Short transcript of a conversational interview between Sam and Cory Richards about practical life-hacks. Cory emphasizes "removing barriers" to make habits (ex: meditation) easier to start and sustain, arguing that perfectionism/self-optimization can be maladaptive and that small, accessible steps (even one breath) are progress.
Do you have any life hacks, like, things, little tricks of the trade that you do that sort of, you know, make life a little more efficient, a little easier?
Removing barriers.
Give me an example.
Okay. We live in this culture of self optimization that I would argue is sometimes maladaptive in and of itself. We live in sort of a monk culture. You see it especially with men. But that has led us to believe that there are these very specific ways that you have to get things done. Take meditation, for example. I have to sit up straight on a pillow with my legs crossed in this very uncomfortable position and meditate twice a day for 20 minutes or whatever.
If you make it, if you.
If you create all those barriers for doing it right, you're less likely to do it. The way I meditate is I wake up and I literally prop my head up just a little bit and I meditate in bed because I know that if I put all of that shit in between me and the pillow, I'm.
Not going to do it.
So removing the barriers between you and the activity that you want or the thing that you want to accomplish is essential.
Just make it work for you.
Make it work for you. And then if eventually you find your.
Way to the pillow because it's so generative, great.
But don't think that you're going to start that way, meditating for an hour. And quite frankly, like, as far as meditation goes, shit, I can't dive off.
The edge before you dive off the high rise.
Right, right, exactly. And, like, there's days, like right now in my life, my nervous system is so heightened, I get through a breath.
Before I'm off in space, in my mind.
Yeah.
And that doesn't mean you failed. You just keep showing up.
Yeah. Today was one breath.
Today was one breath. That's what I had. And that's good enough.
