What’s Your Anti-Vision?

In an article titled Self-discipline is easy, actually: clarity vs. force (sic), Dan Koe argues that rather than trying to change your life, you need to begin by spending enough time with your “anti-vision.” Here’s part of the article.  

“The reason you want to be disciplined is that you've exhausted your current stage of life.

You're starting to notice that you've stalled out.

You're starting to notice that every day is the same as the last.

You're starting to notice that if you keep doing the same things, you won't achieve the life you want.

You're in limbo, and you don't want to be there anymore.

It's painful. But you misinterpret that pain and think of the first solution that comes to mind: be more disciplined. This is where most people get stuck in a loop of forcing themselves to do something they don't want to do, just to quit two weeks later and go back to the life they swore against.

Pain is the signal that change is happening.

The way out is to lean in. To become aware of how painful your current life is. Because once the pain of where you are outweighs the pain of where you want to be, discipline is no longer painful, because you don't have to force yourself to do it.

Step one is to write out:

Everything you hate about your current life (I don't want to hear about positive thinking right now, you're wrong).

Exactly what kind of life you will have if you don't change those things.

Then, sit with it for a week. Contemplate it. Go on a walk and let your mind dance with those ideas. After some time, and if you don't hide from the pain, you will start the next chapter of your life.” 

The article goes on to recommend other specific steps to creating change, but I’ve found even just this first step motivating in my own life. When I allow myself to really lean in to what specific outcomes might happen if I don’t change, oftentimes I am able to create enough resourceful pain to take the next step toward my vision. 

This week, I invite you to try using your anti-vision as fuel: 

What do I hate, dislike, or complain about in my current life? What concrete outcomes are likely if I don’t change these things in the next year? In the next ten years? Over a lifetime? 

What is the next step I will take toward changing my life this week? 

God bless,
Dan