
The Art of Not Thinking - tmatthe
http://tiffanymatthe.com/not-thinking
======
darkerside
If you are in a similar boat, it's likely that when you consider an upcoming
dreaded task, there is at least a small part of you that admits the
possibility that you _will not do the task_. And because there is, and because
your brain realizes it, it expends mental energy trying to convince you not to
do it. Once you are actually doing the task, or it's done, or you realize that
you must start doing it immediately, you suddenly find that while plenty of
physical energy may be required, there is almost no mental energy required at
all _.

A trick I've learned is to lie to yourself. Say you're excited to do it, that
you can't wait, and that you enjoy it. Your brain is easily convinced if
you're willing to let it be.

_ Sometimes this is not the case, because your brain entertains the idea that
it can stop doing the activity it doesn't want to do. Once you are able to
convince your brain that is not an option, this mental energy is returned to
you as well. i.e. Pain is mandatory, but suffering is optional.

~~~
ajkdhcb2
I think this is all abysmal, dangerous advice. The author says to 'become a
robot' and you're saying to 'lie to yourself'. It's all very anti-Zen. I think
Alan Watts would say it leads to double-binds and discordant psychological
feedback loops that will cause you suffering.

Your brain isn't a separate part of you. And you should simply be mindful and
fully aware of life, do what you want and enjoy doing, when you feel like
doing it.

No wonder there is such an issue with anxiety and depression when culture
seems intent on mind-games that trick people into spending life doing things
that they don't really want to do.

~~~
lightveil
My problem with this is the fact that, as it turns out, what I enjoy doing is
browsing Reddit/Youtube/Netflix etc. to the exclusion of everything else.

The internet has provided me with sufficient distractions-and they are
immediately enjoyable enough-that longterm enjoyment/skill-building just
doesn't provide me the sense of 'I want to do this' that other shortterm,
immediately rewarding activities do.

~~~
volkk
you know, i'm sort of in the same boat except i realize its more of an
addiction than an actual joy that leaves me fulfilled. i hate scrolling
through reddit mindlessly and yet i always get pulled back into it. and i
bounce between here and reddit for like 20 minutes until i snap out of it.
short term im feeling satisfied, but deep within i feel like shit.

the best feeling i get is when i pick up a book or watch a documentary or go
and enjoy the weather outside. it truly boosts my mood and makes me feel like
a human

~~~
qlk1123
I found it interesting that you are saying that HN and reddit are comparable
things. I recently turned off both my FB and Twitter account (never been a
user of reddit or I would have done the same thing to it), but still enjoy the
time here and probably will keep browsing interesting news/opinions here.

English is not native to me. Even though I can read and write English article,
the speed is just slow. To me, the short-term entertaining part of HN almost
doesn't exist. I always have to be dedicated to some interesting but hard
article to understand it in some degree.

~~~
volkk
i only compare the two because sitting around for hours on HN is still (in my
eyes) mostly a time waster. the articles are still hit or miss, but youre
definitely right, its not as mindless as reddit

------
atdixon
Similarly I tried to get myself to exercise for years and years.

I must have discovered the same approach as this author.

I stopped any kind of thinking about it and focused on _observing_ myself
drive to the gym, get in the pool, do the strokes, etc.

If my verbal ("thinking") centers of my brain needed to say something I would
only let them describe what I was doing ("You are driving to the gym", "you
are putting your swimsuit on", etc.)

Never did I let any other "thinking" or "reasoning" enter the picture. It was
all observation. I was able to keep an exercise routine for years this way.

\---

I think her post fails in the last section "Do the easiest part first". This
is too much thinking, reasoning and I think will backfire. She should delete
this section. I think this idea is hard for people to understand. You want
ZERO REASONING to come into the picture when the time comes, not even a shred.
Only pure observation of you doing the task.

~~~
mopierotti
I've also recently started trying to do this: to try to have my conscious mind
be in charge of observing/understanding only. It works, but it kind of scares
me.

