Inertia is a sneaky beast.
It can be a powerful force for good, helping us build momentum and achieve great things. But it can also hold us back, keeping us stuck in patterns and routines that don't serve us.
Inertia is addictive.
Repeating certain behaviours and habits makes us feel good. The problem is, these habits can be so small and subtle that we don't even realise we're doing them.
Before we know it, we're stuck in a cycle of repeating the same patterns over and over again, even if they're not good for us.
Inertia can also make it hard to change our behaviour, even when we have new information that suggests we made a mistake.
A study in the Journal of Consumer Research found that people are more likely to stick with their initial choices, even when presented with new information that suggests they made a mistake. This is known as the "status quo bias,".
When presented with a choice, our brains release dopamine in anticipation of the reward we expect to receive.
This can make it difficult to break free from certain behaviours and habits, even if they are not serving us well, because our brains are wired to seek out the dopamine hit that comes with engaging in those behaviours.
- The more you repeat a behaviour, the more automatic it becomes.
- The more automatic a behaviour is, the more you will do it without thinking, and;
- The more you do it without thinking, the more difficult it becomes to stop.
In Greek mythology, a king named Sisyphus was punished by the gods for his deceitfulness and forced to roll a heavy boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down again. This is often how it feels when our habits work against us.
But unlike Sisyphus, we have the power to change our fate.
Inertia can be the sword you wield rather than one which cuts you down.
Look out for patterns. Interrupt habits that hold you back. Let inertia work in your favour.
