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Project50 day 2: How to use your inevitable failure for good

October 17, 2022

“REALISM A gambler once said to the Master, “I was caught cheating at cards yesterday, so my partners beat me up and threw me out of the window. What would you advise me to do?” The Master looked straight through the man and said, “If I were you, from now on I would play on the ground floor.” This startled the disciples. “Why didn’t you tell him to stop gambling?” they demanded. “Because I knew he wouldn’t,” was the Master’s simple and sagacious explanation.” “One Minute Wisdom” by Anthony De Mello

I know I’m going to check Instagram at some point today. Or like at 100 points today. So I’ve set up a quick automation in Apple Shortcuts:

  • When app is opened: Instagram
  • Then open app: Kindle

I used something similar a few months back to open The Drafts app for micro journaling anytime I opened up Coinbase or Coinbase Wallet. (As you might have guessed, those apps have become much less addicting after losing something like a Model X in a few months.)

You’re supposed to focus for an hour in the morning. I could avoid my phone entirely but I’m also trying to just design a better digital environment for myself. And that means setting up a few mattresses to catch me when I fall through a trapdoor.

I open social media apps when I’m bored and now it redirects to Kindle where I might be able to knock out a page or two instead.

I’ve already started noticing small moments when I should just be okay being bored. In particular, every time I leave the office I get the urge to check my phone. This is dozens of times during the day—lots of drinks, lots of bathroom trips.

Where you know you’ll fail, set up a shortcut in the right direction.

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