The Anchor Action

I’ve got a problem, and I think you might too.

The second my environment changes, my habits act like they never existed.

When life is steady, my routines are locked in and I take care of business. The gym, BetterLife, even texting people back the same day lol.

But the second my environment shifts? A long week at the office, a weekend trip, or an unexpected curveball gets thrown my way?

Everything pauses. 

Things don’t just slow down. They literally pause. I’ll come back to normalcy the following week and realize I basically did nothing to keep progress going while my priorities were diverted.

It frustrates me because the whole point of building routines is that they’re supposed to hold when things get chaotic - when priorities have to change for a little bit.

Yet, the moment my priorities shift, my habits follow, and I’m left starting over again.

I don’t want to stop going on vacation. I don’t want to stop having long weeks. 

But I do wish I didn’t have to choose between living my life and making progress in it.

Last week I was out of town visiting some friends and family. By Wednesday my workout was skipped, BetterLife was on the back burner, and I wasn’t even filling out my planner. That Friday night, I took a shower though.

Lol. Bear with me.

For whatever reason, as I stood there with the water running, I felt back in control - like my normal, focused self. Things clicked in there because the shower was familiar, not because it was special. That shower is a great reminder that there’s a difference between a routine and an anchor. They’re both important, yet they’re different.

Routines depend on the right environment. Anchors don’t.

An anchor is something you already do, regardless of where you are, how you feel, or how chaotic the week has been. Taking a shower. Brushing your teeth. Drinking water when you wake up. You do these things because they’re so ingrained and easy that they don’t require any motivation to maintain.

This isn’t to say routines are weak. Routines are vital! They’re much more productive than anchors, and that’s why they differ. Anchors aren’t meant to help you build a side business or become a gym head.

Anchors are simply access points to help you get back to doing your routines.

They already exist in your day and when life gets chaotic, they’re the thread that can pull you back to yourself.

They give you a chance to take that first step back in the right direction. To get you back to doing what you usually do.

System 5 - Anchor Actions

Identify one anchor action.

Something you already do every single day without thinking about it. Then, the next time life gets loud (a long week, a trip, an unexpected Thursday) try to put some thoughtfulness and intention behind that little action.

Take your shower and think about the thing you’re trying to stay consistent with. 

Don’t solve it all right there or plan out the next three months of actions. No need to solve world hunger here. Just remember that thing you’re trying to keep doing. The familiarity of the anchor will do the rest. It brings you back to your “roots”. Back to the version of you that’s building something.

In referencing an anchor, you don’t need to come back to your best self that’s grinding out a consistently productive week, you’ve just got to nudge yourself back to a point where a baby step in the right direction is doable. No matter what’s been disrupting your week.

Sometimes all you need in an unfamiliar moment is one familiar thing.

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