WEBVTT
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:11.359
If you've ever tried to make a change to what you eat, how you train, or how you take care of yourself, there's a moment that inevitably shows up when it feels like you've stopped or fallen off.
00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:23.039
It may be a day or a few days where it feels like things are unstructured compared to how they were structured previously, or it could be a period of time where it doesn't feel the same as it did when you first started.
00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:26.719
However, it shows up, it is usually interpreted the same.
00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:30.719
You were doing it, and then you stopped, or you've fallen off.
00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:32.719
Most people view it that way.
00:00:32.880 --> 00:00:35.520
However, it's not a break in the pattern.
00:00:35.679 --> 00:00:39.359
Rather, the feeling of falling off is part of that pattern.
00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:44.320
There is an expectation that is embedded in how people view the concept of consistency.
00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:54.479
It is assumed to feel continuous, intentional, and controlled, like a smooth application of effort over a period of time where each day connects seamlessly to the next.
00:00:54.799 --> 00:00:59.200
This expectation makes sense because it's intuitive and easy to imagine.
00:00:59.359 --> 00:01:05.280
However, it does not reflect how a routine or a pattern actually feels or shows up in the world.
00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:15.040
A week may look structured on paper or on a calendar, however, it does not always feel that when you're living it because of all the interruptions that show up along the way.
00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:24.879
So while the expectation is smooth sailing, the reality is choppy, and when those two things don't line up, it's easy to assume that something is wrong.
00:01:25.200 --> 00:01:32.000
And so there's a next level that becomes more apparent over time, and this level is the concept of novelty.
00:01:32.319 --> 00:01:37.760
The initial period of the new routine has momentum because everything feels new.
00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:51.760
The structure makes sense, the effort seems worthwhile, and even small changes feel significant, creating the illusion of clarity where you know what you're doing, you know why you're doing it, and it seems like it's working even though nothing has changed.
00:01:52.079 --> 00:02:01.040
This too does not last, however, because anything done over time becomes familiar, and this familiarity will shift the entire experience.
00:02:01.280 --> 00:02:15.759
The structure becomes mundane, the actions automatic, and the effort insignificant, but instead of understanding this shift in the experience as familiarity, it's instead perceived as the loss of focus, the loss of discipline, or the loss of motivation.
00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:24.719
What's actually happening is the shift from novelty into repetition, and it's in this repetition where the most benefits actually take place.
00:02:24.879 --> 00:02:28.800
When the structure becomes unstable, the experience becomes unengaging.
00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:33.759
But when both shift, it's like something is falling apart, even though nothing has changed.
00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:48.240
This is the point where the person starts to wonder what they're doing, starts to look at it, and starts to look for reasons to make a change, even though this is all being done based on how it makes them feel instead of on what's actually happening.
00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:52.800
This also becomes the point where willpower often becomes part of the equation.
00:02:53.039 --> 00:03:04.800
If the routine no longer feels consistent or the effort no longer feels strong, then it is assumed that something internal has shifted, although this assumption is only valid if the assumption were correct in the first place.
00:03:05.039 --> 00:03:09.919
If consistency is expected to be smooth, then disruption feels like a lack of smoothness.
00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:14.560
If it is expected to be engaging, then boredom feels like a lack of engagement.
00:03:14.719 --> 00:03:22.960
And if it's expected to be continuous, then interruption feels like a reset even when the experience itself has not changed.
00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:26.400
This can be seen in practice when dealing with any routine.
00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:39.039
A routine becomes normal after a while, meaning it no longer feels new or interesting, and because it no longer feels interesting, it becomes difficult to use this as a method of determining whether or not it's succeeding.
00:03:39.280 --> 00:03:52.879
When something minor shifts, like a day being missed, or a schedule being altered, or a few days not lining up quite as well as the others, it doesn't feel like a minor variation, but rather like stepping off entirely.
00:03:53.280 --> 00:03:59.439
Not because the routine has disappeared, but because the experience no longer feels as it should.
00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:06.560
And while we're thinking about it, there is one other layer, one that's not often considered, and that's environment.
00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:14.479
A routine is typically considered to be something internal, but most routines are externally supported by time, location, and sequence.
00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:18.720
And when all of this is consistent, it feels easier to complete the routine.
00:04:18.879 --> 00:04:24.879
But when it shifts, even when no intention has shifted, it feels like it becomes significantly harder to complete.
00:04:25.040 --> 00:04:28.959
The routine is not just what you're doing, but where you're doing it.
00:04:29.040 --> 00:04:38.240
And when all of this shifts, it feels like the routine is breaking down even when it's not, because the intention is still present, but it's not being met by the environment.
00:04:38.480 --> 00:04:45.120
And recently, there is also interest in the idea that not all of these patterns are purely behavioral in nature.
00:04:45.360 --> 00:04:55.920
Medications such as Ozimpic and Wagovy are also now being looked at not only for their impact on hunger, but also for their impact on craving and on patterns of behavior.