It scares me because it feels similar to the mindset I have when watching a
movie. What if I become more interested in the plot than the well-being of the
main character?

~~~
atdixon
Your engagement of the plot _in any manipulable way_ can only come if you are
not simply observing. So if you find this happening, you're doing it wrong.

------
bonoboTP
Anything you do consistently for a long time will have to become part of "who
you are" not just "what you do". If you can't find a way to make it mesh
together with your self conceptualization it won't last.

You have to come up with a background, a connection to your past and your
being, a story that makes sense why this is who you are.

How this looks can be entirely personal. It may be a rugged individualistic
stubbornness story to learn to face adversity, a story of family, about health
and treating your body as a temple, or whatever else.

If you have a stronger competing story for your identity (eg my kind of person
doest jog, that's some silly Instagrammer avocado soyboy thing, my kind of
person drinks beer and watches TV) then you'll not keep doing it even if you
successfully force it for some days or weeks.

Stories carry and propel us through life to a large extent.

------
ChrisMarshallNY
Thanks for sharing that Tiffany.

This has been the way I've worked for decades.

I've found that stuff _gets done_ , once it becomes habit. It doesn't always
become _enjoyable_ , or even effortless, but it does _get done_.

There's a saying: _" Just for today I will exercise my soul in three ways: I
will do somebody a good turn and not get found out. I will do at least two
things I don't want to do, as William James suggests, just for exercise."_

I usually have the second part down by 7AM. The first is not always
guaranteed, each day, but I pull it off, every now and then.

Getting Things Done has been my pattern since I was eighteen years old.

This being HN, I have also learned to "think less" while coding. I've
established coding habits; often with the help of LINTers[0], and now produce
a _lot_ of good code, at a blistering pace. My designs are almost fluid; often
reconfiguring in the middle of implementation, as I take a "JIT" approach to
design[1]. That's not something that can be taught. It only comes with a great
deal of experience.

In my experience, the less thought I have to give stuff, the better.

[0]
[https://littlegreenviper.com/miscellany/swiftwater/swiftlint...](https://littlegreenviper.com/miscellany/swiftwater/swiftlint/)

[1] [https://medium.com/chrismarshallny/evolutionary-design-
speci...](https://medium.com/chrismarshallny/evolutionary-design-
specification-a2a459f63020)

~~~
tmatthe
Nice to see it works for others as well. And thanks for sharing how you code
while thinking less, it's interesting to see how this can be applied to
different areas in life.

------
kanobo
For the main example given (exercise), I think for people like me there really
is no thinking involved. It's purely an emotional aversion to discomfort and
disenjoyment of physical activity. I think the better advice is to search for
physical hobbies you enjoy rather than to 'just do it' (tm).

~~~
cryptozeus
Problem with this theory is that you may not always find hobbies that are
equivalent to good workout. I.e. walking will not get your heart rate up.

~~~
kanobo
Running is bad for the knees and isn't really a great substitute either for
most people. It depends on the person. The point I was making is that not
thinking and blindly doing exercises you don't like is not the best argument
to make the case in the article.

~~~
Kirth
Running badly is bad for the knees*.

------
bingobongo1
>After years of feeling guilty about not wanting to do everything...

Has the author asked themselves why they feel guilt about not wanting to do
"everything"?

Is it possible that the form of discipline being promoted here under the tag
"Productivity" is entirely unnecessary for a satisfying human existence, and
that it is primarily caused by cultural forces?

Is it possible that such a focus on this relentless productivity, caused by
our society, is related to the feeling of guilt that comes with perceiving
oneself as 'undisciplined'?

Anyone who is commenting on how this opposes the nature of zen or other
mindfulness lineages is on the right track and anyone who is still justifying
cramming as much activity into every moment of their lives in the name of
productivity is doomed to repeatedly feel the guilt and shame that comes along
with not living up to these cultural standards.

~~~
trilinearnz
I agree with this, and know people who have an unhealthy ambition for "doing
productive things" with no time set aside for compensatory energy recovery
through relaxation. I see these people fall into de-facto relaxation through
exhaustion. They end up relaxing, but will feel guilt during it. This kind of
audience would not benefit from productivity advice, as they are already
operating on an extreme level.

On the other end of the scale are people like myself, who have a real problem
motivating themselves to do tasks which really do objectively need to get done
(e.g. mowing the lawn, cleaning the bathroom). Why do they need to get done?
Because if they don't they would have a net negative effect on your quality of
life / even basic hygiene. It's people closer on this end of the spectrum that
I think benefit from advice like this.

