“You’re going for a walk?”

“Well, I’m not choosing to.”

“What do you mean? You’re clearly choosing to go walk in 5 degree weather.”

“Every day around this time I go for a walk. So I’m not really choosing to. If I could choose, I’d stay inside today.”

That was a conversation I recently had (edited for clarity). And it made me think: How hard life would be if I had to choose the right action every time.

Instead, I decide before it happens—when I’m in my best state—and then follow through. I know that following through when you don’t want to (or it’s freezing out) isn’t easy or simple. But it’s a million times easier than deciding each time.

This is because making decisions takes energy. The word “decide” comes from the Latin word “decidere,” which is a combination of two words: “de” meaning “off” and “caedere” meaning “to cut.” The word “decidere” literally meant “to cut off.”

Cutting things off takes energy, both physically and mentally. That’s why delegating that work to a process or practice is vital for long-term success.

It’s why I’m a huge advocate for creating a process and following it religiously. Why? The process carries me to a higher level. I don’t have to do much other than define it and follow it. Brian Johnson (Founder of Heroic) calls this a protocol. And he says when you feel the least like following, it is when you need to most.

I find that to be true. The days when I don’t want to meditate are the days I need to.

Clearly, defining and maintaining a process is the prequel to this principle. Without that, you’re using willpower every time.

And as we know, willpower runs out (quick for me).

So that’s why outsourcing the decision to the process is a crucial principle I follow.

It helps me achieve better performance on autopilot. Each time I keep to the process, it’s easier to follow the next time. The same is true for writing. Each time you write, you’re lowering the cost to write in the future.

If I work out every other day, each time I keep my promise, I make the next time more manageable. Sure, some days will suck to go throw around some weights. But in the big picture, every time you stick to the process, you lower the cost in the future to follow it.

That should encourage you.

Meditating is something I’ve done daily for 5+ years. Before beginning, I could barely keep my mind still. At first, reaching 2 minutes of complete silence was monumental. Then, day after day, I got to 5, 10, 15, and now I sit for 20 minutes every morning.

But before committing (or promising) to sit daily for at least a minute, I had to choose each time. Instead, I put meditation into my daily process and then did it every day. Were some days harder than others? Of course.

I remember that in 2021 (two-ish years into meditating), I began having panic/anxiety attacks. I would sit to meditate, and my whole body would convulse. Just because I didn’t have to choose didn’t make it easier. But it did help me fulfill my promise. I am unsure I would have done it if I didn’t have it in my process. That’s the power of process and defaulting your choices to it. Bow to the process (jk).

So the next time you’re frustrated because you can’t keep your promise (going to the gym or writing daily), put it into your protocol and follow through. I know it sounds easy, but trust me, it gets to be second nature.