Summary

The article outlines strategies to overcome procrastination and motivate the brain to tackle challenging tasks by understanding and manipulating psychological resistance through techniques like breaking tasks into smaller steps, starting with preparatory actions, pairing hard tasks with fun activities, reframing self-narrative, and finding joy in the process.

Abstract

The article "How to Trick Your Brain into Doing Hard Things with Ease" provides insights into combating the natural resistance our brains exhibit towards difficult tasks. It suggests that the resistance stems from negative emotions and ego protection, which can be counterproductive to personal growth and productivity. The author proposes five psychological tricks to bypass this resistance. The first trick involves breaking down overwhelming tasks into more manageable parts, making them less intimidating. The second trick is to start with preparatory tasks, which can build momentum towards completing the main task. The third trick advises pairing a hard task with a fun activity to create a positive association. The fourth trick emphasizes the importance of aligning tasks with one's self-image to reduce internal conflict. Lastly, the article encourages reframing tasks as enjoyable challenges to decrease resistance and improve performance.

Opinions

The author believes that willpower is not the primary driver of action but rather a set of psychological tricks that can be employed to motivate the brain.
Procrastination is seen as a result of the brain's aversion to tasks it perceives as stressful or monotonous, similar to a spoiled child's reaction to not getting its way.
The article posits that trying to directly confront the brain's resistance to hard tasks is often ineffective, and a more subtle approach is required.
The concept of the "two-minute rule" is presented as a way to minimize the stakes and negative emotions associated with a large task by focusing on completing a small part of it first.
The author suggests that the brain's ego can be protected by framing actions in a way that aligns with one's desired self-image, thus reducing resistance to those actions.
The article advocates for finding intrinsic enjoyment in challenging tasks, drawing inspiration from the mindset of a legendary mountaineer who equated success with having fun.

How to Trick Your Brain into Doing Hard Things with Ease

For the longest time, I struggled with procrastination. It was tough to regularly hit the gym, study for exams, or do hard things even when I knew it would benefit me. Lately, I’ve been able to take consistent action. I realized it has nothing to do with willpower - there are ways to trick our brains into doing difficult tasks even when we don’t feel like it.

To outsmart our brains, we first have to understand how our minds work. Our behaviors have patterns. Pay close attention, and you’ll observe that hard work encounters two types of resistance:

Negative Emotions

Think of your brain like a spoiled child. When it doesn’t get its way, what does it do? It complains, throws tantrums. Our minds operate in a similar fashion when faced with stress or monotony - our inner child emerges and rebels against the idea of doing the hard work, envisioning the immense difficulty it entails.

Ego

Our minds safeguard our egos because that’s where our self-worth is tied. For example, if you believe you’re gifted, doing something outside your comfort zone like asking someone out risks failure, which would destroy your ego. To preserve your self-image, you completely steer clear of the difficult task.

Trying to overpower these two forms of resistance is a futile endeavor. However, if we pinpoint the root cause, we can deceive our brains into working alongside us.

Trick #1: Break It Down

The negative emotion you feel towards a task depends on its size. Boredom intensifies when faced with the prospect of two months without your phone, as opposed to just one hour. The thought of writing an entire book is more daunting than composing a single paragraph.

Our minds assess the level of effort required to achieve the ultimate objective. Therefore, instead, it’s advisable to divide the goal into smaller, manageable steps. Convince yourself to tackle only a small portion of the challenging task, and then reassess the situation.

Run through this mental exercise:

• Finishing my homework feels impossible • Let’s just do one practice problem • That wasn’t so bad, maybe I’ll do another

This rule, known as the "two-minute rule," reduces the intensity of negative emotions by minimizing the stakes involved.

Trick #2: Start With the Prep

When I encounter resistance towards exercising or studying, I deceive myself by initiating the preparatory tasks. I’ll change into gym clothes, open my textbook. Once I’m prepared, I persuade myself that I might as well proceed and complete the task at hand.

So next time you’re avoiding a difficult task, trick your brain by taking the first steps to get ready. You’ll talk yourself into following through.

Trick #3: Pair Hard & Fun

Think of your brain as a spoiled child, and reward it by combining hard work with enjoyable experiences. Motivate yourself by promising to watch a movie after completing homework or by planning a vacation once a big project is finished.

Offering enjoyment as an incentive makes hard work more appealing to our brains.

Trick #4: Reframe Your Narrative

Our actions align with our self-image. So alter your mental story to outmaneuver your brain. Instead of thinking "I must exercise and get fit," describe it as "I’m someone who exercises."

Your brain will oppose the first portrayal since inherently, requiring fitness implies you don’t currently have it. However, it’ll accept the second because exercising matches your identity, producing less resistance.

You can trick your brain by aligning actions with your desired identity, not specific end results. Be the person who consistently works out, not the person who is already fit.

Trick #5: Have Fun with It

Legendary mountaineer Alex Lowe once famously stated, "the best climber is the one having the most fun." This concept can be applied to tackling difficult tasks.

By reframing the task as a form of play, your resistance towards it diminishes. Immerse yourself in the process, remove the pressure, and prioritize enjoyment. This approach is likely to enhance your performance.

Turn Resistance into Motivation

Fooling your mindset is fleeting. However, cultivating steadiness with challenges will naturally spark motivation. Growth fuels drive. You’ll start taking pleasure in the effort while increasing your talents.

Outwit momentary thinking to develop beneficial routines. Then reap the motivation such habits cultivate to overcome even greater obstacles with enthusiasm and vigor. Cease delaying - you’ve got the ability to succeed!