Three-Day Monk Syndrome, or How to Follow Up

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

How many things have you started and abandoned without achieving results? Let's talk about how to deal with this and gain the ability to bring things to the end.

Is there something in your life that you took and did voraciously for several days (weeks, months), and then quit? Playing sports, learning a new language, reading books, going to theaters - the list goes on and on. There is no need to talk about how many times a new life began on Monday.

And then suddenly the zeal disappeared somewhere, there were a great many excuses and reasons that prevented him from continuing what he had begun. The Japanese call this state "a monk for three days." Leo Babauta takes Japanese wisdom into service and shares his experience of dealing with this syndrome.

Perhaps something has disappeared simply as unnecessary. But I would like to remind you that everything that we give up because it seems meaningless or not very important at this stage of life can later turn out to be a wonderful missed opportunity. I in no way urge to bring all the emerging ideas to a victorious end. I propose to learn how to highlight the main thing, constantly reminding yourself of the goal for which you started doing something new.

Don't push yourself

Coercion still didn't end well, no matter how good the intentions were. At the same time, a persistent aversion to what is forced to do through force is gradually developed. No one is immune from an unpleasant feeling when they do not want to get down to business at all, from which only yesterday their eyes lit up. We are all prone to mood swings. Instead of forcing yourself to do something, you should try to find positive motivation.

For example, I still have moments when I have to literally kick myself to the gym or for a run. But as soon as I remember that in the gym, at the very first sounds of music, my mood rises, and running is a great way to relieve excess aggression, and my legs are already carrying me to training.

Do not hurry

No one can chew a huge piece at a time, no matter how much they want to eat - this is quite natural. In addition, excessive and rapid consumption of food is fraught with indigestion and other related problems. The same applies to any other business: plunging headlong, you risk quickly burned out. If something new is not so easy, increase the time you practice gradually.

Use momentum

Once you have the urge to start doing what was intended, don't delay. Even if there is not as much time as we would like. Start doing, and then it will be easier. It's like new ideas and thoughts - if you don't write them down right away, it will be very difficult to catch them again.

Remind yourself of what you want

Every time there is a desire to give up everything, remember why it was started. The motives may be different, but if you have forgotten what it all started for, then the result will be the same - zero. Don't lose direction, remind yourself all the time that there is a pot of gold waiting for you at the end of the rainbow.

Cheer yourself up

Leo Babaute cheers up and music helps to move on. You may have something different. Someone reads books for inspiration, someone goes for a run, someone goes to museums, watches a movie, meditates. And I draw or create something with my own hands. What is going on in my head is very clearly displayed by a pencil on paper. This is my way to get over my stupor and start moving on.

Stop doubting

The very last and, in my opinion, the most important thing. When doubts arise, it is very difficult to resist and not deviate from the intended path. Usually our doubts and fears are related to the future. But worrying about something that hasn't happened yet and may never happen is very irrational. And to give up what you started out of doubts is unforgivably stupid. Of course, you can turn to dry mathematical calculations that will help determine the likelihood of a particular outcome, based on the collected statistics. Statistics is a harsh science, but probability theory always goes hand in hand with it, which means that we always have a chance. So why not use it?

Every second the world opens up new possibilities for us. We create some of them ourselves. And even if a year ago you already gave up (and more than once) foreign language classes or a visit to an art studio, maybe right now the stars will converge and you will have a chance to start and finish the job?