00:04:56.079 --> 00:05:03.040
And people are reporting reductions in these urges not only when it comes to food, but also when it comes to patterns of behavior as well.
00:05:03.360 --> 00:05:14.000
This is obviously an area of ongoing research, but it is also an indication of the way in which the urge to repeat or to get away from something is not always within the realm of conscious control.
00:05:14.639 --> 00:05:24.240
Maybe it's because of the impact of biological, neurological, and environmental signals as to how easy or difficult something is to stick to or to get through.
00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:35.839
If something is not working or a routine is falling apart, then it's not necessarily accurate to look at this as something that is purely within the realm of willpower because of other factors at play in this moment as well.
00:05:36.079 --> 00:05:44.079
So if you step back and look at the entire pattern of behavior, then you can see a much more defined sense of structure at play.
00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:54.639
Consistency is not simply defined as the lack of disruption, it is also defined as uneven days, shifting structures, and moments where the behavior is not as engaging.
00:05:54.800 --> 00:05:59.680
And these are not disruptions from the pattern, but are actually the pattern itself.
00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:10.560
But when these moments are defined as such and as a way of looking at something as having stopped working or as having been reset, then there is a sense of needing to go back and start everything over again.
00:06:10.639 --> 00:06:15.759
And when everything is started over again, then nothing ever truly gets a chance to be settled.
00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:25.120
Over time, this gives the impression that it's hard to maintain consistency, but really it's just hard to maintain the interpretation that allows it to continue.
00:06:25.439 --> 00:06:29.120
The truth of the matter is that most people aren't struggling with staying with something.
00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:48.639
They're struggling with the interpretation that a change in their routine means that they've stopped, that a lack of novelty means that they've lost momentum, or that an uneven week means they've lost consistency, and that each of these things being interpreted as a reset means that the pattern never really gets a fair chance to establish itself.
00:06:48.879 --> 00:06:54.800
The problem with consistency in practice is that it's not quite as clean as people think it is.
00:06:54.959 --> 00:07:02.879
It's not quite as clean as a straight line, as a constant application of will and desire, or as a steady progression towards a goal.
00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:08.560
Instead, it's more like something that just keeps going even when everything else changes.
00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:18.319
And once you see it like that, it's really hard to look at the moments that felt like falling off as anything other than what they really are, the pattern itself.
00:07:19.120 --> 00:07:21.040
This is uncommonly remarkable.
00:07:21.360 --> 00:07:22.399
Thanks for listening.
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:11.359
If you've ever tried to make a change to what you eat, how you train, or how you take care of yourself, there's a moment that inevitably shows up when it feels like you've stopped or fallen off.
00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:23.039
It may be a day or a few days where it feels like things are unstructured compared to how they were structured previously, or it could be a period of time where it doesn't feel the same as it did when you first started.
00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:26.719
However, it shows up, it is usually interpreted the same.
00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:30.719
You were doing it, and then you stopped, or you've fallen off.
00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:32.719
Most people view it that way.
00:00:32.880 --> 00:00:35.520
However, it's not a break in the pattern.
00:00:35.679 --> 00:00:39.359
Rather, the feeling of falling off is part of that pattern.
00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:44.320
There is an expectation that is embedded in how people view the concept of consistency.
00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:54.479
It is assumed to feel continuous, intentional, and controlled, like a smooth application of effort over a period of time where each day connects seamlessly to the next.
00:00:54.799 --> 00:00:59.200
This expectation makes sense because it's intuitive and easy to imagine.
00:00:59.359 --> 00:01:05.280
However, it does not reflect how a routine or a pattern actually feels or shows up in the world.
00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:15.040
A week may look structured on paper or on a calendar, however, it does not always feel that when you're living it because of all the interruptions that show up along the way.
00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:24.879
So while the expectation is smooth sailing, the reality is choppy, and when those two things don't line up, it's easy to assume that something is wrong.
00:01:25.200 --> 00:01:32.000
And so there's a next level that becomes more apparent over time, and this level is the concept of novelty.
00:01:32.319 --> 00:01:37.760
The initial period of the new routine has momentum because everything feels new.
00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:51.760
The structure makes sense, the effort seems worthwhile, and even small changes feel significant, creating the illusion of clarity where you know what you're doing, you know why you're doing it, and it seems like it's working even though nothing has changed.
00:01:52.079 --> 00:02:01.040
This too does not last, however, because anything done over time becomes familiar, and this familiarity will shift the entire experience.
00:02:01.280 --> 00:02:15.759
The structure becomes mundane, the actions automatic, and the effort insignificant, but instead of understanding this shift in the experience as familiarity, it's instead perceived as the loss of focus, the loss of discipline, or the loss of motivation.
00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:24.719
What's actually happening is the shift from novelty into repetition, and it's in this repetition where the most benefits actually take place.
00:02:24.879 --> 00:02:28.800
When the structure becomes unstable, the experience becomes unengaging.
