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Via negativa

Simple but not easy

Things that are simple but not easy. That seems to be a path to success.

Simple meaning obvious, easy to understand how to do, and easy to see the expected payoff.

Not easy usually just means persistence and consistency is the problem.

Simple but not easy actions, in the way I define it, should be my objective.

A man’s gotta know his limitations. Persistence, I’m pretty good at. Consistency not so much.

Let’s do this. I know how to be consistent in brushing my teeth, so it’s not impossible for me to be consistent in a given behavior. It’s a “cannot” vs. “will not” situation. I am not physically or mentally incapable of consistency in a given venture.

Takeaway from this: keep stop doing stuff, so I have less noise in my life. For the remaining things, just focus on consistency. Not outcomes, not “is this a good idea or not”, not nothing else. Just keep doing. If I can’t keep doing, keep discarding until I am at the point of consistency.

It’s a via negativa strategy, isn’t it? Remove everything that doesn’t stay consistent until only the consistent remains. Then keep doing that.

Don’t try to take a given activity and make it consistent. That’s via positiva. You already know how well that doesn’t work.