Step 1: Observe What’s Not Happening
Look for patterns:
The supplement you forget to take
The notebook you don’t open
The camera you don’t bring
The idea you don’t ship
When something “should” be happening but isn’t, don’t question discipline. Question design.
Step 2: Identify the Smallest Obstacle
Friction is rarely dramatic. It’s usually subtle:
Stored in the wrong room
Requires two hands instead of one
Needs charging
Has to be assembled
Lives behind something else
Even a five-second delay compounds over time.
The obstacle is often embarrassingly small.
Good. That means it’s fixable.
Step 3: Make the Default Effortless
Reduce the number of decisions. Reduce the number of steps. Reduce the distance.
Examples:
Move the notebook to the desk surface instead of the drawer
Keep the camera in the bag, not on the shelf
Pre-fill the water bottle before bed
Keep the resistance band on the floor where you stretch
When the action requires no activation energy, it becomes ambient.
A Useful Standard
If something matters, it should be easier to do than not do.
That’s the bar.
When the good choice is the path of least resistance, consistency stops being impressive. It becomes structural.
You don’t rise to your goals.
You fall to your friction level.
Lower it deliberately.