The Path of Most Resistance

sometimes the hard way IS the way

Our brain naturally craves the path of least resistance. It doesn’t care what’s “best” for us, and it doesn’t care about our goals. 

You’re on a diet, but your brain sees junk food and says “eat it”.

It knows you have important work to do, but it tempts you to watch Netflix or scroll on your phone instead.

You try to read a book, and after a few pages you’re itching to check your phone.

Has your brain ever done the reverse while you’re stuck in a TikTok rabbit hole?

“Stop watching these high dopamine TikTok videos and go read that neuroscience book you just bought!”

Yeah, didn’t think so.

Our brain craves dopamine and doesn’t care where it comes from.

So if given the choice between easy, high dopamine activities, or something like studying… it’s gonna choose the easy option every time.

This path of least resistance tendency saved our lives when we lived in scarcity and constant danger, 

but in our modern world of abundance, it’s destroying us…

Fight back.

Practice taking the path of most resistance. 

Make yourself do things the hard way.

I found myself becoming too dependent on AI for coding, so I forced myself to stop using it, and go back to reading technical documentation.

I write things by hand, even though typing is quicker.

I read difficult books, and study difficult subjects, instead of consuming a ton of media.

Is it fun to do things the hard way? No.

But I feel a hell of a lot more accomplished after finishing a difficult book, or learning a skill, than I would if I spent the same time binging a new series.

Step off the path of least resistance every once in awhile, and do something hard, uncomfortable, or even painful. (Exercise comes to mind)

Not everything can, or should, be optimized.

Sometimes the hard way is the best way.