Objects at Rest, Objects in Motion
Early mornings are the best time to get "my" things done before my focus shifts to my wife, kids, pets, and the general chaos of life! For years, I struggled to fit exercise into my packed schedule of work and personal projects. Actually, I didn't struggle too much -- I just gave up. At one time I'd considered hitting my "ideal weight" to be my fitness goal. Now, though, I don't have a specific goal for target weight or physical fitness objective. I took the meta approach, asking myself why I cared about my ideal weight. After diving into the "whys", it was clear that I want to be healthy, to be mobile, to be able to be active, and I want to have a degree of stamina. This meant I needed to exercise and eat properly!
Despite my self-protests that, “I’ve got too much to do,” and skip it, I set a simple rule: no logging onto my computer until I exercise. My routine became: wake up, throw on workout gear, start the coffee pot (my reward), and get moving! What if I don't feel like working out? I decided that I just needed to put on the gym clothes -- and that's easy enough. What I discovered, was that 99.9% of the time, once my gym clothes are on, I’m good to go -- "I've gone this far..." I'm not even exaggerating — only 2 or 3 times in the last decade did I get that far and stop there! On those days, clearly, something was up and, to be honest, on those days I didn't feel like a failure.
Consistency is one thing -- willpower can help get you part of the way, but what makes this actually significant, is that the other day, I was in the middle of my routine when the coffee maker beeped, and I realized I hadn’t even thought about getting up, changing, or starting—I was on autopilot, winning at health and stamina without expending any mental energy!
In my last post, we saw how small moments, like a random conversation, spark ripples that shape your life. Chapter 2 of Shane Parrish’s Clear Thinking shows us how to make those moments count with rituals—habits that, like Scott Adams’s systems, create positive inertia to stack the odds in your favor. Let’s dive in.
Rituals as Reflexes for Clear Thinking
Shane Parrish says small moments—like choosing to exercise or snapping at a colleague—can hijack your future if defaults like inertia or emotion take over. His solution? Rituals: simple, repeatable actions that make clear thinking a reflex. My morning exercise rule is a ritual that beats my “too busy” excuse. By making the win “put on gym clothes,” I bypass the mental tug-of-war and just do it. Scott Adams, in How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big, calls these “systems”—rules like “write 100 words daily” that automate progress toward your goal of publishing a novel. Unlike goals (e.g., “lose 10 pounds”), systems focus on action, not outcomes. These rituals or systems turn ordinary moments into wins. Remember that conversation from my last post that sparked my career direction? Without a pause to engage, it could’ve been lost to inertia. Rituals make those pauses automatic, ensuring small moments compound into big results, like a butterfly’s wings sparking a tsunami. They counter defaults—emotion, ego, social, inertia—by building a reflex to act with intention.
Take a Minute: What’s a default, like procrastinating or reacting emotionally, that trips you up? What small ritual could you try to bypass it?
Shortcuts to Save Mental Energy
Why do rituals work? They save mental energy by cutting out costly deliberation. Parrish says defaults thrive when you’re tired or stressed—think of saying “yes” to a bad idea (social default) because you didn’t have the bandwidth to think. A ritual, like pausing to breathe before responding, acts like a shortcut, making the right choice automatic. Adams agrees: his systems, like always trying new skills, eliminate the need to rethink every decision. My exercise ritual does this—once I’m in gym clothes, I don’t debate whether to work out; I just do it, and the coffee reward seals the deal. This ties to our last post’s investment analogy. Just as Warren Buffett made steady bets that compounded into billions, rituals are daily deposits that stack the odds for success. They ensure the butterfly effect works in your favor, turning small moments into positive ripples, not setbacks. Whether it’s a “bad” day (like my struggling business) or a good one, rituals keep you moving toward your principles—health, focus, growth—without burning mental fuel.
Take a Minute: Think of a decision that drains your mental energy, like saying “no” or starting a task. What simple rule or ritual could make it automatic?
Defining Wins as Progress
Adams redefines a “win” as sticking to your system, not hitting a perfect outcome. If I put on my gym clothes, that’s a win—even if I only wander into my workout room and just stretch for 10 minutes. Parrish’s rituals align with this: the goal isn’t perfection but consistent clear thinking that compounds over time, like Ronald Read’s modest savings growing to $8 million. For example, if you recall, I started a ritual of pausing to ask, “What’s my goal here?” before meetings. It felt basic at first, but it reduced tension by setting clear expectations. Purposeful meetings and transparent motives reduce the number and scope of meetings, making them much more manageable -- a small habit but a big win. This connects to our last post’s time-frame idea: a “bad” day of sticking to a ritual (like exercising despite exhaustion) is still a win in the long term. Rituals keep you grounded in principles like discipline or resilience, even when outcomes are uncertain. They keep you aware of the deepest "why", not a shallow goal. When the ritual doesn't promote the "why", its easy and guilt free to change it to something that will, or drop it altogether! Parrish and Adams agree: make clear thinking a reflex, and you’re investing in a future where small moments add up to something extraordinary. Stay tuned for another tool to master those moments next time.
Take a Minute: What’s a ritual you could start that counts as a win just by doing it? How might it compound over time?
Keep the Momentum Going
Small moments are the building blocks of your life, as we saw with a single chat sparking a career or a failed business leading to new paths. Parrish’s rituals and Adams’s systems turn those moments into positive inertia, bypassing defaults and mental strain. My morning exercise ritual—putting on gym clothes, coffee brewing—puts me on autopilot toward health, not because I’m pushing myself, but because it’s a simple rule. These habits ensure your choices compound like Buffett’s investments, creating ripples that move you toward your goals. What’s one small ritual you’ll try this week to spark positive momentum? Next, we’ll explore another way to make every moment count, ensuring your choices always stack the odds in your favor. Keep aiming up!
Take a Minute: I'd love to hear about a ritual or rule you’ve tried that keeps you on track, or if you are considering committing to one this week—like pausing for three breaths before responding! Revisit my last post for more on how small moments ripple or my post on understanding your "whys" to start building your momentum now!
