An Excellent Wknd [25.31]
Some thoughts on absolutes
Hello, hi, 👋
Here’s hoping your weekend will be filled with old friends, new adventures, and at least one great workout.
Let's get into it.
❤️🔥 THE DAILY CHASE #66
The Absolute Trap
"I have to work out every single day."
"I'll never eat sugar again."
"I have to meditate for 30 minutes daily."
These statements sound committed. Disciplined. Like the words of someone serious about change or health or excellence.
They're actually the words of someone setting themselves up to fail.
The problem with absolutes isn't that they're too ambitious — it's that they're too rigid. Life doesn't operate in absolutes. Life operates in rhythms, seasons, and circumstances that shift like weather.
When you declare you'll do something every single day without exception, you're not creating discipline. You're creating a house of cards. One missed day and the whole structure collapses. One slip and you're not just behind — you're a failure.
Real discipline isn't about perfection. It's about consistency over time. It's about getting back up quickly when you fall down, not about never falling down.
The people who sustain healthy habits for decades don't follow rigid rules. They follow flexible principles. They understand that missing one day doesn't negate a hundred good days. They know that progress isn't linear and perfectionism is the enemy of progress.
Instead of "I must exercise every day," try "I make movement a priority in my life."
Instead of "I'll never eat sugar," try "I choose foods that serve my body most of the time."
This isn't about lowering standards but about building systems that last. Systems that bend without breaking. Systems that work with human nature instead of against it.
The goal isn't to be perfect for a month.
It's to be consistently good for a lifetime.
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🗓️ THIS WEEK
What we put out into the world over the last 7 days.
Your Ferrari Brain: Stop Idling in Mental Traffic
Talking with Chris Irwin about mental stagnation and how to break free using curiosity and wonder as your guide.
The Daily Chase
Brief, focused essays delivered each weekday morning to Chase Club members.
#66: The Absolute Trap
On Tuesday, Ben and I are talking about becoming an effective change agent. We'll explore how to meet people where they are and guide them through meaningful steps that create lasting transformation rather than just momentary motivation.
Until then, keep on chasing.
🤙🏼 Patrick
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