Certainly there is no absolute law that says you "have to" do anything. That's
freedom of choice which we all ultimately have. In practical terms though,
unless you are willing to accept an extremely low standard of living, certain
basics do need to get done. People with depression will probably be able to
understand where I'm coming from with this :)

~~~
bingobongo1
I agree and have been there in terms of looming depression preventing you from
getting the basic human activities done, but I can't separate that depression
from the spirit of my comment either. It was largely related to feeling
trapped by our western work culture.

In terms of the basic activities of living, it can still help to address the
aversion to the task head on by realizing the actual nature of the task.

The task isn't what it appears, but is in fact just a concept we impute to
aggregate phenomena.

Is washing dishes standing at the sink? No. Is washing dishes the running
water? No. Is washing dishes holding a single plate and sponge? No. Is washing
dishes dispensing soap onto the sponge? No.

Washing dishes is the combination of several interdependent causes.

Tasks that we're averse to are simply aggregations of various other imputed
concepts, and so the unified activity that triggers our sense of aversion
isn't actually based on anything substantial.

Speaking personally, aversion arises for me a lot of the time as a sense of
lost time to one activity or another, but the concept of 'just being' suggests
that whatever activity you do is perfectly fine on a fundamental level.

No time is wasted because every activity you do is 'of one taste' essentially
- it's all the same in terms of being aggregate phenomena wrapped up into a
unified concept by humans that triggers aversion based on our individual
conditioning.

So realizing that the aversion isn't real and substantial, reflect on the
positive nature of completing the task and the positive effects it will have.
Instead of repressing your negative thoughts (forcefully not thinking), see
them as insubstantial.

Thanks for your reply :)

~~~
Eugeleo
Who _are_ you?

Now, don't take this personally; there's just not many people that I know that
could out-smart plain old dishwashing on such a fundamental philosophical
level. I'd love to know what's your background and how you learned think in
this way — and I'm asking mostly because I could use some of this way of
thinking in my life as well.

I am what most people would call a "productive person" — I'm at one of the
best universities in my country, have top grades, have a part-time position in
a pretty good research facility, and I'm also slowly chipping away at my
startup idea.

Sometimes I'm all happy about this, but other times I see that there's not
much time for being "myself" between all these activities. Now, please, bear
with me — it's hard to put it in words.

Often I ask myself whether I actually care about these activities, or whether
I do them just because it is easier to fill my free time with all sorts of
different things and delegate the question of „what should I do next” to
external factors. The fact that I don't really care for good grades but at the
same time act as if I did care, for example, made me wonder whether the values
I have been raised with are really _my_ values, or whether I follow and fulfil
them just due to some kind inertia mixed with inability to find my own values.
And I’m sure that not only my cowardice and the imprinted values are at fault
— the western culture is surely doing its part as well.

But don't get me wrong — I enjoy being the best, I enjoy programming (@ the
startup) and the hard work (@ the facility). I just don't know whether it's me
enjoying the stuff or some frankenstein of my parents' values and general
cultural views occupying the space inside my head... I’m not exactly unhappy,
I’m just not sure whether I’m taking the right path here, that is to say „my
path” [1]. I think that learning how to think about things on a fundamental
level, as you did, could help me in my case as well.

[1] A little side note: From the practical point of view, being raised to be
"the best" has its warts — e.g. when your entire self-worth depends on
external measures of "bestness" and crowds of people that praise you for your
brilliance. So, even though I'm not unhappy, I foresee that I certainly will
be at some point in the future if I don't rethink my values and a big chunk of
my life — so I might as well start right now.

