Buzz
Earlier this year, I decided to get more active. A friend recommended I buy a lot of fitness gear to spark my motivation. I knew it wasn’t the right way, but I went ahead and tried it. Naturally, I didn’t follow through. The mindfulness site Break the Twitch calls this the false first step.
Here’s how Anthony Ongaro, the writer, describes this concept in simple terms:
The false first step is thinking we’ve made real progress toward a goal, when all we’ve really done is spend money or avoid the actual task. Instead of gaining something meaningful, like progress, we’ve lost time and money.
I’ve experienced this with workout gear, camera equipment, healthy groceries, and many other hobbies and goals. Ongaro shares several of his own stories in detail. I’m sure you can recall some of your own instances too.
It's one thing to purchase something that supports a goal you're already working toward or a hobby you're already passionate about, but all too often, we buy things in an attempt to kickstart that goal or hobby. And more often than not, that backfires. Instead of creating something, we just end up consuming and the goal becomes a fleeting novelty.
Of course, everyone’s different, and this may not apply to you. The right gear could actually help you get started. But for most of us, the false first step feels pretty accurate. If you can relate, check out Ongaro’s full post at the link below. He dives much deeper into this and it's definitely worth your time.
Photo by heart-lines.
