How to do hard things

The five seconds approach

Most people avoid doing difficult things. Although we are aware of the necessity, we avoid them too often. Instead, we do something easier to feel like we’ve accomplished something.

In other words, we procrastinate.

Even if we distract ourselves, we always know what we are supposed to do. Sooner or later the time has come to get it done. But too often our avoidance persists.

“No man’s good by accident. Virtue has to be learnt.”

― Seneca, Letters from a Stoic

In this article, I will show you an approach that often helps me get things done, even at times when I would rather do something else.

Constructing a habit

To better understand the whole thing, I’m going to explain it in terms of habits. Habits are used by our brain to save energy. They rely on automated routines where you do not have to think actively about each step.

A habit consists of three parts. A trigger, an action and a reward.

The trigger leads you into performing an action, or a routine. This happens more or less automatically. After execution, we receive positive feedback in the form of a reward. That reward is the reason that we are going to repeat and stick to the habit.

When looking back on it, what we’ll remember is the reward and positivity involved. Repeating becomes easier.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit.” — Will Durant

The goal now is to construct a habit where the executed action or routine is doing something hard.

The 5 seconds approach

We already know what the action is. Getting hard things done. Let’s have a look at the trigger.

Count down from 5 whenever you are about to do something hard. Once the 5 seconds are over, just do it. That’s your trigger. It doesn’t sound easy. In the beginning, we are in the same position that we have to do something hard by will. Avoidance is very likely.

Before it’ll work for you have to activate the trigger. What we do repeatedly will stick to our mind. What I did to activate my trigger is taking cold showers. It is a habit itself.

There is the action of taking a cold shower, which is something hard. It is always an overcoming and the first 20 seconds are uncomfortable. But the action is rewarded by a positive feeling afterward.

Positive feedback follows the cold shower, I always feel energized, warm, refreshed and present at the moment.

What is missing here is the trigger. Count down from 5 each time before turning on the water. While counting your mind will think that now I have to do something hard, but it will be rewarded and worth it.

Once done often enough counting down from 5 before doing hard things becomes second nature. The trigger has been created and activated and can now be borrowed by other habits.

It is super easy and gains momentum after some time. Once you apply it consecutively you’re getting into the mood after this 5 seconds.

A reward

Now we got out trigger and action. In the end, we are getting hard things done. If that isn’t enough positive feedback, reward yourself with anything you like. It could be your favourite snack, music, an episode of your favourite series and so on.

This was my 11th post of the ILLUMINATION 30-day writing challenge by Dr Mehmet Yildiz described in this article.