Behavior is Hard. Habits Make Us Anti-fragile

Lifting a heavy rock one time is hard. Going to the gym and lifting three days per week makes us anti-fragile. When we go back to that heavy rock after months of working out, it’s easier to lift. We are physically stronger but also psychologically familiar with lifting heavy things. We are not resilient, we are anti-fragile – we get stronger from heavy things over time. We get better through adversity.

College students can apply this philosophy to every other part of life. Identify the heavy things, participate in regular habits that make us stronger, smarter, healthier, etc. and then show up for tests (eg. lifting heavy rocks, chemistry tests, better friendships).

We can change without consent and agency or we can change with planning and intention. One version makes us feel out of control and hopeless while the latter version decreases anxiety, improves our life and provides a sense of control.