4 ms·

This was posted to HN a few months back and I found it quite interesting: https://gwern.net/nicotine https://gwern.net/nicotine Nicotine itself is very effect

This was posted to HN a few months back and I found it quite interesting: https://gwern.net/nicotine https://gwern.net/nicotine Nicotine itself is very effective at causing the brain to form habits. So that makes quitting cigarettes extra hard! But we may be able to use it as a tool for developing other habits. Glad you managed to find a solution that worked for you. Your technique seems good to stop doing something. But how do you make yourself start doing something you don't want to do? :)

andrewstuart 3y ago
>>But how do you make yourself start doing something you don't want to do? Like going to the gym? Well, the same person who advised me on the deferral strategy also advised me on your question. He said - specifically on the topic of going to the gym and exercising - (paraphrased): "Stop looking for techniques and mind tricks, for some things in life you must simply take action. You cannot avoid taking action if you want the outcome. There is nothing more to it than taking action. You know what the action required is, do it." On the topic of going to the gym a (very fit) friend of mine said: "I do not give myself a choice. I do not negotiate it with myself daily. I do not discuss it with myself. I just go." When you hear people say "I don't have time to do X/Y/Z" then translate that to "I do not prioritise X/Y/Z high enough to actually do it." You currently set priorities for yourself every day, every minute, every hour. If you do something, it is because you prioritised it higher then everything else.
- LordDragonfang 3y ago
  >You know what the action required is, do it >If you do something, it is because you prioritised it higher then everything else. This is exactly the sort of non-actionable advice that the article says doesn't work, though. Saying that you just need to "prioritize" something is the same as saying you just need to focus more willpower - it doesn't work for most people. What it sounds like your friend did is used a mind trick to create a habit so it was a required part of his routine, which made it easier.
  - andrewstuart 3y ago
    I agree with the advice in terms of "how do I do something"? You have to get off your arse and do it. That's the actionable advice. There's no substitute for action.
    - danaris 3y ago
      Spoken like someone who has never had to struggle with executive function disorders.
  - s1artibartfast 3y ago
    >What it sounds like your friend did is used a mind trick to create a habit so it was a required part of his routine, which made it easier. Whats the difference between a mind trick, willpower, decision, and dedication? Deciding that you will do something and not internally debating it IS willpower.
    - imtringued 3y ago
      That's not willpower at all. I have to do things I don't want to do all the time. Once I am in the mindset, it is trivial to just continue it. If I go to sleep, it is easily lost and takes hours to recover. Therefore, the easiest way to do it, is to simply not go to sleep and stay up for another two hours and ruin my sleep. It's very easy, zero willpower is needed. Willpower is completely overrated. People who talk about willpower don't actually use it, they pretend that whatever they do requires a lot of willpower or demonstrates their willpower to make themselves look good.
      - s1artibartfast 3y ago
        What is willpower? I think physical power/ strength is an interesting analogy. A weightlifter can pick up 20lbs with ease, my frail mother couldn't if her life depended on it. What is the equivalent for mental strength?
    - danaris 3y ago
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]

andrewstuart 3y ago

>>But how do you make yourself start doing something you don't want to do? Like going to the gym? Well, the same person who advised me on the deferral strategy also advised me on your question. He said - specifically on the topic of going to the gym and exercising - (paraphrased): "Stop looking for techniques and mind tricks, for some things in life you must simply take action. You cannot avoid taking action if you want the outcome. There is nothing more to it than taking action. You know what the action required is, do it." On the topic of going to the gym a (very fit) friend of mine said: "I do not give myself a choice. I do not negotiate it with myself daily. I do not discuss it with myself. I just go." When you hear people say "I don't have time to do X/Y/Z" then translate that to "I do not prioritise X/Y/Z high enough to actually do it." You currently set priorities for yourself every day, every minute, every hour. If you do something, it is because you prioritised it higher then everything else.

LordDragonfang 3y ago
>You know what the action required is, do it >If you do something, it is because you prioritised it higher then everything else. This is exactly the sort of non-actionable advice that the article says doesn't work, though. Saying that you just need to "prioritize" something is the same as saying you just need to focus more willpower - it doesn't work for most people. What it sounds like your friend did is used a mind trick to create a habit so it was a required part of his routine, which made it easier.
- andrewstuart 3y ago
  I agree with the advice in terms of "how do I do something"? You have to get off your arse and do it. That's the actionable advice. There's no substitute for action.
  - danaris 3y ago
    Spoken like someone who has never had to struggle with executive function disorders.
- s1artibartfast 3y ago
  >What it sounds like your friend did is used a mind trick to create a habit so it was a required part of his routine, which made it easier. Whats the difference between a mind trick, willpower, decision, and dedication? Deciding that you will do something and not internally debating it IS willpower.
  - imtringued 3y ago
    That's not willpower at all. I have to do things I don't want to do all the time. Once I am in the mindset, it is trivial to just continue it. If I go to sleep, it is easily lost and takes hours to recover. Therefore, the easiest way to do it, is to simply not go to sleep and stay up for another two hours and ruin my sleep. It's very easy, zero willpower is needed. Willpower is completely overrated. People who talk about willpower don't actually use it, they pretend that whatever they do requires a lot of willpower or demonstrates their willpower to make themselves look good.
    - s1artibartfast 3y ago
      What is willpower? I think physical power/ strength is an interesting analogy. A weightlifter can pick up 20lbs with ease, my frail mother couldn't if her life depended on it. What is the equivalent for mental strength?
  - danaris 3y ago
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]