When you want to make a change in your life, it’s good to understand when and how you’ll receive payoffs with different actions.
Take losing weight, where in this example your two options are exercise and/or changing your diet.
When you exercise, the immediate payoff is awesome! The endorphins are pumping. You’re sweating. You’re feeling the burn. You feel like you’ve achieved something.
When you diet, the immediate payoff isn’t great. Giving up what you like to eat or drink isn’t fun. And eating one healthy meal doesn’t feel like it’s really made a difference.
Yet the longer-term payoff to dieting is greater than exercise.
If you have a crummy diet and exercise a lot, you won’t get the same gains as if you don’t exercise but have a great diet.
So when you want to make a change, by all means start with what’s fun and enjoy that immediate payoff. But just appreciate which actions will provide you with the greater long-term payoff.
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