Input > Outcome
What to focus on when building a new habit
What do people always tell you is the most important trait to have when starting to develop a difficult new habit?
Discipline?
Consistency?
Work ethic?
All true to some extent, but I believe the most important trait to have to build any new habit or make drastic change is one thing.
Outcome independence.
What is this and how does it work?
Outcome independence is the ability to do a task no matter what happens in the end. It is taking action no matter what; whether or not the action is successful it does not matter.
As long as you took the action, that is all that matters.
Most people determine success based on the results they get.
Did they win? Are they rich? Did they get the girl?
They are all focusing on the wrong thing.
Yes, it is nice to be rich, get the girl, and become a winner.
But what did you do to attain that? That is where the focus needs to be.
What was your input?
Focus on the Input
You need to switch your focus from what you are going to get from doing something to what you need to do to complete the tasks.
Don’t focus on getting jacked, focus on doing the workout. If you did the workout, congrats, that’s a success.
Don’t focus on the money, focus on the daily tasks needed to grow your business. Did you do what was necessary today to increase lead flow, have better retention, get more customers? If yes, then the business will grow and the money will follow.
You get the point.
Success then becomes a byproduct of the action you took.
If you took the action today - then it’s fuck yeah let’s go!
If you didn’t - reflect on why not and what needs to change tomorrow to make sure the action gets done.
When writing into the void with very few followers, don’t focus on views and likes.
Focus on whether or not you wrote and posted each day. If you did (like me writing this now) - then fuck yeah let’s go!
Action is the only thing that matters
Success then isn’t the incentive you strive for, it becomes a result of the action you took.
And the action is the only thing you should be optimizing for.
If you’re starting to write, only focus on writing, posting, and engaging. The likes, views, and money will come later if you are consistent with the action.
If you’re starting in the gym and want to get in better shape, only focus on the workouts. It doesn’t matter how long your workout was or how much you lifted.
As long as you show up and take the action, that’s a win, fuck yeah let’s go!
If you’re worried about talking to that girl, just focus on going up to say hi. Don’t worry about trying to get her on a date or whatever comes down the road.
As long as you take the action, fuck yeah let’s go!
Nothing is Yours
If you’re hesitant or scared in the beginning of starting anything new, that’s ok, you’re supposed to be.
I’m often reminded of this quote.
“What are you afraid of losing, when nothing in this world belongs to you.” — Marcus Aurelius
If you take action and don’t win, guess what? You’re still in the exact same spot you are in now.
“Idk if I can go talk to that girl, what if she says no?”
If you don’t go up and say hi, you’ll never go on a date with her and if you go up and she says no, you’ll still never go on a date with her.
Either way, you’re in the same spot.
Nothing is actually yours.
If you take action and don’t succeed, you’re in the same scenario as if you hadn’t taken any action.
So you might as well go out there and take some action.
“The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom” - William Blake
Until next time,
Luke
We must keep putting the reps, consistency will bring results. Focus.
Outcome independence is crucial. Every time I write a sales email I remind myself that I don’t need the money, it’s a powerful shift (mostly because it’s true).