[2]: In case this is too OT for HN, I'd be happy to chat at wybitul [at-sign]
evzen [dot-sign] dev.

~~~
bingobongo1
Hello Eugeleo,

I'm no one special, just a person who has finally made some progress on these
very issues.

I've struggled for quite a while with the same fundamental questions about
self as you seem to be struggling with now.

>I'm at one of the best universities in my country, have top grades, have a
part-time position in a pretty good research facility, and I'm also slowly
chipping away at my startup idea.

All of this takes hard work, these are certainly accomplishments that bring
temporary satisfaction and happiness.

>Sometimes I'm all happy about this, but other times I see that there's not
much time for being "myself" between all these activities.

This is a very subtle form of suffering. Things are going well, there isn't
necessarily something obviously wrong, but still you can't shake the feeling
and it has the potential to cause (a lot of) anxiety.

>I’m asking myself whether I actually care about these activities

There's no need to find yourself at one extreme or the other (caring or not
caring). You do care about these things, but perhaps you overestimate their
ability to provide you with lasting happiness and satisfaction. As you say,
it's a never ending search for the next source of momentary satisfaction:
"what's next for me?".

>Often I ask myself whether the values I have been raised with are really _my_
values, or whether I follow and fulfill them just due to some kind inertia
mixed with inability to find my own values.

Inevitably, it's both. All of us are a result of an unbroken chain of cause
and effect which started long before we were ever born. Part of your value
system comes from your parents, part of theirs came from their parents, and so
on. On top this, your personal experience and conditioning is overlaid.
Recognizing this fact is important if you would like to break out of this
cycle of questioning.

>To be frank, I’m not sure what to do about this. I’m not exactly unhappy, I’m
just not sure whether I’m taking the right path here.

Yeah, I get you.

\--

To answer your technical question, I stumbled into the Tibetan school of
Buddhism known as Dzogchen several months ago, this has exposed me to the
wider landscape of the Madhyamaka (or middle way) view in Buddhism. I hesitate
to scare you off thinking I'm trying to convert you to a religious practice,
but as I've discovered myself, this is a highly logical and first-person
oriented form of scientific philosophy that had been developing in India for
at least 2500 years before Hinduism took over. Buddhism continued to develop
in Tibet and has been well preserved by the Tibetans. In fact, quantum physics
and modern science and the Madhyamaka view are in stunning alignment when it
comes several factors, including the reality that things do not exist exactly
as they appear to us.

There are two techniques (neither involving faith) to decomposing phenomena as
I displayed with washing dishes.

The first is known as Shamatha, which means quiescence, calm abiding mind,
singled pointed concentration, or even meditative equipoise. Shamatha is the
act of meditating single-pointedly on some object with unwavering focus. This
leads to mental stability overtime because through the process of cultivating
Shamatha you develop right-thinking about discursive, roving thoughts, and
eventually the waves settle (so to speak) and you're left with a very calm
mental disposition (which can easily bring you joy). You may know of similar
westernized meditation techniques in the mindfulness genre, they were almost
certainly developed based on Shamatha, where one of the most popular objects
of meditation is the breath or "mindfulness of breathing".

The second is known as Vipassana, which means wisdom, true seeing, or true
insight. Vipassana is a form of analytical meditation in which an object of
meditation is decomposed and deconstructed over and over again, forcefully
illustrating the true nature of the object (which is always empty of inherent
existence). Emptiness does not mean that the conventional world we live in
does not exist, but rather that nothing in the conventional world exists in
its own right as an independent object (as we humans tend to take for
granted), but that everything manifests from one or more interdependent
causes. This is known as dependent origination. Lucky us in the modern world,
we already know that every thing we see is actually composed of sub-atomic
particles which are constantly in a state of flux. This was actually something
that took people a LONG time to fundamentally accept in the ancient east.

A common example in the literature is a chariot.

What is the chariot? Is there anything substantial to this notion of a
chariot?

Is the chariot the wheels? Is it the axle? Is it the bars that connect to the
horse? Is it the seat for the rider? Is it the wood?

Of course, the answer is no, that none of the parts are the chariot, and that
even the parts themselves are empty because they can be decomposed all the way
down to the sub-atomic level.

Therefore, the chariot is simply an imputed concept over an aggregate and has
no inherent existence, even though it appears to simply exist when we look at
it.

Okay, now ask yourself how do phenomena that are essentially empty trigger
afflictive thoughts and emotions (which are also empty)? Then ask yourself, if
thoughts and emotions are fundamentally empty, how can they cause me to
suffer?

The answer comes from not seeing reality as it really is and is at the core of
my example about the dish washing, which is a display of Vipassana.

There are countless entrypoints to this philosophy, some lean more on the
classical Buddhist side and some lean more towards a purely secular approach,
although like I've said, if you think that Buddhism is based on faith, then
you're 100% misconceiving its nature. Therefore I don't view it even in the
slightest as a faith based religion. The Buddha Shakyamuni himself urges you
not to trust his words any more than you'd trust gold you buy at market, which
is to say you must test and experience these truths yourself for there to be
any lasting benefit.

I'll point you to two books by the same westerner. This was not my entrypoint,
but it may serve you well and he's been immersed in Tibetan studies for most
of his life so he is legit I promise. It's called Minding Closely by B. Alan
Wallace (a great person indeed)[1].

If you'd like to continue this discussion or have any questions, simply reply
again and we can link up over email or something. I hope this brief
introduction helps you if even in the smallest way.

[1] - [https://www.shambhala.com/minding-
closely-2302.html](https://www.shambhala.com/minding-closely-2302.html)

------
tomxor
A more specific tactic I have discovered to avoid thinking and start straight
away is to make a very quick promise to myself:

That I can quit as soon as I get too bored or hit a block of some kind - this
relieves me of all the concerns that I might need to worry (think) about
upfront, I waved those requirements when I allowed myself that quick exit.

Most of the time you just end up persevering, and due to the nature of these
unimportant tasks - not planning just doesn't make any meaningful difference.

