People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures. — F. Matthias Alexander

People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures.

Author: F. Matthias Alexander

Insight: We like to think big about our lives—landing the dream job, finding the right person, finally getting healthy. But most of us spend our days doing the exact same small things we did yesterday. The uncomfortable truth is that your future isn't being decided in those moments of grand intention. It's being decided right now, in whether you scroll for twenty more minutes or read something challenging, whether you skip the gym or go, whether you have that difficult conversation or let it fester. The sneaky part is that habits work backwards from how we imagine. We think we need to feel motivated first, then build the habit. Actually, the habit comes first, and then the person you're becoming starts to feel different. Someone who exercises regularly doesn't necessarily feel like exercising more than anyone else—they've just built a life where it's what they do. The future person you're hoping to be isn't waiting for you to suddenly transform. They're being constructed, one small repetition at a time, usually in moments you don't think are that important. This is both depressing and liberating. Depressing because you can't wish yourself into a better future. Liberating because you already have everything you need to start—you just have to decide which small things matter enough to repeat.

Source: The Use of the Self, 1932