Thoreau wrote at some point today concerning his own end and the results that may rise from it. Perhaps his thigh bone or rib cage would return to the earth and give way to a pine or oak tree. Now his love of Nature doesn't dub him a misanthrope, one who hates or distrusts humankind. Rather, I feel his passion for the world around him comes from a firm humility that his role lies with the roots and nuts of this world. By contrast, I sense that the matters of men disagree with him as they hold petty contests over whose prose rings truest and whose items gleam brightest or how much they're worth. Yes, Thoreau sat happily in groves and upon riverbanks, pleased that when his time came, he would continue to contribute to the cause he cares for most.
In that sense, I find imagery to be the root of the tree that grounds me. I enjoy the company of my friends and family, no doubt, but as they split up amongst their own diversions, images, whether written or illustrated, sung or sculpted fortify my bones as I stand tall against the weight of the world.
I gotta habit.
I thank James Clear for his observations on habit formation. For without him, my sister who lent me the book, or the institution that assigned it as reading, I wouldn't understand why changing habits is difficult. Masturbation, smoking and eating junk foods aren't necessarily topics you ask your friends for help.
It's difficult for two reasons: we try to change the wrong thing and we try to change our habits the wrong way. I encourage the curious to give his book a look, but if your brain is "cooked rn my guy" or his content "too rich", read on to learn what I found interesting.
Firstly, Clear invites us to observe there are three levels at which change can occur, like layers of an onion.
The first layer is changing your outcomes. For example, I'd love a six-pack set of abs. I also want an expensive lens for my camera, a successful media company, and cheeseburgers. I wish...
The second layer is changing your process. When I first read through his book, I appreciated the difference between goals and systems thinking. I explained myself the other day. Last month, I added a short, black bookshelf behind my desk. I hung small pieces of art I collected. I even pilfered my mom's writing desk, and set my film scanner upon it.
The third and deepest layer is changing your identity. I'll get into it coming up, but this layer concerns beliefs, your take on the world and others around you. "You can't live off blogging." We'll see, now won't we?
This is Howie Dewitt.
The issue, as Clear puts it, is the direction of change. We typically start with what we wanna get. He argues we oughta start with who we wanna be. "I wish I was a little bit taller, I wish I was a baller..."
Behind our actions are our beliefs. Consider the third layer I mentioned before. My mother often repeats to us and herself, "I'm bad with papers." Then, it holds that she loses paper bills and complains the mail is nothing but trash. She misplaces important documents on occasion, but the issue remains her view of herself. We all know someone, maybe even ourselves.
"I suck at math."
"I'm bad at DPS, tank, and support. Basically, I'm throwing."
"I'm so stupid. Don't give it to me, I won't do anything with it."
"We're always late."
I am not giving you a pep talk to cheer you up, but it's worth noting, your beliefs form your actions. It's easy to stay "stuck in your ways" if you tell yourself you will not change direction. The more deeply a thought or action is tied to your identity, the more difficult it is to change it.
Then what's the solution, I bet you're wondering. Just listen to some motivational speakers on YouTube? I'm not saying you will transform overnight with more positivity, but here comes the short and sweet of it.
The Two-Step Process to Changing Your Identity
- Decide the type of person you wanna be.
- Prove it to yourself with small wins.
I loved this, because I could feel the synapses pop off like fireworks.
- Each time you write a page, you are a writer.
- Each time you practice the guitar, you are a musician.
- Each time you purchase an art piece, you are a patron.
The catch is, it goes both ways. Bad habits 'cast votes' for that identity. But it's okay. Perfection isn't the point. We all make mistakes. The idea is you actively shape your identity with the choices and actions you take.
So what did we learn today?
Post Summary
- Thoreau believed he would impact Nature even after his life. And he did.
- There are three levels of change: outcome change, process change and identity change.
- Behavior change is really identity change. Nice one, James.
- The real reason habits matter, they can change your beliefs about yourself.
Please. I need your help. Share this blog post, tell your friends. I can get to NYC, with contributions from readers like you. Thank you.