~~~
trilinearnz
I really like this one. It's similar to another one I've used: Just commit to
doing the task for an extremely small amount of time (e.g. five minutes or
even one minute). That dramatically reduces the perception of pain in your
brain associated with the task, since you're containerising it down to a level
where it cannot possibly _not_ be achieved.

For particularly anxiety-inducing tasks I have been known to use a 30 second
time box ;) Safe to say, this always tends to build the requisite momentum to
follow through with a much greater bracket of time, even if it's not a
conscious decision to do so (this is probably the key point - the mental
shortcut).

Another tactic which can be useful when the procrastination is driven by
perfectionism: embracing the notion of "wrong action". Simply by initiating
some kind of action in the interests of the task at hand, and it doesn't
matter how "wrong" you think that action might be. Obviously, since you have a
base level of expertise, even your so-called "wrong" action will in fact be a
useful step towards the goal. This is a bit like the "beginners mindset":
stripping preconceptions that are obstructing any kind of progress.

------
d--b
Something also that I noted is that it is somewhat easier to do the task you
don't want to do when you're tired / sleep deprived - mostly because
effectively, my brain is too tired to argue against doing the thing.

~~~
jjordan
This actually worked really well for me after a hell week and a presentation
at the end. Often I get self conscious and freeze up at some point, but I was
so wiped I just powered right through without a hitch. It was kinda weird.

------
karmakaze
Another great trick is when you don't have the energy to do something, do
miscellaneous things only to get ready to do the thing at another time. Once
you have the idea that you're explicitly not doing something the prep part is
incremental, trivial/negligible units of effort. Often I find once all the
prep is done, I'm actually psyched to start and will start on the spot or at
the very next opportunity.

~~~
swagasaurus-rex
Mise en place - "Everything in its place," a french phrase for food
preparation where you ensure everything is ready before even starting the act
of cooking.

------
bearer_token
“Once you've got a task to do, it's better to do it than live with the fear of
it.” \-- Logen Ninefingers

[https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/logen-
ninefingers#:~:te...](https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/logen-
ninefingers#:~:text=%E2%80%9COnce%20you've%20got%20a,with%20the%20fear%20of%20it.%E2%80%9D)

~~~
_emacsomancer_
But also "You have to realistic about these things".

------
chansiky
Don't you think there's too much thinking involved in an article about not
thinking?

I just watched Joe Rogan's interview of David Goggins[1], and he lives the
essence of what this article is trying to express. I think his perspective is
far more succinct and sharper, its sort of an anti-motivation motivation. Its
definitely worth a watch if anyone is interested.

[1]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tSTk1083VY&t=4s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tSTk1083VY&t=4s)

------
shabuta
My trick I perfected in college is to set my alarm for a couple hours earlier
than I would normally wake up and start doing the task right when I wake. My
mind isn’t awake enough to come up with any resistance so I start the day with
momentum. This worked for studying or projects. It continues on in the work
world where if I have tasks I’m low-key avoiding, I’ll set it for first thing
in the morning. The more I’m avoiding it, the earlier I have to start in the
morning to make sure I tackle it.

------
unabst
Fear also works. That's why cramming for exams is so easy. Not the act, but
getting yourself to do it.

You can also barter with yourself. Have a list of harmless splurges to reward
yourself with. Kyoto cold brew, a Sapporo black beer, or a few hours of gaming
are on my list.

I recon the most professional approach is to clear your schedule, remove all
distractions, and simply give yourself enough time or even unlimited time to
do it. I often find they get done faster than expected, since most of these
tasks aren't particularly difficult. Like taxes. The problem isn't that
they're hard or challenging. They disgust me :/

------
cdperera
I've found planning ahead to work, to great success. Almost ridiculously so.
It's come to the point where I don't really need my usual distraction
blockers.

I've found: 1\. I can fit a lot of things into my day, than I assumed. 2\. I
often overestimate how long things take, on top of that.

Point 2 is particularly interesting, since I know if I just bang out my tasks,
I'll keep find "free time" that I over-planned for. By the end of the day, I
get a couple free hours to do whatever I want, and it's lovely.

