Strong baselines

Update: this works really well for me, my health and relationships improved

Update: this has been improved further using sessions

These are some things I’m working on right now. Creative and work habits, spiritual intimacy, relationships, regular exercise, and a healthy diet. You know, the basics. So I’m experimenting with baselines. Minimum default answers and actions.

Instead of setting goals like these:

• Write 750 words each day,
• do devotions,
• ?,
• do workout x,
• and don’t eat these things,

I’m trying this:

• Copy or write a sentence today _or better,
• read a verse and timestamp a journal entry today or better,
• encourage someone else today or better,
• walk for 30 minutes today or better,
• eat this basic diet today or better,

and I’m already fascinated by the difference.

The flawed nuance of “good” goals

The first set of goals are optimized for the best days. They assume too many of the variables are fixed. But on the best days…I already do those things. What about the worst days? What happens if I get writers block and run out of time? Or if I’m too sick to complete my regular workout? And then I forgot to prep breakfast, so I’ll have to just skip or grab something on the way…

My philosophy is that there are no special days, so that isn’t going to work.

What if we optimized for the worst days instead of the best days? The days when something else comes up or we don’t feel like it. How would that change perspective? What would that do?

The second set of baseline actions are just that, minimums.

• If the words aren’t flowing, copy someone else.
• If the “feeling” to connect with God isn’t there, start with a defined path.
• If nothing much is happening, reach out and encourage three people.
• If a workout isn’t in the cards, walk for 30 minutes.
• And finally, if there’s not a meal planned, eat this.

No more need for excuses.
Start with the minimum and see if you can do better. On the good days you’ll grow. On the bad days you’ll maintain.

Would that work better than your current strategy?

When the baseline becomes easy, raise your standard.