Welcome to Snafu, a newsletter about behavior change.

My philosophy of addiction is simple. Do things that are difficult, but leave you feeling good afterwards.

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Do things that leave you feeling good

I have a philosophy of addiction. I’ve never done drugs, been addicted to porn or video games, or struggled with alcohol or cigarettes. But I am prone to addiction.

My grandfather was an alcoholic. My uncle died of alcohol and pills.

The things that I am addicted to most people don’t think about (sugar) or consider healthy (exercise, fasting).

Over the last decade, I’ve developed a philosophy of addiction – pursue things that are hard, but leave you feeling good afterwards.

By contrast, most of what we define as addictions are easy to do, but leave you feeling bad afterwards. Nicotine, alcohol, heroin, porn. They feel good in the moment, but have consequences afterwards.

That’s my cue of things to avoid.

But there’s another category that is difficult to do while you are in the midst of it, but leaves you feeling good afterwards. These are what I term my “healthy addictions.”

Here are few of my vices:

• 2 minutes of cold plunging at 39 degrees each morning
• 2 hours of intense exercise every day
• 5 days of water-only fasting twice a year

Of course, the term “healthy addiction” is a misnomer. Just like alcohol or sugar aren’t necessarily harmful in small doses, exercise or fasting aren’t healthy in the extreme.

But these healthy addictions are also self-limiting. Sit in a very cold plunge for 2 minutes, and a third minute is more difficult. Day 6 of a water-only fast is more difficult than Day 3. The more you do, the harder it becomes to keep doing the activity.

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Homework

So, that’s my prescription. Do something hard that leaves you feeling good afterwards.

It is that simple.
And it is that difficult.

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3 things I’ve loved this week

Quote I’m considering: “Think big. Act small.”

― Felix Dennis, How to Get Rich​

Book I’m Listening To: The Wizard's Butler by Nathan Lowell

I stumbled on this book by accident, but slow paced book and meticulous details. Roger Mulligan, a military veteran and former EMT, takes on the role of butler only to discover that his charge is a magician and the estate is magical

The pace of the book is charmingly sedate, taking time to give the reader a full sense of what it is like to be a butler within a centuries-old mansion.

The book has a similar mundane approach to magic and sedate pace as the Hugo Award-winning Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.

Podcast I’m Listening To: The Ezra Klein Show​

In those rare moment when I'm not either preparing for Responsive Conference (next week!) or sitting in my cold plunge, I've been tracking politics and the 2024 election. One of my favorite podcasts, lately, has been The Ezra Client Show. In both his interviews and solo episodes, I appreciate Ezra's ability to provide nuanced commentary on complex issues.

Among other recent favorites, I suggest his episode The Men - And Boys - Are Not Alright.​

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Support Snafu

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Share Snafu - If you're enjoying Snafu, it would mean the world to me if you would share it with one person who you think would like it. What friend, co-worker, or family member comes to mind? Forward this along!

​Books by Robin - I've published two books - so far! If you’re interested in learning to do a handstand, check out How to Do a Handstand. If you’re building a company or want to improve your company’s culture, read Responsive: What It Takes to Create a Thriving Organization.

​​​Attend Responsive Conference​ - Responsive Conference is coming up next week! The agenda is incredible, and our attendees are even better. This is my one big event of the year and I'd love to see you there!

Thanks for your support! It means the world.

Until next week,
Robin