The Resistance Paradox — Why You’re Always Failing | Weekbook #11

The path of least resistance often feels like the best option. In actuality, this is one of life’s most powerful paradoxes. It is the opposite, the path of most resistance, that is in almost all cases the better option, but for obvious reasons is usually unappealing.

New Year’s resolutions serve as an excellent example of this and none more so than the gym. If you’ve ever been to a gym in January, you’ll know that it’s packed with eager people, ready to burn off their excess Christmas weight but by January 31st, its returned to normal capacity. Why? Because going to the gym consistently is hard and full of resistance.

The first few days of going are usually easy. You’re full of motivation and ready to experience something new or to get back into the habit after the last failed attempt, determined to make it stick this time. Then something happens, perhaps a bad night of sleep or a bout of muscle fatigue. You weigh up the options and decide that a day of rest will be better for you in the long run and will give you an opportunity to be 100% ready for the next session. Congratulations, you’ve just taken the path of least resistance.

Sure, it was just one day off but the problem you’ve created is this — you’ve taught yourself that it’s okay to take that path. What happens the next time you’re in the same situation?

When we give ourself excuses to fail, failure becomes a habit. This is further compounded by the path of least resistance resulting in overall regression. It’s the easy path to not workout, to not cook a healthy meal and stick to your diet, or to outsource your difficult work to a colleague. The result of this is not just a lack of improvement, but likely weight gain and poor performance at work, ergo, regression.

The flip side of this paradox is that the hardest path, the one of most resistance, offers countless opportunities for self-improvement. Going to the gym on the days when motivation is lacking ensures that the habit sticks and your fitness journey continues. Sticking to that diet keeps your body healthy, nourishing it with all of the vitamins you need to lead a long life. Solving the difficult problem at work instead of outsourcing it results in you learning a new skill, increasing your performance and making it easier the next time you face a similar challenge. The path of least resistance is easy, but the path of most resistance is rewarding.

So the next time you find yourself considering the easy option, choose the other path instead. No-one can make you take one road or the other, but equally it is no-one else’s fault when you fail or regress. The responsibility is on you. Any failure is your fault. Any success is of your own making.

Remember, when motivation doesn’t lead to action, let action lead to motivation.

Book Notes

I am currently reading Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life.

• To straddle that fundamental duality is to be balanced: to have one foot firmly planted in order and security, and the other in chaos, possibility, growth, and adventure.

• Order is not enough. You can’t just be stable, and secure, and unchanging, because there are still vital and important new things to be learned.

• Your mistreatment of yourself can have catastrophic consequences for others.

• “He whose life has a why can bear almost any how” — Friedrich Nietzsche

• Down is a lot easier than up.

• It’s easier to put off until tomorrow what needs to be done today, and drown the upcoming months and years in today’s cheap pleasures.

Try this Podcast

Ending Quote

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” Jim Ryun

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Reference Material

• The Most Powerful Paradoxes of Life: https://twitter.com/SahilBloom/status/1462428192409591819

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