3480: Relax for the Same Result AND Small Actions Changing Self-Identity by Derek Sivers on Intentional Living

[00:00:00] Überlass deine gesunde Ernährung und die Gains nicht nur deinem Bauchgefühl. Denn bei der Ernährung gaukelt uns unser innerer Schweinehund manchmal ganz schön was vor. Sag stattdessen Hallo zu deinem neuen Coach, Yasio. Yasio ist die meistgenutzte Ernährungs-App Europas, made in Germany. Egal ob Massephase oder ein bisschen Abnehmen, tracke Kalorien, Proteine, Carbs, Fette, Bewegung und Intervallfasten. Und mit den Tasty-Rezepten bist du ready für deine Ziele. Let's go! Lade die Yasio-App jetzt herunter.

[00:00:30] This is Optimal Living Daily. Relax for the Same Result. And Small Actions Change Your Self-Identity. Both by Derek Sivers of Sivers, that's S-I-V-E dot R-S. And I'm Justin Malik. Welcome to Optimal Living Daily, O-L-D or Old, the show where I read to you from articles that I think are amazing with permission from the authors. Two posts today, both from Derek Sivers. So with that, let's get right to the first post as we optimize your life.

[00:01:04] Relax for the Same Result by Derek Sivers of Sivers, S-I-V-E dot R-S. A few years ago, I lived in Santa Monica, California, right on the beach. There's a great bike path that goes along the ocean for 7.5 miles, so 15 miles round trip.

[00:01:22] On weekday afternoons, it's almost empty. It's perfect for going full speed. So a few times a week, I'd get on my bike and go as fast as I could for the 15-mile loop. I mean, really full-on, 100% head-down, red-faced sprinting. I'd finish exhausted and look at the time. 43 minutes. Every time. Maybe a minute more on a really windy day, but basically always 43 minutes.

[00:01:51] After a few months, I noticed I was getting less enthusiastic about this bike ride. I think I'd mentally linked it with being completely exhausted. So one day, I decided I'd do the same ride, but just chill. Take it easy, nice and slow. Okay, not super slow, but dialing it back to about 50% of my usual effort.

[00:02:13] And ah, what a nice ride. I was relaxed and smiling and looking around. Barely giving it any effort. I saw two dolphins in the water. A pelican flew right over me in Marina del Rey. When I looked up to say wow, he sh**ed in my mouth. I can still remember that taste of digested shellfish. I had to laugh at the novelty of it.

[00:02:34] I'm usually so d*** driven, always doing everything as intensely as I can. It feels nice to take it easy for once. I felt I could do this forever without any exhaustion. When I finished, I looked at the time. 45 minutes. Wait, what? How could that be? Yep, I double-checked 45 minutes as compared to my usual 43.

[00:03:00] 43. So apparently, all of that exhausting, red-faced, full-on push-push-push I had been doing had given me only a 4% boost. I could just take it easy and get 96% of the results. And what a difference in experience. To go the same distance in about the same time. But one way leaves me exhausted and the other way rejuvenated.

[00:03:26] I think of this often. When I notice that I'm all stressed out about something or driving myself to exhaustion, I remember that bike ride and tried dialing back my effort by 50%. It's been amazing how often everything gets done just as well and just as fast in what feels like half the effort. Which then makes me realize that half of my effort wasn't effort at all, but just unnecessary stress that made me feel like I was doing my best.

[00:04:00] Small Actions Change Your Self-Identity by Derek Sivers of Sivers, S-I-V-E dot R-S. When we think about what's worth doing, we usually think of big things. When you hear the stories of how people got successful, they usually start with one little action. Saying yes when someone asked for volunteers. Approaching a celebrity. Reading one book. Or taking one course. That one little action changes how you think about yourself.

[00:04:30] Having taken that one step, you start to think of yourself as brave or an achiever or a bit of an expert on a subject. You do just one thing that makes you feel generous, so you start to act generous, so you become generous. You do just one thing that makes you feel like a leader, so you start to act like a leader, so you become a leader. The world treats you as you treat yourself. Your actions show the world who you are.

[00:04:57] You won't act differently until you think of yourself differently. So start by taking one small action that will change your self-identity. You just listened to the post titled, Relax for the Same Result. And, Small Actions Change Your Self-Identity. Both by Derek Sivers of Sivers, that's S-I-V-E dot R-S. Thank you to Derek.

[00:05:26] If you've been listening for a very long time, you might remember that I've narrated these articles before. I do that sometimes because a bunch of these articles are amazing, but I haven't read them in so many years, I've forgotten all about them. Although the one about bike riding in Santa Monica, I actually did recall. I think it's just that good of an article. It's a perfect metaphor for how we tend to live our lives. We're often trying too hard with everything, and getting in our own way. I was like that with this podcast in the beginning, for sure.

[00:05:56] Really obsessing over every tiny thing, which was just making everything take longer and be more difficult. It's like when trying to fall asleep. The harder we try, the more impossible it becomes. And this works in different areas of life too. Like with finance, obsessing over every single penny is probably overkill. It's okay to track it all. But obsessing is different. Or just a few simple changes might be the answer. And with health,

[00:06:24] we don't have to give our all to every workout. In fact, that could be a bad thing. Just doing something good for our bodies is a win. It's a great one from Derek to think about. Hopefully this story sticks with you like it did for me over the many years of this podcast. But with that, thank you for being here. I really appreciate you coming back to listen every day, because that's the only way that I could keep going. Have a great weekend, if you're listening in real time, and I'll see you tomorrow where your optimal life awaits.