The Backsliding Series: Part 1
(remixed from November, 2023)
“Leaps forward are often preceded by desperate, regressive steps backward.” – Don Beck & Christopher Cohen, Spiral Dynamics
The big trick in the game of inner development is mastering the part of you that doesn’t want to develop.
This is critical, so stick with me:
Have you ever noticed that whenever you make a big leap forwards…
When you break through to a new level of performance
When you sink into a consistent rhythm of discipline
When more of your natural personality begins to open up
When the work you've been doing actually starts to show real-world results
…Basically, when what you’ve wanted for so long finally begins to happen…
…There’s almost always a strange, insidious little urge to backslide?
To take your foot off the gas and either slow down, stop, or fall into reverse?
(really, hit reply and let me know if you’ve noticed this)
Maybe you take a day or two off…
Eat some not-so-healthy food…
Tumble down the social media / video game / television rabbit hole…
Slack on your habits…
…And generally just muck up the good work you’ve been doing.
Because hey, you’ve been doing good work.
You’ve earned a bit of a muck-around.
But then your day or two off turns into a week or two, and that big leap forwards shrinks to nothing more than a small step.
It feels a bit like spending a cash windfall at the casino:
It’s sort of fun (but also kind of hollow), and you leave wondering why on earth you let yourself lose all that capital.
And so it goes:
Grind, grind, grind, big leap forwards, backslide, regret, start grinding again…
Never quite making the continuous forward progress you know is needed to bring your vision to life.
Yeah, it sucks.
But there’s also a very good reason for it.
This weird little urge to backslide serves a critical purpose.
And understanding that purpose is the key to finally making your temporary transformations become permanent.
More on that tomorrow…
- T
P.S. In related news, here’s:
Why You’re Working Hard But Getting Nowhere
The Backsliding Series was first published in November, 2023.
It was a huge hit, but many of our subscribers never got a chance to read it. So this week, we’re remixing and revisiting it with fresh eyes. Enjoy 🙂
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