Resistance to a Poke in the Eye
Learning to put contact lens in can be a challenge. Twenty years ago I got contacts and remember spending a good couple of weeks getting used to sticking my finger in eye to put them in. After spending the years between wearing glasses, I went back to contact lens in the last year and it was much easier to make that adjustment this time; took just a day instead of weeks. My wife, Sherry, just got contacts and is now trying to get used to it. She has had a rough go at it, but finally the last couple of days she has been able to successfully put her contacts in.
The reason it is such a challenge is our body’s natural protective defenses. Anytime anything comes anywhere near the eye, it the body’s impulse to close the eyelid, providing resistance to whatever might potentially damage the eye. Putting anything in your eye is not natural. Some even have trouble putting in eye drops. Certainly, poking yourself in the eye can and should prompt resistance by the body. You learn to insert contact lens by teaching yourself to work past the natural resistance and overcome it. Only then can you successfully insert the lens into your eye.
All Kinds of Resistance
The protection system in our body is designed to resist not just physical harm like a poke in the eye, but also emotional harm like a real good poke at our self-esteem. Trying something new, taking a risk, making big changes are all things that can potentially cause harm to our emotional well-being. That part of the mind that handles protection doesn’t analyze the situation in terms of future productivity or success; it simply assesses the current situation and launches resistance forces to protect us from the potential danger. This is something that is in every single one of us. Richard Branson, Steve Jobs, Jack Welch, professional athletes, you, me; we are all victims of this resistance. This resistance will keep us from doing anything risky. It will create excuses, rationalizations, meaningless busy work; anything it can to keep us from putting ourselves on the line, from risking our pride and self-esteem. Left to run free, resistance will keep us from doing anything productive or different. The key is to teach yourself to work past that natural resistance to action and overcome it.
Overcoming Resistance is Easier Said Than Done
It won’t be easy. The more you fight it, the dirtier resistance fights back. It is not a fair fight. You are the underdog. Resistance has no morals, no consideration. It wants control of your life. In his book, Do The Work! Steven Pressfield puts it this way:
“Resistance will reason with you like a lawyer or jam a nine-millimeter in your face like a stick-up man. Resistance has no conscience. It will pledge anything to get a deal, then double-cross you as soon as your back is turned.”
Take Back Control from Resistance
Determine not to let it have that control. How do you do that?
HABIT
What allows you to learn to stick your finger in your eye every day to place a lens there is the development of a habit. Even after doing it once, your body will still resist it. It is only through the habit of the daily activity that you overcome that resistance and are able to wear contact lens, thus freeing you from glasses. What allows you to be successful at reaching a goal or completing any project or initiative is the development of a habit or habits that hammer resistance constantly. Decide on the DAILY actions you need to take. Enter them on your calendar in blocked off times. Do not allow yourself to do anything else during that time until your do the scheduled things. Give yourself rewards for doing it and consequences for not doing it.
Never let up! Resistance will outlast you and come back no matter how much you think you have beaten it to a pulp. Be ruthless and merciless! Stick to the established habits and be faithful. Only then can you quiet the screams of resistance in your life.
Action Plan
- Create a list of 2-3 things you want to accomplish within the short-term that you have been attempting to do unsuccessfully.
- Under each item, write down AT LEAST ONE THING you must do DAILY to accomplish it. Block off time on your calendar every day to do those things. Create a reward for doing it and a consequence that will impact you.
- Start NOW! Don’t schedule this starting next week. Today or tomorrow at the lastest.
- Keep me posted on how you are doing. I want to know about your successes and your challenges. WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER!