3 Steps to Physis

To live in alignment with nature is to be in a state of physis. A state where we change and grow, following the same rules that govern the natural world.

We all have needs and ambitions, and for most of us, our immediate needs can be easily met. If we're hungry, we go to the kitchen and grab an apple: instant gratification. Achieving our ambitions requires a bit more than just reaching into the pantry, yet many of us think that if we haven't "made it" in our first, second or even thirtieth attempt, we've failed. We want to have the goal now.

It's not our fault. We live in a fast-moving society that offers "instant" solutions and endless dopamine hits:

"Buy these pills and lose weight in record time!"

"Play the lottery and get rich instantly!"

"Try this home workout routine that's guaranteed to get you in peak physical condition in 6 weeks!"

It takes a long time for a tree to emerge from a seed in the same way we can't go from couch potato to Physical 100 athlete overnight or from financially illiterate to financially independent by reading one book. True growth - being in physis - takes time, effort and discipline. It requires stepping out of our comfort zone and into an arena of discomfort.

This process can seem daunting if we've been stuck for some time, but it doesn't have to be. We can achieve physis in our own lives by following three simple steps:

1. Start where we are. No one becomes a master in anything overnight; we need to start somewhere, and that somewhere needs to be easy enough that we come back. If we've never lifted a weight, trying to benchpress 100kg is guaranteed to (a) hurt and (b) ensure that we never go to a gym again.
2. Gradually increase the challenge. The trick to personal growth is to aim for a point where we feel challenged but not overwhelmed and to keep increasing this threshold over time. We will get stronger or understand a complex concept better, but only if we keep at it and continuously increase the challenge. If we don't push ourselves with each attempt, we'll stagnate and fall back into a new comfort zone. Comfort zones are where dreams die.
3. Repeat. Over and Over. If we've decided that we'd like to be an expert in a certain field or have a strong and healthy body, we need to recognise that there is no end goal. We don't just stop one day because we've "made it". We'll get bored and frustrated with our lives. Physis is where we show up every day, no matter what, embracing repetition as part of our lifestyle.

As with everything in nature, dreams and ambitions evolve, but the process of reaching the state of physis remains the same. Whether we're changing careers, learning a new skill, or doing anything else: we start where we are, gradually increase the challenge, and repeat over and over.

Until next week,

Ric.