🚲 Doing the last thing first
One of my favorite philosophy books is Early Retirement Extreme. It’s a book about the why behind Financial Independence, Retiring Early (FIRE). Author Jacob Lund Fisker writes about finding meaning through the things a person truly wants rather than the things a culture suggests, and other twisty turns we call ‘life’.
Sometimes we do the last thing first.
“People with more money than time buy $3,000 road racing bicycles with ultralight carbon frames to shave two pounds off the bike, regardless of the fact that they themselves are probably at least 10 pounds overweight, and only take a slow ride once a week because they lack the leg power to go faster and the time to go more often.
“Compare this to the amateur enthusiast with more time than money, who rides every day and thus has the power to ride his much less expensive bike much faster. Who enjoys riding more?”
Sometimes we do the last thing first because it feels more like a thing. Buying a lightweight road bike is a symbol to ourselves and others that we are serious cyclist.
It’s also a one-off. The harder part is building the habit to ride each day.
Habit first, optimization after.