~~~
anoffvu
Would you mind going into a bit more detail about the systems that work for
you? Is it just like a checklist at the beginning of each day or?

------
emptyparadise
It's very difficult for me to do anything like this because I end up
forgetting things so much - good old ADHD, not something funny pills alone can
solve. Creating a routine and sticking to it works best for me, but I've never
been unable to stick with it through more turbulent times. Everything is fine
until something, say, an unexpected family visit or a worldwide pandemic,
disrupts my everyday life and routine and then I just fall back to my old
ways.

~~~
bradstewart
I feel you. Two things I've picked up that may be helpful:

First, as a sibling comment said, having a notebook always on hand is a huge
help to me (I like Field Notes as they fit in my pockets and hold up to abuse
well). Writing things down with a pen avoids all of the possible distractions
of picking up your phone, and frees you from any structure imposed by task
apps.

I write stuff down constantly--sometimes I write down tasks, random ideas, or
just doodle. Later (ideally in the evening or first thing in the morning) I
read my ramblings and organize the ones worth remembering into a more
permanent place. Tasks go into a digital todo app, notes and ideas into
OneNote, etc.

While this scribbling thoughts and organizing them later is barely a routine,
its proved to be enough to get me through crazy times and back into a "real"
routine.

The second thing: don't worry about your routine collapsing. It happens, it's
natural. Accept it, write down the crazy business in your head, and slowly
start building a new routine.

~~~
guerrilla
> and slowly start building a new routine.

Something that helped me was instead of building a new routine, I went back to
the old one but in stages. There are things I don't absolutely have to do, so
they get tacked on the end and are optional so I can just skip them without
much disruption in turbulence.

------
082349872349872
AN Whitehead, on separating data and control planes:

"Operations of thought are like cavalry charges in a battle — they are
strictly limited in number, they require fresh horses, and must only be made
at decisive moments."

To understand this, one must realise that a horse can only go full out (<20
HP) for a minute or two, and even at 80% will be exhausted in under 15
minutes. Infantry may, and does, grind, but cavalry relies on timing[1]. (Why
use cavalry then? Because, properly deployed, they turned minor routs into
decisive victories. Consider Guagamela.)

[1] There is a nice anecdote about von Seydlitz and Frederick the Great. Von
Seydlitz is waiting with his cavalry squadrons for opportunity to ripen.
Frederick sends a messenger to him to attack. Von Seydlitz responds, "later."
A new messenger comes, "you are ordered to attack." Von Seydlitz responds, "in
due course." Finally a messenger arrives, "the king says if you do not attack
instantly you will be beheaded." Von Seydlitz responds, "please inform his
Excellency that my head will be at his disposal _after_ the battle, but
_during_ the battle I still need to use it in his service."

------
newusertoday
My trick is to tell my brain to do whatever is comfortable so for e.g. don't
tell it you want to run 5km say you will run 100m or whatever is comfortable.
Once you put on your shoes and go on track half the battle is already won and
may be you won't run 5km but you may run say 3km slowly as you keep on doing
it you will find achieving your goal.

------
Poc
For things like textbooks, I'll start easily but then, when I reach a new
point or new chapter, I will rationalized my self to stop it there and call it
a done work, when in reality I worked only 30 minutes instead of and hour.

it's like my mind is rationalizing itself to settle for a sub goal.

~~~
Apocryphon
That's where the Pomodoro technique might be useful. If one adheres to it, it
does what the article describes as "making the decision in advance." After you
take a break after the stopping point, the technique makes you continue on.
But of course, that means you have to embrace the plan and not resist against
it, either.

------
Wandfarbe
I think the art is in actually finding yin/yang.

At the end you oscillate in-between.

I don't think you can really get away from it.

~~~
tmatthe
That's true nothing ever follows a straight line from where you start to where
you want to end up. You can't get away from the oscillating, but I do believe
you can minimize it through practice and techniques.

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danaliv
This reminds me of when I did my master’s thesis. At a certain point I had the
distinct experience of being forced to turn off part of my brain to get
through it. I described it as “mashing the keyboard while screaming through
the feelings.”