00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:33.759
But when both shift, it's like something is falling apart, even though nothing has changed.
00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:48.240
This is the point where the person starts to wonder what they're doing, starts to look at it, and starts to look for reasons to make a change, even though this is all being done based on how it makes them feel instead of on what's actually happening.
00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:52.800
This also becomes the point where willpower often becomes part of the equation.
00:02:53.039 --> 00:03:04.800
If the routine no longer feels consistent or the effort no longer feels strong, then it is assumed that something internal has shifted, although this assumption is only valid if the assumption were correct in the first place.
00:03:05.039 --> 00:03:09.919
If consistency is expected to be smooth, then disruption feels like a lack of smoothness.
00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:14.560
If it is expected to be engaging, then boredom feels like a lack of engagement.
00:03:14.719 --> 00:03:22.960
And if it's expected to be continuous, then interruption feels like a reset even when the experience itself has not changed.
00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:26.400
This can be seen in practice when dealing with any routine.
00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:39.039
A routine becomes normal after a while, meaning it no longer feels new or interesting, and because it no longer feels interesting, it becomes difficult to use this as a method of determining whether or not it's succeeding.
00:03:39.280 --> 00:03:52.879
When something minor shifts, like a day being missed, or a schedule being altered, or a few days not lining up quite as well as the others, it doesn't feel like a minor variation, but rather like stepping off entirely.
00:03:53.280 --> 00:03:59.439
Not because the routine has disappeared, but because the experience no longer feels as it should.
00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:06.560
And while we're thinking about it, there is one other layer, one that's not often considered, and that's environment.
00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:14.479
A routine is typically considered to be something internal, but most routines are externally supported by time, location, and sequence.
00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:18.720
And when all of this is consistent, it feels easier to complete the routine.
00:04:18.879 --> 00:04:24.879
But when it shifts, even when no intention has shifted, it feels like it becomes significantly harder to complete.
00:04:25.040 --> 00:04:28.959
The routine is not just what you're doing, but where you're doing it.
00:04:29.040 --> 00:04:38.240
And when all of this shifts, it feels like the routine is breaking down even when it's not, because the intention is still present, but it's not being met by the environment.
00:04:38.480 --> 00:04:45.120
And recently, there is also interest in the idea that not all of these patterns are purely behavioral in nature.
00:04:45.360 --> 00:04:55.920
Medications such as Ozimpic and Wagovy are also now being looked at not only for their impact on hunger, but also for their impact on craving and on patterns of behavior.
00:04:56.079 --> 00:05:03.040
And people are reporting reductions in these urges not only when it comes to food, but also when it comes to patterns of behavior as well.
00:05:03.360 --> 00:05:14.000
This is obviously an area of ongoing research, but it is also an indication of the way in which the urge to repeat or to get away from something is not always within the realm of conscious control.
00:05:14.639 --> 00:05:24.240
Maybe it's because of the impact of biological, neurological, and environmental signals as to how easy or difficult something is to stick to or to get through.
00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:35.839
If something is not working or a routine is falling apart, then it's not necessarily accurate to look at this as something that is purely within the realm of willpower because of other factors at play in this moment as well.
00:05:36.079 --> 00:05:44.079
So if you step back and look at the entire pattern of behavior, then you can see a much more defined sense of structure at play.
00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:54.639
Consistency is not simply defined as the lack of disruption, it is also defined as uneven days, shifting structures, and moments where the behavior is not as engaging.
00:05:54.800 --> 00:05:59.680
And these are not disruptions from the pattern, but are actually the pattern itself.
00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:10.560
But when these moments are defined as such and as a way of looking at something as having stopped working or as having been reset, then there is a sense of needing to go back and start everything over again.
00:06:10.639 --> 00:06:15.759
And when everything is started over again, then nothing ever truly gets a chance to be settled.
00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:25.120
Over time, this gives the impression that it's hard to maintain consistency, but really it's just hard to maintain the interpretation that allows it to continue.
00:06:25.439 --> 00:06:29.120
The truth of the matter is that most people aren't struggling with staying with something.
00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:48.639
They're struggling with the interpretation that a change in their routine means that they've stopped, that a lack of novelty means that they've lost momentum, or that an uneven week means they've lost consistency, and that each of these things being interpreted as a reset means that the pattern never really gets a fair chance to establish itself.
00:06:48.879 --> 00:06:54.800
The problem with consistency in practice is that it's not quite as clean as people think it is.
00:06:54.959 --> 00:07:02.879
It's not quite as clean as a straight line, as a constant application of will and desire, or as a steady progression towards a goal.
00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:08.560
Instead, it's more like something that just keeps going even when everything else changes.
00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:18.319
And once you see it like that, it's really hard to look at the moments that felt like falling off as anything other than what they really are, the pattern itself.
00:07:19.120 --> 00:07:21.040
This is uncommonly remarkable.
00:07:21.360 --> 00:07:22.399
Thanks for listening.
