Strategies to Manage the 4 Most Common Twitches

Here are strategies to manage the 4 most common Twitches from the previous post.

If you haven't watched the main 4 Twitches video yet, start there first. The strategies covered are below for reference.

False First Step Twitch

A pattern of believing we've made a meaningful step towards a goal when all we've done is spent money or talked about, and not done the thing we actually need to do.

Strategies for the False First Step Twitch

1 / Try to not talk about your goals until you've made progress on starting

This doesn't apply if you have an accountability group or partner — those relationships are specifically for sharing your goals so other people can keep you accountable.

But telling someone for no other purpose than to affirm what you're thinking of doing? In those cases, keep it to yourself and take some action before sharing it. Remember, it's only a Twitch if there's a pattern of telling people and not following up on it.

See number 3 below on minimally viable action (MVA) for a good way to get started.

2 / Consider a habit hold before buying anything

This one is similar to not sharing a goal before you've made some progress. Consider not buying something new until you've made a habit out of what you'll be using it for. It can be a seven-day or twenty-day habit hold, as an example, before you buy a yoga mat if you're trying out yoga for the first time. In the meantime, you can try out some yoga moves from a YouTube video on your living room floor to see how you like it. After the habit hold, if you still want to buy it, you can then reward yourself with the purchase.

3 / Ask yourself what is the Minimally Viable Action (MVA)

MVA is a very small, easily done action that reflects your ultimate goal—the minimally viable action. This concept stems from the entrepreneurial startup world where companies would build an MVP (minimally viable product) to test and get feedback on an idea before fully building out the final product.

Think about the most efficient and simple way to take action towards your goal or interest. If you want to write more, the MVA is opening up a word document or going analog with pen and paper, not signing up for a writing course. If you want to try yoga, find a beginner's yoga YouTube video to try out some yoga on your living room floor.

Newsfeed Twitch

A pattern of wanting to check for the latest new information, whether it's email, social media, or something else on your phone or devices.

Strategies for the Newsfeed Twitch

1 / Implement some intentional friction

There are many ways to add more intentional friction (aka more difficulty) around these constant checks for new information. Things like deleting certain apps on your phone and turning off unnecessary notifications can help with reducing the Newsfeed Twitch. You can always reinstall an app after a certain point or if you really need it. It's not an admission of defeat to do what you need to do to create the space you need. After all, these apps and devices were designed by companies to be convenient and to exploit our human weaknesses.

2 / Create some physical space from your phone when you don't need it

Having your phone nearby can be a distraction in itself. Consider leaving your phone in the other room when you don't need it. Studies have shown that merely being able to see your phone (even if it's turned off) can impact your productivity.

3 / Breathe and count to ten

The next time you feel the Newsfeed Twitch, stop, breathe and count to ten before reaching for your phone. Whatever is going on, it can wait for ten seconds. This is a great start to getting you more comfortable with feeling the Twitch. Wait for ten seconds at least before reaching for your phone or checking something for the first week. In the second week, you can then go up to twenty seconds and more in future weeks.

Shiny New Object Twitch

A pattern of getting distracted by a new project or interest when you already have a lot of things going on, particularly when you experience a ceiling or difficulties in a current project.

This can be related to the Yes Twitch (more on that below). The Shiny New Object Twitch is a leap to a new opportunity or project even though you already have enough on your plate. This often also correlates with wanting to buy the tools or accessories that come along with the shiny new interest. The Shiny New Object Twitch comes around less often than other Twitches, but it's a pattern of acting on an impulsive twitch to switch to something new and exciting. It's particularly common when you've hit a ceiling or become bored in what you already have going on.

Strategies for the Shiny New Object Twitch

1 / Put a hold on new ideas

Similar to the False First Step Twitch, you can put a hold on starting any new ideas. Have a notebook where you can make a list of all the new ideas that come to you. New shiny ideas can come to us when we're procrastinating or when things get difficult. Succumbing to the Shiny New Object Twitch can also be a way we prevent our own success—as mentioned in The Big Leap, a book I read recently and found fascinating. It's a distraction tactic our minds use to protect us from failure, disappointment, or hardship.

2 / Get more comfortable with discomfort

The discomfort we feel in certain situations is often where our growth opportunities are. When we feel discomfort, we can take a deep breath, acknowledge the discomfort for each specific situation. We can be uncomfortable for a little bit, let's say, 10 seconds, 30 seconds or even a minute. You can start with 10 seconds and work your way up over time.

3 / Make a list of all the things you're involved in right now

We often forget just how much we already have going on day-to-day. We could be trying to eat healthier foods, exercise more, or spend more quality time with family. All of these things are active projects in our lives—even mundane everyday activities are projects. When we make a list of all the things we're doing, it gives us more perspective on the space we actually have in our lives. Do your best to focus on just a couple—one, two or three—bigger things at a time.

4 / Question the urge to jump on a new project

If you feel the urge to jump on something new, take time to reflect and question yourself. Am I avoiding something right now? Am I bored just because something is getting uncomfortable for me? Becoming more aware of what's going on is key to breaking the Twitch.

Yes Twitch

A pattern of saying "Yes" to too many things that we don't actually have the time for or even want to do.

Strategies for the Yes Twitch

1 / Tell the person you will get back to them

Instead of feeling the need to respond immediately, implement a standard response of telling people you will get back to them later. The timeframe can be 24 hours to a couple of days. If someone is rushing you for an answer, it could be they are trying to manipulate you into something. Having more time will enable you to better assess the situation and consider if you really want to commit to the new thing.

2 / Build a decision filter

Make a simple decision filter to help you decide what to say yes to. It can be based on your values or what you want more of in your life. Questions like, "Will it serve this specific purpose?" or "Does this help me serve my family?" can help you make the best decision for you. Keep the decision filter light and easy so it's something you can quickly run through when you need it.

3 / Remember HALT

This last tip can be used for any of the Twitches. HALT stands for hungry, angry, lonely or tired. All of these things are forms of discomfort, which can lead to us being more susceptible to all the Twitches. By increasing our awareness, we can stop and understand what's really going on. We can then apply the other strategies to break the Twitch and do more of the work that really matters.

There are many ways to Break the Twitch, and there's no one right way. From this list of strategies that have worked for me, you can experiment and explore what will work the best for you.

What Twitches resonate with you? Try experimenting with the strategy that fits the one pulling at your attention most right now.