Just Doing It
I don’t really feel like writing today. I’ve been working on the new version of my book all day, so writing’s the last thing on my mind. Once I get going it’s fine - it’s just that picking a topic to write about and actually getting started are the hard part.
So I’ll write about that.
For the past six months I’ve been doing Crossfit as I’ve mentioned many times. For the first four months I did it with a class that met three times a week. I never missed a single workout, even when I went up to Boston for christmas. I ran in the snow and did workouts in the basement with my sister.
For the past two months I’ve been following the workout of the day at www.crossfit.com, which ends up being 5.25 workouts a week. I missed one day. The details of that aren’t really important… I had an excuse but it could have been done anyway.
So, while not perfect, this is a pretty good track record - 134/135 workouts were completed.
I haven’t been super consistent with this blog (although I’ve been maintaining my 2 posts a week since I made that rule), but I have been writing at least a few times a month since the end of 2005.
I’ve been recording my daily output, excuses, and productivity on my forums for the past two months or so, only missing a few days while transitioning here in Panama.
I’m not a particularly disciplined person by nature. I used to always start things and then they’d fade away and I’d just stop doing them.
What has helped me tremendously is that I decided to just take the thinking and emotions out of each of these events. I’m not allowed to think about them, particularly whether I do them or not.
This blog is a good example. I didn’t feel like writing today but it doesn’t matter. I write every monday and wednesday, so I write today. If I left it to my emotions I’d skip it.
Same with my workout today. I’m tired because my sleep schedule has been screwed up, and the crossfit is 100 pullups, 100 pushups, 100 situps, 100 squats. That’s a lot.
But emotion doesn’t play into the decision. I just do it regardless, unless it’s physically impossible for me to do it.
It seems like everyone starts things and doesn’t finish them. When people start blogs, diets, businesses, or other “I’m going to do X every Y days” habits, I just assume that it will last a month or so.
To me everything is an indicator of everything else. If you don’t stick with one thing you’re not going to stick with anything else, so what’s the point? I try to stick to everything because I know that if I do that it’s much more likely that I’ll stick to other things in the future.
I guess that’s all I have to say about this. I was going to offer more tips, but really I think the only one that’s necessary is to cut out the emotion and just do it. When you catch yourself thinking “but I want to…”, you know that you’re making a useless excuse. Now it’s time for me to do some crossfit.
(2 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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March 4th, 2008 at 12:43 am
Very good post!
There isn’t really much to tell. Just do it! No fancy productivity system, workout-plan or coach is required.
I often catch myself thinking and planning something I KNOW I won’t finish. So rather than continuing to plan about it, I try to force myself to just do it. Close eyes, open eyes, scream if necessary, GO DO IT! Just like when you were afraid to jump off the high board into the pool as a kid.
I love your posts man, they’re simple and cut the crap.
washburne
March 4th, 2008 at 1:15 am
How do you make yourself write if you don’t have anything to write about?
I suppose it’s easier when it’s just a personal diary blog, where you write about your own life, you can always fall back on what you did/feel today (like you’re doing here). But when you have a topical blog… what if you just can’t think of anything relevant to write about today?
I always try to have well-linked posts in my blogs, so they take more work than just sitting down and hammering out.
March 4th, 2008 at 9:31 am
F*&king great post, just when I was going to consider giving my workout a miss today I read this, and guess what? I’m gonna workout!
Props on the crossfit, I did a similar thing this summer following the WOD for 2 months straight, was great but i dropped it as I didn’t always have access to the equipment required.
Crossfit led me to discovering Evolutionary Fitness by Art Devany which changed my life to say the least. it goes nicely with crossfit.
Anyway take it easy bro and respect on the dope blog!!
March 4th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
I was going to respond here but it turned longer, so I posted on my blog: Do or do not. There is no try..
March 4th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Good mentality. Sometimes i find it hard to write on my blog… so i dont.
my new blog allows others to write for me, thus giving me content with no need to think of stuff to write
March 4th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
Excellent post. It really made sense. Just remove emotion.
Just a tip though, I saw you squatting in your Life Nomadic video. Those were just QUARTER squats dude. Since its body weight squat, don’t be afraid to go DEEP. Ass to grass.
March 5th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
K: I just start writing. There’s always something to write about, so I’ll just sit there until I find it.
tman: You’re right. Thanks for the tip
March 9th, 2008 at 3:51 am
Can you now do 100 pull ups? Congrats!
March 16th, 2008 at 10:05 am
Nike.
March 20th, 2008 at 2:49 am
You post is very inspirational. Especially the words about you trying to stick to everything because you know that if you do that it’s much more likely that you’ll stick to other things in the future. Your style is a bit complicated, but the idea is just great. Really.
I’m not a a particularly disciplined person by nature too, so I use different helpers, like a PDA or a web-based planning tool. Here’s what I use for organizing myself. The tool helps to get everything in one place and just never forget anything important. I hope it will help you too.
July 7th, 2008 at 3:45 am
You have an answer for almost everything….and amazingly, its always the right answer. I am going to meet you in person someday.