All in Life Thoughts
This Study Helped Ruin Any Discipline I Thought I Had
Discipline Fatigue is a Myth
I read an article a few years back describing how "willpower is somewhat like a muscle in that it can get fatigued if overused," in The New York Times. After reading that statement, unfortunately, I started using it as a mental excuse for every time I skipped a workout, ate a box of cookies, or forgo working on a project in favor of binging on a TV show.
Somehow, I let that one sentence influence how I viewed discipline and willpower. "Oh, I used up all my willpower by getting up at 5 AM all week, so I'm going to sleep until mid afternoon and veg out on the couch," I'd think.
Really, it was a convenient excuse for not having to do the hard stuff, like work on actual projects that'd advance me to long-term goals; instead, I had an easy out: Oh well, discipline is zapped for the day! Time to slack off.
When I find a soul who speaks the same language as me, who seems to be on the same wavelength, the phrase kindred spirits from the Anne of Green Gables novels pops into my head.
It’s such a lovely sentiment to describe exactly that feeling of understanding someone, without the dance of mismatched conversation. Instead, it’s that instant recognition of meeting on the same page, without any effort. Existing on similar planes, is another way I think about it.