Thought of the Day: You are more likely to perform what you practice

December 8, 2025

There is a quiet truth hiding inside this Thought of the Day. You are more likely to perform what you practice. It sounds obvious at first. But the longer you sit with it, the more you realize how much of your life runs on muscle memory you never meant to build.

Most of the things we do automatically were never big decisions. They were tiny repetitions. A reaction here. A shortcut there. A habit that showed up on a stressful Tuesday and never left. None of it feels intentional at the time, but then one day you step back and see the pattern. You see the grooves you have worn into your days. And you see that life keeps handing you chances to act out the same script because you have gotten really good at the lines.

This thought shows up in funny ways too. Today’s Question of the Day was, what is a common saying that annoys you? My answer was quote, unquote. It grates on me every time. Half the people who say it do not actually quote anything. They just toss it in like it makes the sentence sound fancier. But maybe that habit is a perfect example of the thought itself. You repeat something enough times, and before long, you perform it without thinking. Even if it makes no sense. Even if it annoys everyone within a five foot radius.

We are practicing all the time. Patience or impatience. Gratitude or resentment. Presence or distraction. Connection or withdrawal. And in every case, the practice becomes the performance.

I notice it with my kids. When I practice being rushed, I act rushed. When I practice irritation, I act irritated. When I practice paying attention, even for a small moment, I show up as the parent I actually want to be. None of these versions of me are random. They are rehearsed.

And if that is true, then nothing is locked in. I can choose which version of myself I want to give more reps. I can decide which habits get to stay. And I can retire a few of the ones that feel like those annoying sayings we repeat without meaning to.

Maybe that is the invitation today. Notice the performance. Then track it back to the practice. What are you rehearsing without noticing? What would you rather rehearse instead?

🧠 Read the full blog post where I explore this Thought of the Day and the Question of the Day

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