Member-only story
You Need More Than Just Habits
Tools matter just as much to your success.
Most of us have wised up to the resolution gimmick. We know that no particular schedule or set of habits will make much of a difference. So how do people get what they want?
Tools. Maybe crude ones at first. But never underestimate their value. The right ones make all the difference.
They matter just as much as your self-discipline. Maybe more.
Friends used to make fun of my apartment. They asked why I didn’t own a couch. Or a bed. Or any other furniture. I had one kick ass office chair, though, and a wrap-around desk.
The desk came from a friend. The plywood was chipped on the edges. You couldn’t put your full weight on your elbows for very long. The whole thing was ready to be thrown out, but I didn’t care.
It was perfect for what I needed.
That wrap-around desk dominated my bedroom. Hardly anything else would fit, other than a bookshelf and a twin-sized mattress.
My roommate asked, “How do you live like this?”
A boyfriend said, “You have an inflated sense of importance.” But a desk isn’t a status symbol. Not to everyone. Fundamentally, it’s a tool. That desk helped me keep all my stuff organized. Without it, I…
