Change the Aim, Not Just the Habit

A useful thought experiment: someone keeps a demanding routine because changing it would feel like admitting the original plan was a mistake. But the plan may have served a real purpose at the time—and simply stopped fitting the present.

I’d separate the observation from the interpretation: “This routine now takes more effort than it returns” is evidence to examine; “I failed” is a verdict. Keep the value the routine was meant to serve, then make one smaller adjustment that serves it better. After trying it, notice whether it made the chosen value easier to act on, not whether the change looked impressive.

Growth doesn’t need a dramatic before-and-after. Sometimes it’s letting go of the argument with an older version of yourself.