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meh206
I'm now chanting "I am not thinking" as I finally clean my home office xD

~~~
LVB
I regularly end up pushing through drudgery by repeating "Don't think just do.
Don't think just do..."

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bitwize
For me, motivation is like a car engine. Once the crankshaft is turning, the
pistons are moving, and the fuel is igniting, motivation is self-sustaining
and can keep me going on a particular task. But it has to be started.
Something external has to turn the engine over a few times until the self-
sustaining process kicks in. Usually, this takes the form of forcing myself to
work a tiny bit on the task. Once I get that tiny bit done, I'm in a headspace
to where getting a bit more done is much easier, and I can keep going like
that.

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TrackerFF
When I was younger, I could work out just fine, off nothing more than pure
motivation and drive. I did that for a solid 5 years - lost 70 lbs, gained
weight and muscle, and transformed my body. Good times.

But then around my mid 20s, working out just got boring. My body started
deteriorating, which made working out even harder.

Sad to say, these days I can't even do a light jog without something to
distract me from the jogging itself. Either music in my ears, or some TV-
screen on the treadmill.

But once I can focus on something else, I can work out just fine.

------
LordGrey
My trick is to delay the task to a specific day and/or time. I use a reminders
app to create a schedule of sorts, and I've trained myself to do the task
right when the reminder pops up.

The presumption here is that I've already thought about how long the task will
take and what I'll need to complete it, plus I'm aware of what else is going
on and taken that into account, so I have no real excuse for not doing the
task right when the reminder pops up.

It's a bit of moderated procrastination, but it works for me.

~~~
tmatthe
That's a good technique for removing all possible excuses. It might take some
effort in the beginning to actually follow the reminders, but as you said,
after some training it becomes easier.

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minkowski
This rather reminds me (very inexactly) of Behavioural Activation Therapy
[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioral_activation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioral_activation)]
although in that case the task intended isn't necessarily inherently
disagreeable, simply overwhelming to a person with depression.

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sourabhforu
My advice- do the thing you dont want to do as the first thing in the morning.
You will end up having a great day

~~~
l8rpeace
Eating the frog is what it's called.

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SubuSS
I usually attach something fun to the tedious tasks: if I am to walk our dog
in the rain, I am going to listen to armchair expert: I never listen to it in
the regular day - so that acts like a treat. For biking - it is my fascination
with being outside and so on. Eventually it becomes into a habit too!

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FactCore
Been doing this for a few years without assigning a name to it. It works
wonders for someone who is a chronic procrastinator like myself. I'd also like
to add: If you can set a schedule to "just to it" for a reoccurring task, that
helps immensely in reducing brain strain.

------
BurningFrog
One dumb trick I've had success with when it comes to exercise is to just put
on my gym clothes.

It may be several hours before I actually go on that run, but now the task of
running needs to be executed before the clothes can be taken off.

~~~
LouisSayers
I do this as well - if doing a task seems too overwhelming I’ll say to myself
“well I’ll just do this small subtask instead”.

It starts small.

“I’ll just stick on my shoes” “I’ll just walk to the gate” “I’ll just run to
that post” ...

Before you know it you’ve completed the thing you didn’t feel like doing.

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_emacsomancer_
For certain tasks, of course, you can also make them enjoyable, or have a
built-in (immediate) reward: you have a podcast or audiobook you want to
listen to, but you only do it while exercising/cleaning/whatever.

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kristianov
Don't make decisions just anytime/anyday/anywhere. Make decisions when you are
thinking clearly and rationally. And follow through.

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pier25
> Do the easiest part first

Yes.

Once you've started it will be easier to keep going. Also, it's harder to not
to finish something the more time you've spent on it.

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blueterminal
Just stick to something for a few months without exceptions and it'll become
who you are.

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throwawaynothx
waking up at 4am to get that sunrise photo.

------
ziroshima
TL;DR - Don't think about it, Just Do It. Nike had it figured out all along.

------
stoops
TL;DR: Discipline beats motivation

~~~
BenoitP
I'd say habits beat motivation

~~~
antepodius
What's the difference between 'habits' and 'discipline'?

~~~
naringas
discipline is like keeping promises you make to yourself and habits are just
things you do cyclically and sometimes even without thinking but which you had
to learn to do at some point (washing hands after using the toilet, brushing
your teeth, etc..)

