How Optimization Culture is Holding You Back and What to do About it
Ditch perfection and embrace progress
At one point or another, I learned an interesting fact about Cedar Trees.
Cedar trees have a unique resilience. Once planted, they spread rapidly and easily and can thrive in almost any environment.
It doesn’t matter what soil type they have — sand or even rock. If a cedar tree decides to grow there, it will thrive.
The takeaway here is that Cedar trees are uniquely resilient in that they do not require perfect conditions to grow.
We can apply this same concept to the human condition. We can decide that we don’t need the perfect conditions to grow and move towards the best version of ourselves.
Even when times are challenging and life is throwing punches, we can still win at the game of life.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized this truth more and more. That waiting for the perfect conditions is an impediment to action.
So many of us wait for the right conditions to even get started.
Whether it’s a new project, a class we’ve been wanting to take, asking out that special someone, learning a new skill or starting a workout routine.
Life is busy. It’s messy. Being able to execute when things aren’t perfect can be a super power. It can be the one thing that leads us to consistency over a long period of time that can truly create lasting change.
Just like the Cedar Tree, we don’t have time to wait for the perfect conditions. Just get started.
I love applying this concept to a workout or running routine. But it can also easily apply to our diets, or learning different skills. Really any area in which you are trying to be more consistent.
Honoring the seasons of life
Optimization culture has gotten in our heads and made us feel like anything less than “optimal” isn’t even worth it.
I promise this isn’t true. As a new parent to two young boys, it’s crucial that I MAKE the time for things I need or want to accomplish that make me feel good and put me in the proper headspace to show up as my best self.
For me, that’s wellness, fitness, running, and writing. I completely cut out alcohol and rarely eat processed foods. These things have just gotten in the way of what I’m trying to achieve and my energy levels are better than ever. And I need an abundance of energy currency day in and day out in order to execute on the things that are important to me in this season of life.
With everything going on in my finance career, supporting my wife and learning the ropes of being a brand new parent, I am often lucky if I sneak in a 20 minute workout between zoom calls, managing my professional responsibilities, and caretaking for a newborn.
The best thing I can do for myself during this season of life is to keep going even when it isn’t perfect.
Adjust workouts on the fly and maybe squeeze in two 15 minute sessions throughout the day. Run for 20 minutes instead of an hour. Walk more. Jumprope for 5 minutes. Do pull-ups outside hanging from a tree branch while my son plays in the sandbox next to me.
By getting really creative and identifying even the smallest windows of time, I’ve been able to stay strong, fit, mobile, and create the energy I need for myself that a typical day requires.
The best workout is the one you can do consistently and if that means 15 — 20 minutes here and there while you’re in a busy season of life that is amazing!
I take the same approach to writing. Commuting on the train for 30mins? Sketch an outline for a new story. Rocking my newborn to sleep? Write a paragraph or two. Can’t sleep? Edit that article in drafts. Swinging my son at the playground? Write that conclusion.
The point is, I rarely find a prolonged period of time to execute on these things. Instead, I seek out small windows of time to move the ball forward with the things that keep me energized and feed my curiosity.
This approach makes life so much easier when I am able to ramp things back up because I don’t ever have to go from o-100.
I always have some baseline to build off.
I am a huge proponent of honoring the season of life you’re in and making adjustments to your routine accordingly. Add when you can, subtract when you need — just keep the ball rolling!
Keep the momentum
When you have a daily practice or rituals that you can lean on when times get busy or challenging, you remain ready and disciplined to show up even when it’s not convenient.
Even today writing this article with a headache, lack of sleep, and a less-than-ideal mental state, my habit is helping me show up.
The body and mind respond with less restriction when you practice nearly every day. It actually becomes more difficult to lose the momentum than it is to give up altogether.
Final Thoughts
Give yourself some space during busy seasons of life.
Most of the time, just starting helps things to flow. Do a little less than you normally would but enough to keep you energized and moving forward. It will still be impactful in the long run and you will keep the momentum train going for another day.
Just like the Cedar tree, you will have roots set that run deeper enabling you to keep the habit and harder to break the routine in what you are accustomed to doing.
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