.

[00:03:54] Go somewhere that doesn't have internet or use a full screen distraction-free writing

[00:04:00] app.

[00:04:01] Only allow yourself to use one tab in the browser.

[00:04:03] You can't open more than one.

[00:04:05] Have someone monitor you or hold you accountable.

[00:04:09] Don't let yourself run.

[00:04:12] Number six, let yourself run.

[00:04:15] This is indirect contradiction to the previous tip but as I said, not everything works all

[00:04:20] the time.

[00:04:21] Often, I'll open up a new document to start writing and then immediately want to go

[00:04:25] do something else and I go do it.

[00:04:28] I'm not perfect.

[00:04:30] I let myself run to distraction but I'm conscious of what I'm doing and I know that I shouldn't

[00:04:36] do this for very long so I only let myself do it for a few minutes.

[00:04:40] It's like giving yourself a bite or two of cake, but not letting yourself gorge on the

[00:04:45] cake.

[00:04:46] It's okay to take a bite if you put the fork down right after.

[00:04:50] Sometimes the fearful mind just needs a bit of a break from the scariness but don't let

[00:04:55] it hide forever.

[00:04:57] Number seven, go for a walk.

[00:05:00] I'll get up, walk around, sometimes even go outside and take a 10 minute walk.

[00:05:06] This walk is good because it gets me away from distraction and helps me think through

[00:05:10] what I want to write.

[00:05:12] Often I'll come up with some good ideas on the walk and then be excited to get them

[00:05:16] on paper and the resistance will be gone.

[00:05:20] Number eight, talk to someone.

[00:05:23] If I'm struggling, I'll find someone to talk to and explain my problem.

[00:05:28] Even this act and the need to clarify it and state it succinctly helps me clarify it

[00:05:33] in my head.

[00:05:34] And sometimes the answer to whatever problem I'm facing becomes incredibly obvious once

[00:05:40] I've stated the problem out loud.

[00:05:42] I'll say it again, no one of these solutions will work all the time but if we think of

[00:05:49] the struggle against resistance as a cage fight because these ideas as different modes

[00:05:54] of attack when one doesn't work switch to a different mode until one does work.

[00:06:01] Resistance will always be a tough opponent but when it's maximum the face, don't collapse.

[00:06:07] You have more in you than that.

[00:06:13] You just listen to the post titled When Resistance Smacks You In The Face by Leo Babada

[00:06:18] of Zenhabits.net and I'll be right back with my commentary.

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[00:07:38] Thank you to Leo.

[00:07:39] When he was talking about running two distractions it got me thinking about how much easier

[00:07:45] it is these days to get distracted in the first place.

[00:07:48] I don't want to date myself but back when I was starting college there were no smartphones.

[00:07:53] We didn't have apps so our distractions could come from the computer and internet or video

[00:07:59] games, movies, I guess even books and so on.

[00:08:04] But notifications weren't as pervasive fact then.

[00:08:08] You weren't being dinged constantly with emails well maybe text but not as much.

[00:08:14] You would actually have to log in to check our email.

[00:08:17] It's quite a different thing and to me it feels like we have to try harder to stay focused

[00:08:22] these days, really make that effort to disconnect and to put our phone somewhere else.

[00:08:28] I can see why some really enjoy some time away from devices, digital detox if you will.

[00:08:34] I did do that a long time ago, I'm hoping to do one of those again soon.

[00:08:38] But like Leo said sometimes we need that, we need a little break because we're not

[00:08:43] supposed to be on all the time, that'll just lead to burnout.

[00:08:48] So it is a balance and finding that balance is key.

[00:08:52] So hopefully you can find that balance today, thank you for being here.

[00:08:55] We've only been able to keep doing this with you coming back to listen.

[00:08:58] Have a great rest of your day and I'll be back tomorrow where you're optimal life.