Nir Eyal

So if you're trying to avoid that chocolate bar, it might be hunger. Or it might not be hunger, right? So I used to be clinically obese. And I'll tell you what, I did not eat to excess because I was hungry. I was eating to excess because I was lonely. I was eating to excess because I was bored. I was eating to excess because I felt guilty about how much I had just eaten.

It wasn't just about the hunger, right? Very few people who are obese are just hungry all the time. That's not what's going on. It's because we're eating our feelings. That's what's happening. So that's the first step. We have to understand the deeper reason.

It wasn't just about the hunger, right? Very few people who are obese are just hungry all the time. That's not what's going on. It's because we're eating our feelings. That's what's happening. So that's the first step. We have to understand the deeper reason.

It is and it isn't. I mean, I'm not... You don't have to go to therapy. No, there's nothing wrong with it. If it's helpful, please do it. But that's not a requirement. Something as simple as, you know, so whenever I work, I have on my desk, I have a little post-it note and a pen handy. And...

It is and it isn't. I mean, I'm not... You don't have to go to therapy. No, there's nothing wrong with it. If it's helpful, please do it. But that's not a requirement. Something as simple as, you know, so whenever I work, I have on my desk, I have a little post-it note and a pen handy. And...

When I get distracted or when I even feel the sense of distraction, just noting down that sensation, just writing down what is it that I felt right before the distraction. So I write every day. And all I want to do when I write – you know this, right?

When I get distracted or when I even feel the sense of distraction, just noting down that sensation, just writing down what is it that I felt right before the distraction. So I write every day. And all I want to do when I write – you know this, right?

When you write, all you want to do is go Google something or do some research or go check email for a quick sec or let me just find that one thing that might be – And they're all distractions. They're all taking you away from the core thing you need to do, which you said you would do, which is right.

When you write, all you want to do is go Google something or do some research or go check email for a quick sec or let me just find that one thing that might be – And they're all distractions. They're all taking you away from the core thing you need to do, which you said you would do, which is right.

And so if I can just pause for a second and reflect on what was that sensation that I was feeling right before. It was boredom. It was anxiety. It was fearfulness. It was uncertainty. just writing it down is an incredible first step towards gaining power over that discomfort because then you can start to identify it.

And so if I can just pause for a second and reflect on what was that sensation that I was feeling right before. It was boredom. It was anxiety. It was fearfulness. It was uncertainty. just writing it down is an incredible first step towards gaining power over that discomfort because then you can start to identify it.

And so what I'll do many times is just pause to reflect on, wait a minute, what's going on there, right? What is that sensation? Because then you can begin to do what's called reframing the trigger. So now when I feel the sensation of wanting to get distracted, I say, you know what? What's going on here? Okay, I'm feeling the sensation because I'm stressed. Why am I stressed?

And so what I'll do many times is just pause to reflect on, wait a minute, what's going on there, right? What is that sensation? Because then you can begin to do what's called reframing the trigger. So now when I feel the sensation of wanting to get distracted, I say, you know what? What's going on here? Okay, I'm feeling the sensation because I'm stressed. Why am I stressed?

Because this is really important to me. I want to get this right for my readers and for myself. And so reframing it as not a negative, but something that happens not to me, but for me, that that sensation is a sign that I can listen to. I think most of us, we think when we feel this discomfort, that's happening to us, right? But it's not, it's happening for us. It's a signal for us to listen to.

Because this is really important to me. I want to get this right for my readers and for myself. And so reframing it as not a negative, but something that happens not to me, but for me, that that sensation is a sign that I can listen to. I think most of us, we think when we feel this discomfort, that's happening to us, right? But it's not, it's happening for us. It's a signal for us to listen to.

Now, how we interpret it is up to us. And that's where the magic happens. If you interpret it as something that is harmful, is dangerous, that you need to escape, right? You don't want to feel that uncomfortable sensation. You look for distraction.

Now, how we interpret it is up to us. And that's where the magic happens. If you interpret it as something that is harmful, is dangerous, that you need to escape, right? You don't want to feel that uncomfortable sensation. You look for distraction.

But what we find is that high performers across every field, when you think about the arts, when you think about sports, business, high performers, when they feel those internal triggers, they experience the same internal triggers the rest of us do. They experience loneliness and stress and anxiety just like everyone else does.

But what we find is that high performers across every field, when you think about the arts, when you think about sports, business, high performers, when they feel those internal triggers, they experience the same internal triggers the rest of us do. They experience loneliness and stress and anxiety just like everyone else does.

But they deal with it by using it as rocket fuel to push them towards traction. Whereas distractible people, as soon as they feel that discomfort, they try and escape it with distraction. That's the big difference.