Self-Improvement: Why Micro-Changes Matter More Than Huge Transformations
Start small, and go far.
I’ve taken a few weeks off drinking. It was almost an accident. I moved to the Swiss Alps for the Autumn and have been so focused on work and exploring the mountains that I just forgot to drink.
That’s actually a great way to implement changes in your life — just forget about a bad habit. It’s how I quit smoking — moved to a new place, hung out with people who don’t smoke, and just forgot that it was ever a thing I did.
It’s a lot like Douglas Adams’ advice for flying: “The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” You have to fall, get distracted mid-way through, and forget to land.
No drinking is pretty good, actually
Since I have stopped drinking, lots of things have changed. My skin is better, I sleep better, and I can focus better. You know the list; you’ve heard it all before from all sorts of condescendingly virtuous sources. Since I stopped drinking, everything has been so much better! In fact, I myself am so much better than you!
I was gonna write an article reluctantly confessing that the things they say are true. Going sober makes you feel pretty darn good. But then I realised how annoying…
